C4s Grand National commentary team should be.

Simon Holt - Start, Chair etc, finish

Richard Hoiles or Stuart Machin - fences 1 to 4 and 10 to melling road (twice)

Aussie Jim (poached from the beeb) or Mark Johnson - fence 5 to Valentines (twice).


Any suggestions.

Simon Holt, Jim McGrath (aussie) and Ian Bartlett are the best 3 racing comms IMO. so them.

This deal doesn't kick in until next year so much too early to be talking about it yet. Enjoy this year's race on BBC first.

That is obvious as they said it is from 2013 but that doesn't stop me from starting thread on it now does it?

I think there is a good chance they'll sign Jim McGrath and use him to call the finish, just to keep the tradition going.

Not sure we'll see Clare Balding as part of the coverage though, as she's an all round BBC sports presenter these days (unless she can come to some arrangement where she could cover racing for Ch.4 and other sports for the Beeb).

Why sign Aussie Jim to keep up the tradition when they have spent a fortune on winning it FROM the BBC ? They will use their own people. Simon Holt is the best in the business and rightly Channel 4s number 1. Lets be honest they could have probably snapped up McGrath before if they wanted him as their main man, but they have wisely stuck with Holt.

My money would be on Mike Cattermole and Derek Thompson as C4 guys.

I think she's a freelancer these days; she's already struck one arrangement with C4 as she's going to be part of their Paralympics team later this year.

Perhaps the real question is whether C4 even need her as they've got a whole host of capable and proven presenters in their racing team already.

shesnow freelance hence her doing Crufts on More 4 and paralympics on Channel 4

can't see why Ch 4 would want any of the BBC commentators. They do racing better anyway.

Cheltenham worked out OK, did it not, with no BBC in sight.


Ch 4 take racing more seriously. The morning line etc. BBC haven't got much idea.

Racing used to be above the BBC. They first showed it without any betting.

Yes they weren't allowed to, they used mention who was the favourite but hat was it. My Grandad used to go to a dodgy bookie who operated out of the back of the pub. The local copper used to come in and put his bets on!

Clare Balding is what's known as a "contract freelance" for most of her BBC sports work.

That might sound a contradiction in terms but it's a fairly common occurence in sports media - what it means is she's allowed to do other projects for any broadcasters away from her main sports but has agreed to work for just BBC when she's covering horse racing and rugby league (possibly also applies to her during Wimbledon tennis fortnight now she's among their commentators rota for that event after co-hosting that coverage for many years).

Hence all she would have had to do to accept Ch4's Paralympics hosting was to make sure the BBC were ok about any racing or rugby league clashes with the Paralympics - as it turns out, it becomes a very useful way for her to establish herself on Channel 4 ahead of their 2013 terrestrial monopoly of racing.

But I'd be very surprised if "Aussie Jim" McGrath is included in Ch4's Aintree team just because he's called the closing stages since the late-90's.

He's already among 4 experienced commentators being controversially monitored during the first-half of 2012 for the quality of their racecourse work (Derek Thompson, Darren Owen & Iain MacKenzie being the others) so I can't see him making the Ch4 shortlist - maybe a switch to 5Live's coverage would be his best hope of still working at Aintree (although it would be harsh on John Hunt if Aussie Jim nicked top spot on the radio).

With Simon Holt presumably guaranteed the start/Chair/finish role and Richard Hoiles almost sure to be Ch4's 2nd-pick, there's really only 1 commentary place up for grabs.

I haven't a clue how Mike Cattermole gets so many high-profile commentaries but he'll probably end up on the shortlist with Mark Johnson and Stewart Machin - although Ian Bartlett's been heard occasionally on Ch4 when they've just taken his racecourse commentary, I doubt that's enough to get him included on the above shortlist.

Ironically McGrath may still commentate, but on-course as supposed to television. Hoiles and Machin would probably be the two of the obvious choices for covering a Grand National on C4 with Simon Holt, that would then leave a spot to be filled for the 'course' commentary team.

The same could be true for Royal Ascot, Simon Holt and Richard Hoiles currently do the course commentary and so at least one spot is going to become open, which may be taken by McGrath (a role which I believe he did previously)

What they getting monitored for mate ?

Can't see C4 signing any of the BBC commentators to be honest, Aussie Jim is well past his best. Simon Holt will get the closing stages for sure I'd have thought.

Cattermole and Thommo both do a bit of commentating but don't think either of them are much cop either, Cattermole I reckon is likely to get the bit after the canal turn down to the melling road bit though.

Tony O Hehir has been used previously by the BBC for the National, he could get another chance again next year.

Agreed. I guess Alice Plunkett and Emma Spencer have the most to lose out of the possible addition of Balding to the Channel 4 Racing team. I think it would be a shame if this were to happen. I don't watch that much racing but having followed a lot of Cheltenham last week I really took a shine to Plunkett, she has a very charming manner and works well with Alastair Down. From what I have seen, I much prefer Plunkett to what I've seen of Balding's horse racing work for the BBC.

Ian has been part of the BBC Grand National commentary for a wee while now (certainly in recent years). AS i've mentioned above, i rate him highly.

Clare spreads herself too much already - she's terrible on rugby league. I doubt C4 really needs her.

Have to disagree, she's great on the rugby league. Always comes across as enthusiastic and asks great questions of the experts. After years of condescending hosting by the likes of Rider and Inverdale, I'd take Balding every time.

Normally there's a maximum of 20 commentators on the racecourse rota but last year there were only 19 when both Graham Goode and Dave Smith were dropped but only David Fitzgerald was added.

This year it's different with 3 newcomers - John Blance, Gary Capewell & Matt Chapman - being given a few meetings each in the first 6 months while Derek Thompson, Jim McGrath, Iain MacKenzie & Darren Owen are all being "monitored".

As you can imagine, this was big news in the Racing Post and racing forums last December - without official confirmation, it seems the aim is to make the rota younger and more chatty with any info for the crowd in between races.

To sum up huge amounts of headlines and forum posts, McGrath & MacKenzie look to be in most danger of being past their sell-by dates, Thompson (despite being in his late-50's or early-60's) has been staunchly defended by several racecourses for already doing exactly the chatty style that's seemingly wanted (notably at Newmarket's Friday nights) and no-one has a clue how Owen (mid to late 40's) has ended up in any risk at all !

Agreed - Alice is fantastic. I have a real soft spot for her too. Big Mac calls her "the saucy minx" and you can see why.


Claire is excellent on rugby league i totally agree.

I had no idea. Has GG retired now ? He only tended to do the midlans courses lately. Smudger Smith is a judge too isnt he, as well as the betting guru on the greyhounds on Sky.

I like Thommo, he is a real character.

He sure is. I was in a hospitality tent at Cheltenham last week and he came in and gave a brief speach and had a right laugh. Although his tipping left something to be desired!!!

speaking of Alistair Down, he looked a bit worse for wear on TV on Saturday (after Cheltenham)

and nobody's mentioned Francome.

pundit par excellence,