Arse Cup

Jeremy Kyle has been a regular racegoer for some time - he has done the odd trophy giving, he was at the Derby Awards and he was at Ascot last week with his missus, as well as going on a few other occasions lately. He owns shares in at least one horse.
 
And if I recall is co hosting the upcoming Lesters.

I think it is Sonning Star with Nick Gifford that runs in his wifes' name.
 
Arkwright said:
And if I recall is co hosting the upcoming Lesters.

I think it is Sonning Star with Nick Gifford that runs in his wifes' name.
Click to expand...
He definitely has an interest in the Gifford stable - met him in Ascot High Street a couple of years ago and had a chat with him about his racing interests.
 
Not racing related, but the Sindo headline writer who came up with this front-page gem deserves a mention:

"Gay finds Cowen's social habits difficult to swallow"

The "gay" being Gay Byrne, of course!
 
Thought this was a bit odd; from The Guardian:

Racing Post readers were surprised not to find Alastair Down's regular weekly column in the paper yesterday. They had better get used to it. Despite being the acknowledged expert in jumps racing, the Channel 4 racing presenter Down will not be writing for the Post during the biggest event of the National Hunt calendar, the Cheltenham Festival. "I have two months' unpaid leave," Down said. "I'm still very much with Channel 4. But I'm not terribly well and I need a couple of months to sort myself out. I've not fulfilled my responsibilities to them as I would like."
Click to expand...

I haven't watched much of C4 racing during the jumps season, but I thought he looked awful when I caught a few minutes of it a few weeks back.
 
Might be talking out of line here, but "not fulfilled my responsibilities as I would like" sounds like he might be back on the pop.

Whatever his demons, innocent or otherwise, I hope he can overcome them - so long as we don't have to read his trite, wannabe-Mick drivel during the Festival.
 
I'd agree with pretty much all of your post there, Grassy. Mind you I think he's been back on it pretty much since he said he'd come off it!!
 
I have a headache today - that means I cannot watch RUK's Kempton race calling with Johnson commentating (aka shouting) - just painful.
 
Please Ch4 can we reduce Lesley Graham's role at the Festival to a very minor one. Because if she is the one they choose to do all those fascinating post-race interviews with the winning jocks I fear my electric bill will go through the roof with all the brewing up i'll be doing.
 
Matt Williams - the 'form expert', remember - was calling Possol a grey in the RP today. I think he's been watching the wrong 'oss!!!
 
Yes - what the heck went on there? And what went on with POSSOL, anyway? Desperate foot-dragging and weary from the start - quite a shocker.

Johnson bellows all through the races, and Ian Bartlett's timbre of voice could cut through solid granite, it's so harsh. I think there ought to be tests on a Tone-o-Meter, to see which voices sound like fingernails on blackboards, and whose are pleasant enough to stand for a few hours before callers get hired - still can't beat dear Holty, or Hoiles, on that score.
 
I'm a fan of Holt, but I agree, Colin......he definitely sounded like a man who would rather have been at Doncaster or Newbury.

A bit strange that he wasn't, actually. Channel 4 commitments?
 
Any commentator can have a bad day (and I agree about today) but you can always guarantee on Holt and Hoiles rises to the big occasions - the rest on the other hand are either blind or think the listeners are hard of hearing.
 
I have seen that before - its a classic - the problem is Dessie doesn't mean to feck them up, I suppect Tom Durkan very much did on that occasion - great caller in every sense. That Rag To Riches call is possibly my favourite of all time.
 
During Cheltenham last year, I often ended up switching over to CH4 for Holt's commentary. I particularly like listening to him when a race involves a horse of whom he is obviously fond, like Kauto and Moscow Flyer.

And as a fan of Big Buck's, I'm pretty sure it was MJ whose commentary made me cringe during Aintree last season.
 
Regarding where the race callers work: I asked one of them about this and they have a roster which is worked out for them.
 
I think Richard Hoiles is easily the best commentator and a lovely guy to boot. I like John Hunt and Darren Owen too, they're pretty under-rated.
 
Evan Williams is surely deserving of a nomination for the Arse Cup over his handling of Cappa Bleu this season - WTF?!?! And now he's planning on running him in the Albert Bartlett???
 
Back
Top