Racing UK survey.

Irish Stamp said:
They did conclude that Murtagh had lied to the Stewards though so at least the RUK gang are doing something right (JM said he'd asked for an effort 4f out, the video showed he'd been sat still at the time)
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The video showed nothing of the sort. Not only did we have to take their word on where the 4f marker was (Hislop admitted it was difficult to be exact) but immediately after they did, the angle switched and Murtagh was out of shot for long enough to make the whole exercise a waste of time.
 
Hamm, so sorry to have discombobulated you. I thought that this was a horseracing forum, perhaps mistakenly? You know, a place where one can say what one feels about aspects of racing? It's about a survey of RUK's services. Mellish and Hislop went over the whole race, all the time, in between all the remaining races, and well on into the wrap. Channel 4, thankfully, managed to mention the issue of Murtagh's ride in approximately three minutes, and be done with it. I subscribe to RUK, albeit a fairly modest sum, so if I'm going to pay for a service, I'd like to think that I could put forward what I feel are its best and worst aspects. Its worst aspects are far too much blathering about no-hopers, no way enough time looking at the horses (versus viewing the presenters ad nauseum) and presenters assuming that talking about one item for over an hour will somehow make it more pertinent than if it's discussed in a few minutes.

I watch ATR and RUK in equal measure, the reason being - I'd have thought that was pretty bleedin' obvious - is that I'm interested in horseracing. The horses, you see, not the presenters, not the best hats, not the winner of the Knobbly Knees Contest on Family Fun Day. I like to watch horses I know run, I like to watch the horses of friends of mine run. Even the odd one I've co-bred or that's been bred by people I know. That is the reason I watch it, if that's okay with you - and, in truth, usually with the 'Mute' button on until the races start. However, as the Chester meeting held particular resonance for me, with a friend's horse winning the next race, I didn't have it on all the time. But each time I did, the duo were nonstop dissing Murtagh. If you want to blindly accept any fare that's put in front of you, that's up to you. I'd prefer to see it done another way, if you don't mind me having an opinion? There's no need for your snottiness, Mr Hamm.
 
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racing uk survey

Biggest thing I hate about RUK is if they are only covering French racing the gaps between races are filled with YET more replays of the previous days racing why ???
It's not like 99% of its PAYING viewers have much idea of French racing so why not use the time between to give us the information we need. Also on days when there is no live coverage especially when known well in advance do RUK constantly fill the schedule with replays of Festivals / forums we ave just seen and nothing else surely they can come up with something better. Paying my monthly subscripion sometimes p*sses me off big time when fed such a poor service.
 
jumps fan ed06 said:
Biggest thing I hate about RUK is if they are only covering French racing the gaps between races are filled with YET more replays of the previous days racing why ???
It's not like 99% of its PAYING viewers have much idea of French racing so why not use the time between to give us the information we need. Also on days when there is no live coverage especially when known well in advance do RUK constantly fill the schedule with replays of Festivals / forums we ave just seen and nothing else surely they can come up with something better. Paying my monthly subscripion sometimes p*sses me off big time when fed such a poor service.
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Summed up my views perfectly. Their live coverage is absolutely excellent, but they need to beef up the rest of their broadcasts.

With Setanta struggling, possibly even going under, its likely the RUK charge will go up again.
 
In spite of what Hamm disliked so much about my posting, I got a chance to discuss The Race with a few of the journos visiting Lingers today, and also RUK's coverage. Curiously enough, while all of them felt anywhere between J. Murtagh misjudging the ride to making a complete Horlicks, quite a few also felt that far too much time was spent unnecessarily reading its entrails. I'm pleased to say I've now found the italics section, also the underlined, and the bold, so I shall be able to post without resort to CAPS LOCK. If only a very kind Moderator would help me to get the smileys to work, why, I should be able to decorate my posts with the jolliest of indicators of goodwill and humour...

Gal - the only thing is, I rather like the French jumps! Nice to see excellent horses like CYRLIGHT live, and to perhaps spot a few who may be coming over here in due course. And there are so few falls that it makes it less edge-of-the-seat for the wrong reasons. I love the variety of obstacles, in tune with NH's heritage (now virtually lost in the UK), which the French horses take with such aplomb. And Claude Charlet is so approachable, if you want to learn more about their schooling methods, etc.

But, of course, each to their own, and we ought to use the survey to put our preferences across. I'd love to see them do more stable tours and interviews, including sending one or two of their better presenters overseas to look at sales, talk with breeders, consignors, etc., to really round out the racing experience and take it beyond endless SPs and shots of talking heads.
 
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I still haven't received the survey! I suppose the first recommendation to improving their service is to send out surveys to all of their members... !! ;-))
 
Kri, possibly one reason for the journos you spoke to thinking too much airtime was given to that ride was because most of them just watched the race pissing themselves laughing!
 
The entire channel 4 team aren't fit to clean Mellish and Hislop's shoes. They're an absolute cut above the sorry lot on C4.

Whilst Mellish and Hislop debated what Murtagh did and said to the stewards, C4 probably cut to Thommo dicking about on Chester's wall with some layabouts from Stoke who were saying how they had the best free view in the house, when in fact, they were just tight sods.
 
Shadz - you mean they hadn't back 'Master' with hard cash, then?! Ken P. pointed out Nick Luck, sculling around with assorted hacks outside the weighing-room, and said, "Look, there's Nick, go over and tell him what you think!" I said I reckoned there was as much chance of him taking any notice as me sprouting fairy wings. Tell you what, Shadz - whether they like Lingfield or not, it was our busiest day yet for dishing out Press badges - over 30 of them in.
 
It was always going to be a busy day Kri - main day's racing yesterday so I would imagine they were there in droves!

Sorry, I was talking about the Ormonde Stakes, Frozen Fire's race, so we've crossed wires there, my fault. The over-riding feeling for that was amusement but you're right, plenty of people weren't impressed with the ride on Masterofthehorse at all, in fact there were a few spurious allegations flying about in places!
 
Intersesting all the discussion about presenters. I've always found the presenters one of Racing UK's biggest advantages. The likes of Nick Luck and Lydia Hislop get on well with Freemantle, Melish and co.

I suppose the one thing they could learn to do is drop the school-boy humour. Remember at Aintree this year Nick and Freemantle (I think it was anyway) were thinking of possible horses that might attract money from the locals. One suggested According To Dick, the other Coq Hardi and both were rather amused. Grow up a bit, for fuck sake.
 
It is that off-camera sniggering that gets me, too, tracks, especially that really bike-shed stuff. I do think that RUK's people know their stuff, all right, it's just that there is such a welter - a torrent - of comment about everything when Lydia 'n' Steve are on, in particular, that any insights of value are lost in the dross. They honestly never shut up for a moment - I'm sure they're paid by the word! That's why I end up muting them, because while I like insights into some of the horses, or why their pedigrees might well set them up for a certain race, etc., I don't want to know the ins and outs of the 250-1 shot's owner's son who used to go to uni with Lydia or polish Steve Mellish's car. Sometimes, silence is golden!

Shadz - ah, got you now!
 
krizon said:
Hamm, so sorry to have discombobulated you. I thought that this was a horseracing forum, perhaps mistakenly? You know, a place where one can say what one feels about aspects of racing? It's about a survey of RUK's services. Mellish and Hislop went over the whole race, all the time, in between all the remaining races, and well on into the wrap. Channel 4, thankfully, managed to mention the issue of Murtagh's ride in approximately three minutes, and be done with it. I subscribe to RUK, albeit a fairly modest sum, so if I'm going to pay for a service, I'd like to think that I could put forward what I feel are its best and worst aspects. Its worst aspects are far too much blathering about no-hopers, no way enough time looking at the horses (versus viewing the presenters ad nauseum) and presenters assuming that talking about one item for over an hour will somehow make it more pertinent than if it's discussed in a few minutes.

I watch ATR and RUK in equal measure, the reason being - I'd have thought that was pretty bleedin' obvious - is that I'm interested in horseracing. The horses, you see, not the presenters, not the best hats, not the winner of the Knobbly Knees Contest on Family Fun Day. I like to watch horses I know run, I like to watch the horses of friends of mine run. Even the odd one I've co-bred or that's been bred by people I know. That is the reason I watch it, if that's okay with you - and, in truth, usually with the 'Mute' button on until the races start. However, as the Chester meeting held particular resonance for me, with a friend's horse winning the next race, I didn't have it on all the time. But each time I did, the duo were nonstop dissing Murtagh. If you want to blindly accept any fare that's put in front of you, that's up to you. I'd prefer to see it done another way, if you don't mind me having an opinion? There's no need for your snottiness, Mr Hamm.
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So, the real issue here is that they were 'blathering' after a horse bred by a friend of yours won a race.

Better let Ms Hislop and Mr Mellish know in future when you have a distant connection to a horse to allow them to devote sufficient post race coverage.
 
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