TV coverage

Desert Orchid

Desert Orchid

Senior Jockey
Joined
Aug 2, 2005
Messages
23,814
I do wish whoever is directing the coverage from Cheltenham would get the finger out and show us the races properly.

I saw Katenko's race via the bookie's online stream (RUK) and the pictuers were what you want to see: the long view showing the distances stretching back as they come up the straight but hen c4 showed the replay all we got was a close-up of Katenko all the way home from two out. That tells us nothing about the latter stages of the race. If I hadn't seen the streamed pictures I'd have no idea how this race finished other than that Katenko won.

Also, after as soon as Vino Griego passed the post all we got was a close-up of him. No pictures of the race for the places.

Pathetic.
 
Think it was deliberate rather than incompetent. Avoiding the ugly fall of Bold Sir Brian, who I'm guessing when it was edited might have been presumed dead. They showed him walking behind the scenes afterwards.

Not saying it was the right call, but think it was deliberately avoiding the action.
 
I can't have that.

When was the last time you saw a view of the last fence when they were halfway up the run-in? It was total incompetence.
 
No, it was intentional.

I don't agree with it but they took a decision not to show Bold Sir Brian's fall. Conspiracy, not c ock-up.
 
Bold Sir Brian got up and walked away - clearly absolutely exhausted he sort of fell over the last rather than fell at it .
 
Desert Orchid said:
I can't have that.

When was the last time you saw a view of the last fence when they were halfway up the run-in? It was total incompetence.
Click to expand...

when was the last fatal fall at the last that you can remember on a channel 4 race where they decided to show it unedited?

Its clear they went out of their way to avoid showing the last fence. Had they shown the race live, they wouldnt or couldnt have avoided it.
 
Edited.

So, the only pictures of the race c4 had were either a panoramic shot from so far back you could see bSB on the deck at the last while the first three were on the run-in, or they had a camera focused solely on Katenko from before the second last??

That still smacks of incompetence.
 
Last edited:
I see McCririck has been given 4 half hour slots to interview various racing bods to be shown at 10.30 on Sunday mornings during February. First one up this Sunday is Edward Gillespie and I have seen a trailer where Gillespie is advocating jockeys wear earpieces so as the trainer can give them instructions during a race as in FI racing. Not sure of the practicalities on that but will look forward to hearing the suggestion in full.
 
Diamond Geezer said:
I see McCririck has been given 4 half hour slots to interview various racing bods to be shown at 10.30 on Sunday mornings during February. First one up this Sunday is Edward Gillespie and I have seen a trailer where Gillespie is advocating jockeys wear earpieces so as the trainer can give them instructions during a race as in FI racing. Not sure of the practicalities on that but will look forward to hearing the suggestion in full.
Click to expand...

In running carnage......
 
DO - have a feeling that no matter what anyone says on this thread or if they got Spielberg to direct the racing coverage you would call it incompetent!

Just be grateful we have TV coverage at all.......
 
Ballydoyle said:
DO - have a feeling that no matter what anyone says on this thread or if they got Spielberg to direct the racing coverage you would call it incompetent!
Click to expand...
Not at all. But the sport is about the sport, not individual horses.

By all means show close-ups etc once the race is over and digested but if we're going to deepen our appreciation of how a race has unfolded we need to see it. We need to see how the runners finished in relation to each other.

Even f1 coverage shows the first few finishers taking the flag.

(There's too many close-ups in football too, but that's for another thread although it's maybe the same duffers in charge.)
 
About the earpiece thing - have you ever listened at the rails as the horses pass - the jockeys are screeching at each other practically the whole way around especially on the flat - usually for room - they wouldn't hear a word - it's a nonsense idea anyway
 
Diamond Geezer said:
I see McCririck has been given 4 half hour slots to interview various racing bods to be shown at 10.30 on Sunday mornings during February. First one up this Sunday is Edward Gillespie and I have seen a trailer where Gillespie is advocating jockeys wear earpieces so as the trainer can give them instructions during a race as in FI racing. Not sure of the practicalities on that but will look forward to hearing the suggestion in full.
Click to expand...

Old news - this was tried in March 1993 when Adrian Maguire wore an earpiece to ride Boraceva in a handicap chase at Sandown. It did not end well.
 
rorydelargy said:
Old news - this was tried in March 1993 when Adrian Maguire wore an earpiece to ride Boraceva in a handicap chase at Sandown. It did not end well.
Click to expand...

Maybe, but was that because of the concept or the technology ? You would imagine the technology is much improved twenty years on.

Will be interesting to hear exactly what Gillespie has in mind.
 
Don't think Gillespie means instructions will be audible to the public.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top