Scahill seems to very much divide opinion but I like his distinctive style of commentary (and I know he is far from perfect these days). As well as that he has been the primary commentator in Ireland for virtually all of the time I've watched racing! Tony O'Hehir on RTE is absolutely dreadful.
Totally agree on Richard Pugh - the information he throws in mid race is class. He strikes me as somewhat of an Irish version of Richard Hoiles - absolute encyclopedia of knowledge.
I didn't mind the ITV coverage in Ascot (granger I'd be interested in your opinion as I'd say you were glued to it...). I listen to the Final Furlong podcast with Kennedy and I actually think he has a decent blend of racing knowledge and keeping people engaged having the craic - can understand why he's not everyone's cup of tea though. On the whole , I don't see ITV as any better or worse than C4 really though.