itv not offering simon holt commentary job

primary 2

just saw their earlier today that itv have decided not to offer simon holt a contract when they take over the tv rights of the racing,which in my opinion is totally wrong as i feel without doubt he is the best racing commentator their is,always loved hearing his commentories and i always felt he made races extra special and exciting and he used to never get to excited or shout like some and the cheltenham festivel wont be the same with simon not calling them home,hopefully itv might reverse their decision,so what do ye think?

Wicklow Brave

Massive fan of Simon Holt. ITV saying they wanted a change from C4 but have still signed Mick Fitzgerald, Alice Plunkett, Rishi Persad? Holt was the best thing about C4. I felt he was sorely missed at the Arc on Sunday. The Sky Sports commentator (don't know his name) was appalling, made it sound like a Bath maiden. Hoiles is good but I think Holt really gives the big races like Cheltenham, Derby etc a sense of occasion, that it is a race that *really* matters. Oh well.

Peintre Celebre

I love listening to Simon Holt. Richard Hoiles is alright but nowhere near as good. Holt manages to give really good insight too

Andalucia

Mick Fitz as a pundit, a real mystery of life, as to how Sally Ann Grassick can be included on the roster, the mind does boggle

Holt top class alright, pity he could not be accommodated, perhaps RTE could give him a few days instead of Tony O'Hehir

Gregk961

If there was one thing I would want to retain from C4s coverage it would be Simon's commentary. Im really shocked by that decision hoping for a u-turn.

kksaints

Always thought that Holt was a quality commentator. Hoiles isn't too bad but Holt is better. His Best Mate third Gold Cup commentary is probably his best imo.

posturingpat

As long as Catt doesn't get a gig.

primary 2

just reading the racing post,he was interviewed for the job last march and he said the people that interviewed him had very little knowledge of racing and he got vibes that they werent interested in giving him the job and he only found out lately and seemingly the reason he didnt get the job was because he is associated with c4 too much also nick luck which i am also a fan of and your right is commentaries were legendry

Irish Beef

Never liked the C4 line-up, in particular Clare Balding, taught she was very rude, wasn't a fan of Nick Luck either. I think John Francome was sorely missed, he really sounded like he knew what he was talking about and made the whole thing so much more interesting.

dickenson famous5

Like a lot of people thought holt was very good

Shemale

All they had to do was hire Francome, Down and Holt and they didn't even manage one.

posturingpat

Shemale wrote: »

All they had to do was hire Francome, Down and Holt and they didn't even manage one.

Francombe and Down both said they had no interest i believe.

kfallon

Richard Hoiles is awful, always tries to 'see' something most mere mortals wouldn't. I can't stand him. Know it all but is far from it.

Holt is ok, think he's been on the wain a bit last couple of years but I'd rather him over Hoiles anyday.

Didn't ITV want John Hunt originally but he signed a contract with BBC?

diomed

I would also have no problem listening to a Simon Holt commentary on any race.
Has ability to do the job been replaced by a drive to ensure every section of society is represented in the team?

supremenovice

Wicklow Brave wrote: »

The Sky Sports commentator (don't know his name) was appalling, made it sound like a Bath maiden.

I remember thinking something similar at the time. His voice never had a sense of excitement and tension to it at all. Awful commentary indeed.

salfordseven

Correct on the Arc commentary I have heard more enthusiasm by someone calling the lucky last at Wolverhampton on a wednesday in February.

Gringo180

Holt is the best in the business by a country mile. Scandalous he didnt get the gig. Hairs on the back of your neck stand on end when hes commentating in the big races especially at the Cheltenham festival.

Shemale

posturingpat wrote: »

Francombe and Down both said they had no interest i believe.

They must have told them about the "excellent" staff they had already signed up!!

dirkmeister

Stupid decision.



"Brave Inca...the bravest of the brave!!!"

Lt Dan

supremenovice wrote: »

I remember thinking something similar at the time. His voice never had a sense of excitement and tension to it at all. Awful commentary indeed.

I watched the ATR version, but later looked over at the Sky Sports Version, both of the presenter and pundit are also from the ATR team (which is part of Sky of Course)

God yeah, the commentating was completely and utter underwhelming. Remarkably bad.

For me personally, I know he is a bit long in the tooth now, but Jim McGrath's commentating of the 2009 Arc was magic. Maybe more so because an Irish horse won

" He's got 6 or 7 lengths to make up
He will have to be a champion,
Stacelita races into the lead now,
2 in front, he is a champion I reckon
He has got the run down in the middle
He's out after the leader (or leada)
He Picks up Stacelita
He POWERS CLEAR !
Sea The Stars, racing away
Perfection in Equine Form
A horse of a life time "

Shemale

Lt Dan wrote: »

For me personally, I know he is a bit long in the tooth now, but Jim McGrath's commentating of the 2009 Arc was magic. Maybe more so because an Irish horse won

" He's got 6 or 7 lengths to make up
He will have to be a champion,
Stacelita races into the lead now,
2 in front, he is a champion in the reckoning
He has got the run down in the middle
He's out after the leader (or leada)
He Picks up Stacelita
He POWERS CLEAR !
Sea The Stars, racing away
Perfection in Equine Form
A horse of a life time "

Still get goosebumps watching it, sublime commentary.

Thought it was " He is a champion I reckon"

Lt Dan

Shemale wrote: »

Still get goosebumps watching it, sublime commentary.

Thought it was " He is a champion I reckon"

You are correct. The accent also made it special too .

He's out after da leada
He Picks up Stacelita
He POWERS CLEAR !

You will notice that the subsequent commentaries tried to give a similar effect to Frankel's British Champion Stakes win. Not the same really.

Not sure Kinane is the type to be all dreamy about all of his wonderful international achievements, but you could not blame him if he watch that race as a pick me put on a regular basis. I have a woeful habit on youtube of repeating the final three furlongs. Commentating was special and so was STS performance of course

I liked the commentating for Hardy Eustace's first and second Champion Hurdle.

For the second one, he makes all, as he grew to do. Commentator talking about how Paul Carberry and his bridle ponce was laughing at his opponents, while Hardy showed , boy he is game

kfallon

Jim McGrath's best Arc commentary was 2007.....

"Authorized is absolutely cantering"....when the whole world could see he was beaten and being eased down :pac:

Lt Dan

kfallon wrote: »

Jim McGrath's best Arc commentary was 2007.....

"Authorized is absolutely cantering"....when the whole world could see he was beaten and being eased down :pac:

A good day for you KF

An even better one the next day.

ziggy

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kfallon

ziggy wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Experts on the team include Hayley Turner, Mick Fitzgerald, Jason Weaver, Luke Harvey and Brian Gleeson.

Had to switch ATR off last Friday cos those 3 were on it and don't get me started on Fitzgerald.

And as for Pendleton.....

What a shíte line up, only Chapman saves the day!

convert

Oh dear God!!! :eek:

That report really doesn't make me want to watch it at all. Grassick bugs the sh*t out of me, as do Turner, Richi and Fitzgerald, and, unlike most people, I'm not a fan of Champion either. As for Pendleton: is she there just to attract viewers? She's a fantastic athlete, and had a great achievement getting to ride in Cheltenham in such a short space of time, but there are so many people involved in the industry for far longer and with far more knowledge who would be better and of more interest.

Coverage of Racing on TV is dying a slow and painful death

Badabing

Will they still have say Ted Walsh on at Cheltenham time?

ziggy

This post has been deleted.

Pinesky

Unfortunately ITV seem to be going down the C4 route . It will be not be a racing program it will be a light entertainment program with racing as the the main ingredient. All the so called minorities will be represented plus quasi experts and faux comedians. I will watch it for the racing coverage but I will not expect much else .

PM me nudes

I'd rather watch a kitten being microwaved than Hayley fcuking Turner. Beyond useless

Mr Smuggles

Would Racing UK consider putting Simon Holt in as a first choice commentator?

I can't understand how ITV can claim to want to step away from the C4 coverage yet ditch the best asset they had whilst keeping people like Persad, Fitzgerald, etc.

kfallon

Mr Smuggles wrote: »

Would Racing UK consider putting Simon Holt in as a first choice commentator?

I can't understand how ITV can claim to want to step away from the C4 coverage yet ditch the best asset they had whilst keeping people like Persad, Fitzgerald, etc.

Racing UK don't have a first choice commentator, like ATR they use the commentary of whoever is doing it at the course in question.

JK.BMC

Lt Dan wrote: »

I watched the ATR version, but later looked over at the Sky Sports Version, both of the presenter and pundit are also from the ATR team (which is part of Sky of Course)

God yeah, the commentating was completely and utter underwhelming. Remarkably bad.

For me personally, I know he is a bit long in the tooth now, but Jim McGrath's commentating of the 2009 Arc was magic. Maybe more so because an Irish horse won

" He's got 6 or 7 lengths to make up
He will have to be a champion,
Stacelita races into the lead now,
2 in front, he is a champion I reckon
He has got the run down in the middle
He's out after the leader (or leada)
He Picks up Stacelita
He POWERS CLEAR !
Sea The Stars, racing away
Perfection in Equine Form
A horse of a life time "

Yes; that is a fantastic piece of commentary. You know, age should not be a factor in commentary as some of the legendary race callers and sports commentators excel well into their 70s. I think Jim McGrath has always been interesting and informative.
But yes- Simon Holt is top class

Shemale

Its like someone worked up from the bottom of the who would you like to see list save for the two commentators.

The only good thing is Turner in and Spencer out, can't abide Spencer in any way, first the hubby now the job.

Mr Smuggles

When Holt has done Ascot for C4 Hoiles has been the course commentator. I suppose they could swap for Royal Ascot, and Hpiles would say do Cheltenham for ITV then surely you'd let Holt loose on that meeting for RUK.

I take your point about them using racecourse commentators elsewhere. He'd probably lose his course commentating at Brighton, Lingfield and Plumpton if he got some full time RUK gig.

BumperD

http://www.racingpost.com/news/live.sd?event_id=21011224&category=0

Good piece by Hughes. Hits nail on head.

AP is the latest addition to the new ITV crew

Lt Dan

TheTorment wrote: »

AP is the latest addition to the new ITV crew

ITV coverage is different how? AP was hardly Mr Personality either. Not much insight offered either bar his opinion on women's allowance which he got murdered for.

Just throw in "JP is a great man, great for racing " and be useless at tips and back the favourite, he is different from Mick, how?

paddy no 11

Anyone know why Alister Downes has gone from the sunday forum? Was the best contributor to it imo, what paper does he write for?

BumperD

paddy no 11 wrote: »

Anyone know why Alister Downes has gone from the sunday forum? Was the best contributor to it imo, what paper does he write for?

Racing post.

aidan24326

To me it's strange that ITV say they want to move away from the C4 lineup, yet they keep a number of them while excluding the guy who is the best racing commentator by a mile? The fact that Simon Holt even had to do an interview is a joke, they should have offered him the job straight off. Idiots.

Harry Angstrom

It beggars belief that the likes of Jim McGrath and Simon Holt get the chop, yet people like Rishi Persad and Mick Fitz get jobs.

Gamebred

Mick Fitzgerald is the worst pundit on tv and that includes every sport, he has no place on tele his voice alone is painful to listen to, he offers absolutely zilch cannot stand the man constantly on tele every gig going wont take a day off all he comes out with is inside jokes and every jockey is ''a great lad very popular in the dressing room'' and wont say a thing pre race but If Henderson has a winner ''Nicky always thought a lot of this harse luvly ride''.

corny

What i find remarkable about Fitzgerald is how he can say so many words without literally saying anything at all. Its a gift. Just banal, cliche after cliche. Beyond irritating.

califano

corny wrote: »

What i find remarkable about Fitzgerald is how he can say so many words without literally saying anything at all. Its a gift. Just banal, cliche after cliche. Beyond irritating.

Simon Mapletoft is the master at this. Like yer man on will hill audio loop. Absolutely dreadful.

kfallon

Mick "A lot to Like" Fitzgerald.....absolutely useless!

Tho he was responsible for one of the best bits of racing TV this year before the Royal Bond, telling us that Geraghty was gonna jog Labaik in to make sure he jumped off. Geraghty starts jogging in, Fitzy tells us it's looking good and then as the tapes go up he proclaims, "That's Perfection!!!".....as Labaik abruptly plants himself at the start and refuses to race. Comedy gold :D:D

Shemale

I think he died in the Grand National and his agent replaced him with a tramp from Mullinavat who had never seen a horse before.

tinpib

Ed Chamberlain tends to talk over people a lot. He is a fairly polished presenter but wouldn't have the natural specialist knowledge you kinda need in horse racing.

Yer wan, the delightful Lucy Verswamy was saying she is new to racing, tbf she would be fairly new to meteorology too. :pac: