The Grand National 2015 - The People's Race

Was it ballycasey or balthazar king that got a bad tumble at the canal turn?

Balthazar King. It would appear he’s still alive, and I’m personally delighted for him that this is the case. The last thing we would have wanted in the Grand National is a case of regicide.

Lot of false information being stated as “fact” in this thread.

:eek:

That’s modern media for you. If it’s good enough for the US government, it should be for you.

No “casualties” in this year’s national I believe. What a man Ruby is, dumped off his own mount, tends to the injured Balthazar King and then lends a hand by waving a flag to divert the field on the next circuit. I take it back Ruby, you’re alright.
Also seen the video of the jockey cam from the jockey that fell into the fence in Aintree. That was class and gave some insight into what these boys go through in their day to day jobs.

Is there a replay on of this tonight?

[QUOTE=“Sidney, post: 1121432, member: 183”]Of course it isn’t, and I stated that clearly two years ago to supposed “racing men” like Mac who supported the move away from the state broadcaster. The BBC is the world’s finest broadcaster and once an event is not being broadcast by it it loses something.

It’s still a damn sight better than Sky though, and the Open will learn that in 2017.[/QUOTE]

The BBC coverage had become a joke. Claire Balding was more interested in womens clothes that horses and John Parrott was a complete buffon. That fat bookie was also very irritating and added no value. Willie Carson was just there for comedy purposes and John Inverdale was obviously just filling a gap they couldn’t find anyone else to fill.

If Channel 4 stuck to their tried and trusted approach it would be fine but they’ve obviously had to appease the average joe by including the likes of Gok Wan and all the other shite they include. I’ll be procuring an RUK subscription for March and April next year.

[QUOTE=“Sidney, post: 1121432, member: 183”]Of course it isn’t, and I stated that clearly two years ago to supposed “racing men” like Mac who supported the move away from the state broadcaster. The BBC is the world’s finest broadcaster and once an event is not being broadcast by it it loses something.

It’s still a damn sight better than Sky though, and the Open will learn that in 2017.[/QUOTE]

The BBC though, ultimate pro’s that they are, just getting on with the job. Clare Balding acquitting herself with aplomb down on the Thames at the Boat Race.

Thankfully we’ll have the dulcet tones of Peter Alliss calling the action at Augusta National tonight. What an inspiration he is at 84. With the passing already this decade of David Coleman, Bill McLaren, Ted Lowe, Tony Gubba, Harry Carpenter and most recently Richie Benaud, so many of the old institutions have left us.

[QUOTE=“Manuel Zelaya, post: 1121566, member: 377”]The BBC though, ultimate pro’s that they are, just getting on with the job. Clare Balding acquitting herself with aplomb down on the Thames at the Boat Race.

Thankfully we’ll have the dulcet tones of Peter Alliss calling the action at Augusta National tonight. What an inspiration he is at 84. With the passing already this decade of David Coleman, Bill McLaren, Ted Lowe, Tony Gubba, Harry Carpenter and most recently Richie Benaud, so many of the old institutions have left us.[/QUOTE]
Peter Alliss is an awful cunt in fairness

[QUOTE=“Mac, post: 1121565, member: 109”]The BBC coverage had become a joke. Claire Balding was more interested in womens clothes that horses and John Parrott was a complete buffon. That fat bookie was also very irritating and added no value. Willie Carson was just there for comedy purposes and John Inverdale was obviously just filling a gap they couldn’t find anyone else to fill.

If Channel 4 stuck to their tried and trusted approach it would be fine but they’ve obviously had to appease the average joe by including the likes of Gok Wan and all the other shite they include. I’ll be procuring an RUK subscription for March and April next year.[/QUOTE]

They’ve fucked Claire Balding off to a boat race today, doubt she could find much fashion there.

Peter Alliss is one of the greatest commentators of all-time in any sports-related pursuit, and a wonderful man. I’d love to have a few whiskeys with him, and if he wanted to play a bit of Frank Sinatra, I wouldn’t object at all.

[QUOTE=“Sidney, post: 1121432, member: 183”]Of course it isn’t, and I stated that clearly two years ago to supposed “racing men” like Mac who supported the move away from the state broadcaster. The BBC is the world’s finest broadcaster and once an event is not being broadcast by it it loses something.

It’s still a damn sight better than Sky though, and the Open will learn that in 2017.[/QUOTE]

Except there’s nothing on the BBC worth watching

The Boat Race.
The United States Masters golf championship.
The University Challenge final.

Those three (four if you count Round 4 of the golf as separate) are the only television programmes I’ll watch between 17:30 on Saturday and 20:30 on Monday. All on BBC. Possibly the Football League Show and a quick flick over to Match of the Day between shots in the golf. Both also on BBC.

[QUOTE=“Mac, post: 1121565, member: 109”]The BBC coverage had become a joke. Claire Balding was more interested in womens clothes that horses and John Parrott was a complete buffon. That fat bookie was also very irritating and added no value. Willie Carson was just there for comedy purposes and John Inverdale was obviously just filling a gap they couldn’t find anyone else to fill.

If Channel 4 stuck to their tried and trusted approach it would be fine but they’ve obviously had to appease the average joe by including the likes of Gok Wan and all the other shite they include. I’ll be procuring an RUK subscription for March and April next year.[/QUOTE]
John Inverdale is a fine, versatile broadcaster. John Parrott and Willie Carson were superior to anything on Channel 4. Frankly, you could put a few lads from my local bookies on the BBC and they’d seem better than what Channel 4 could offer, for the simple fact that by simple virtue of being on the BBC, they would be automatically conferred with a gravitas that other channels cannot match.

Peter “would you believe it” Alliss.
Yes Peter. I would believe it.

Ken Brown. Another superannuated cunt.

Nick Luck is the best presenter and analyst by a mile in the UK, only Mike Cattermole comes close. The fact that Luck gets brought to the US by ABC to cover the Breeders Cup speaks volumes for the man. No-one in the BBC would ever be considered. Alice Plunket and Tanya Stevenson are streets ahead of anything the BBC ever produced. Emma Spencer, apart from being a lovely lady is also far superior to Inverdale and Parrott. Mick Fitz and Graham Cunningham will eventually be phased out which won’t be a bad thing, but they need a few men there to not have a gender bias.

Indeed, able to use all kinds of language too

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_yor5Od3yA

Since Julian Wilson’s retirement*, Claire Balding is clearly the best horse racing presenter around and Channel 4’s coverage suffered badly in her absence today.

Nothing will ever match the BBC team of Wilson, Richard Pitman, Peter O’Sullevan and John Hanmer, later augmented by Jim McGrath and on special occasions by Des Lynam.

*and subsequent death