Festival - on course commentator 2015

Chuff me, hope not!

They've shared the commentary around over the last couple of years. How Cattermole used to get the gig is beyond me.

To be shared again this year, with Thommo not involved, thank the lord

Catt still in the mixer though. All shared between Hoiles, Catt, Mark Johnston, and Ian Bartlett.

Happy with that, Hoiles & Bartlett very sound (Thommo not sound!)

Bartlett hasn't commentated at Cheltenham in my time following it .... Hoiles and Johnson are very good. Catt probably not the best at reading the race in the heat of the moment but he makes it exciting.

Johnston and Hoiles head and shoulders above all the others.

if its Thommo i'll send my tickets to charity, you can have big fella.

love the video of francombe calling him a **** on youtube, if he gets the gig i'll cry

he told him to pi55 off didnt he

i miss framcombe

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5v3DfpVwZlA   

i only watched it last week i had a right chuckle

Hunty should be in the mix i feel.
MJ is a good commentator and altho people call him the shouty man at least he gets into it and more importantly sees things during a race (mistakes,falls etc) unlike catt who wouldnt notice a 20 person orgy near the winning line

Watching on TV, I Cant be bothered with any of them really,i could probably watch without them to be honest.
Would be nice to be able to have the volume on,listen to the horses,get the atmosphere etc but without the commentery.

Mark johnston the best by a mile !

Hoiles: loves the sound of his own voice, annoying know it all who I've never seen tip a winner ("x has never travelled, possibly feeling effects of the hard race last time"). Do your job, i.e. call the horses, and leave the analysis to the experts.

Thommo: just dreadful.

Cattermole: blind and how he gets gigs is beyond me.

Shouty Man: accurate in the main and the one place where his over excited tones are justified is the Festival.

Bartlett never made anything sound exciting.

Simon Holt is probably the best commentator on the circuit now. A few years ago I'd have said Hoiles but Holt has overtaken him in my opinion. Top 5:

1. Simon Holt
2. Richard Hoiles
3. Mark Johnston
4. Jerry Hannon
5. John Hunt

Darren Owen and Richard Pugh deserve a mention. Terry Spargo the Meydan commentator is the best worldwide in my opinion.

I won't be there so no worries, but to add my twopenneth, Thommo should never be employed again and not sure how he is.  My fave 2 are John Hunt and I like Ian Bartlett.

Very surprised at that sentiment Budd, I think commentators can and often do add an enormous amount to the atmosphere.

The Cheltenham crowd on its own doesn't boil over when the Supreme fav comes there cruising 3 out, the commentator lights the touch-paper, with a well-timed, suspenseful observation about how well the fav is travelling, for example. This is just one example, I really think the Festival would be far worse for no commentary. Weird stance imo.

Just talking as an armchair viewer Joist.

I very happy if Hoiles/Holt/MJ get the gig

Please NO NO NO CATTERMOLE/BARTY

Holt does CH 4
Hunt does Radio 5 live

Cattermole is bloody awful. Doesn't make anything exciting! Watching reruns of past festival races on youtube and he just ruins em.

Cattermole did some of the earlier meetings this year, truly dreadful
As someone mentioned earlier a good piece of commentary can add so much to a race.....got to be Holt and Hoiles doing two days each festival week

".....and Harchibald is laughing at them!"