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It isn't easy to strike the right balance when you are covering an important stewards' inquiry live on television.
But it's a damn sight easier than Channel 4 made it look after Jacqueline Quest and Special Duty flashed past the post together in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket on Sunday.
Granted, racing's rules are much more complex than those of many other sports, but that makes it all the more vital that those who cover it have a firm grasp of the processes involved.
So what did we get on Sunday? Racing UK viewers were guided through the drama with a sure touch by Lydia Hislop and Steve Mellish, with the latter absorbing what he had seen swiftly and telling viewers "I think the winner is in trouble" and following up with "I honestly don't think demoting her is a difficult decision."
By contrast, C4's main analyst John Francome seemed oblivious to the fact that this was a copybook case of the first past the post having gained a crucial advantage by hampering her main rival and missed his mark by a mile in booming: "Oh, he'll definitely keep it, I've absolutely no doubt about that, and he'd even keep it if it was in France."
I know full well that some people will accuse me of banging the RUK drum here and it's true to say that C4's Jim McGrath did eventually point out that Special Duty had probably lost more ground than she was beaten by.
However, the bottom line is that "the greatest jockey" led hundreds of thousands of terrestrial viewers to believe that a grave injustice had been perpetrated when in reality this was a classic example of the rules doing exactly what they are meant to do.
I can forgive C4 for going off the air before announcing the result of the Dubai World Cup.
That was beyond their control. But this wasn't. It was a simple case of one pundit who couldn't be arsed to read the rule book and another who knew full well what was likely to happen but for some strange reason didn't want to jump off the fence in the way that would have served his viewers best.
And that's unforgivable.
Hmm...
there are a few things in this world that I'd pin the label "unforgivable" to. Yesterday's shenanigans by C4 doesn't registerin the same ballpark.
Nice one, Yifter.
But it's a damn sight easier than Channel 4 made it look after Jacqueline Quest and Special Duty flashed past the post together in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket on Sunday.
Granted, racing's rules are much more complex than those of many other sports, but that makes it all the more vital that those who cover it have a firm grasp of the processes involved.
So what did we get on Sunday? Racing UK viewers were guided through the drama with a sure touch by Lydia Hislop and Steve Mellish, with the latter absorbing what he had seen swiftly and telling viewers "I think the winner is in trouble" and following up with "I honestly don't think demoting her is a difficult decision."
By contrast, C4's main analyst John Francome seemed oblivious to the fact that this was a copybook case of the first past the post having gained a crucial advantage by hampering her main rival and missed his mark by a mile in booming: "Oh, he'll definitely keep it, I've absolutely no doubt about that, and he'd even keep it if it was in France."
I know full well that some people will accuse me of banging the RUK drum here and it's true to say that C4's Jim McGrath did eventually point out that Special Duty had probably lost more ground than she was beaten by.
However, the bottom line is that "the greatest jockey" led hundreds of thousands of terrestrial viewers to believe that a grave injustice had been perpetrated when in reality this was a classic example of the rules doing exactly what they are meant to do.
I can forgive C4 for going off the air before announcing the result of the Dubai World Cup.
That was beyond their control. But this wasn't. It was a simple case of one pundit who couldn't be arsed to read the rule book and another who knew full well what was likely to happen but for some strange reason didn't want to jump off the fence in the way that would have served his viewers best.
And that's unforgivable.
Hmm...
there are a few things in this world that I'd pin the label "unforgivable" to. Yesterday's shenanigans by C4 doesn't registerin the same ballpark.
Nice one, Yifter.
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surely the writer is not suggesting someone has an exchange account??
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how very dare you !
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