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I remember John Rickman very well -always well dressed with neatly trimmed moustache.
But the ITV coverage at the time was a bit static compared to to-days transmissions by Ch 4 .
Things have improved very greatly from those days .
But the ITV coverage at the time was a bit static compared to to-days transmissions by Ch 4 .
Things have improved very greatly from those days .
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I remember just one channel.
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One of the differences (imo) is that in the 'Rickman days', it was all about showing you the sport - yes it was all very amateurish (in many ways) compared with today's productions - but the presenters were almost irrelevant - now many see themselves as celebrities. (Rickman used to doff his hat to the viewer when introducing the programme, and again when saying goodbye. Maybe he was a tw&t in real life, but the attitude was that they were providing a service for the viewer, not that you were lucky to be able to hear pearls of wisdom drop from their lips). Now, the presenters are a big part of the show - and it reached its nadir (for me) with Andrew Franklin and the C4 team 'having lots of fun and inviting the viewer to tune in and watch them having lots of fun' - well good for them, but I want to see as much of the horses as possible.
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Also, the modern obsession with constant repetitive 'highlights packages', self-promotions (of channels), and 'close-ups' of horses in races and in finishes - all detract from the sport itself - so are all backward steps from the old days (for me) rather than forward steps.
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..and one more comment, brought to mind by the word 'static' - and I'll go back 50 years, not 35, though this is about the BBC. I remember watching the BBC coverage of the Epsom spring meeting in 1966 on a weekday afternoon in April, and Peter O'Sullevan and Julian Wilson reviewed all the races, in slow motion, from start to finish - every single stride - discussing the way the races played out. (A particular subject of interest was how the Derby fav Pretendre handled the track in the Blue Riband Trial under Paul Cook, a young jockey who had, I think, just ridden out his claim, and who some were thinking might not be able to handle the big horse on the big day. As it turned out, he just gone done in a photo in the Derby by Charlottown, but he acted fine on the track, as far as I remember, both in the trial, which he won, and in the big race itself).
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I would agree with much of what ged says - I started watching racing in early 70s & whilst they did not have the technical gimmickry they concentrated on the horses almost exclusively with odd jockey or trainer interviews - C4 and the like are now all about the presenters and how they are the focal point of the presentation - it detracts completely from what the programme should be about
Perhaps younger viewers see it differently but the "joie de vivre" spirit they seem to try and exploit on the screen fails miserably |
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my memories of itv racing are somewhat sepia tinted ...the reality was showing racing at Sedgefield,Catterick and the like.All the main meetings were on the bbc.
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Blimey GED that BBC prog of 50 years ago with the wonderful Peter O and the Eton toff Julian must have made a big impression on you to be able to recall it !
But the actual HORSE RACING on CH 4 these days often seems secondary to the self promotion and "showbiz" side of things . Perhaps the new prog ,whatever it may be should go back to basics . Its the actual races and horses and jockeys we want to hear about and not all the misc stuff that detracts the attention ? |
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GED -you mention PAUL COOK. Well he provided me with my biggest ever win on horse racing when he won the ST Leger on Touching Wood trained by Thompson Jones in about 1982. I can still see it winning now with absolute clarity. It was a hot day as well because I remember my wife was sunbathing in the back garden when I broke the good news . We booked a holiday in Mexico the week after which took at least half the winnings !
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It's true ITV mainly showed the gaffe tracks,though they had Sandown,but an addict like myself used to go home for lunch from school to watch a selling hurdle at Plumpton
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I think we might be talking about a golden age of racing in the 70's, but not really in terms of presentation.
Having said that it is a very well point about the numerous gravy trainers giving the impression that they are almost more important than the stars of the sport, which of course are the horses. |
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Well in terms of presentation, I'd say it was superior. On BBC coverage, they'd have one meeting, and you'd watch all the horses walking round the paddock for the whole time they were in it - real time - not paddock shots packaged up and slotted in afterwards. You'd also see them walking to the paddock, and leaving it. It was much more like being at the racetrack than it is now. So, imo, that is superior to a 'preesenter-based' coverage.
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I agree ged and certainly on the BCC it took two people to present it ( and I suspect the backroom staff were far fewer too ).
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ITV should state that they will not be interviewing jockeys, trainers or owners (and will not have any on a morning line type program as well)before or after races as they are they are likely to criticise and well as praise and that does not go down well with the racing fraternity.
Without the publicity and exposure, people like McCoy would probably never got any awards, soon see how long it takes before they start bleating they're not getting enough coverage. TV exposure is vital for new trainers to get new owners etc so it would be interesting to see if ITV took this stance what would happen. Unfortunately we know they wont. |
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"I remember John Rickman very well -always well dressed with neatly trimmed moustache."  |
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Hope they resurrect the old itv midweek racing theme............what a tune that was..........da da da daa da da da da da da da dada dada
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seem to remember Rickman tipped as Gimcrack in the Daily Mirror.
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Not Daily Mirror - they always had Newsboy and Bouverie. Daily Mail perhaps, or Daily Sketch. He owned a horse called The Wig, I think. I remember it running on the programme when he was fronting it. I think it got placed several times as a 2yo, not sure it ever won.
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I think he was Robin Goodfellow.
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I say that because it was stated in his obituary but , like Posy, I had always thought he was Gymcrack .
Ged, what can you tell me about Mr Rickman's associate George Doby? Perhaps it was Dobbie . |
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I think posy's right in saying he tipped as Gimcrack (he may also have had a spell as Robin G), but I can't remember which paper that was in, though I'd have a little bet on it being the Sketch before that paper disappeared.
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dunlaying - nothing I'm afraid - I'd have to go googling.
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''And they all go as in your morning paper''
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Robin Goodfellow was Daily Mail....thought he was Peter O'Sullivan but probably wrong.
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Peter O'Sullevan was Daily Express, (he just tipped under his own name I think), along with Bendex (Charles Benson, the backgammon player), and The Scout (Clive Graham) - at least that's how it was when I was reading it as a kid. O'Sullevan used to produce some terrific lists of horses to follow - unraced horses - I remember horses like Motacilla and Favorita (sp) from Wragg's, Double Cream (Elsey), Knighton House from Gordon Richards - they almost all won races, and several won good class races. Given that he probably kept the best for himself, he must have had excellent connections.
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Bob Butchers was Newsboy in The Daily Mirror and his Nap selection was a popular choice in the shops.
Who was Bouverie, any ideas? |
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Dun. Charlie Fawcus?
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Certainly felt more like you were watching a programme about racing, rather than a load of presenters that think they are more important than anything else.
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Tim Richards was also in the Daily Mirror - northern correspondent
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Thank you Pinhooker. I will investigate further.
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he,s a little tale from the itv 7 days,in them days we had a nice little bozzer over the rd from bookies and a good crowd would spent sat afternoon in there back and forth to the betting shop,ex boro legend [LOL] TERRY COCHRANE GOT THE ITV 7 UP,but laddies couldnt pay him in out in cash but let him bet in credit for the rest of the day,by the last race he was borrowing of lads in pub for a last bet,all gone, LOL
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Arthur Salter was the Daily Mail's R Goodfellow in the early '70's, succeeded by Jack Millan (who I think was Captain Hath before he got the main job) and then Sam Turner I believe
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Captain Heath
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O'Sullevan used to give a treble in the Express; Heath did likewise for the Mail
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The Daily Express was very fortunate to have two top class journalists writing for them at the same time .Peter O,Sullivan and the Scout -alias Clive Graham.
My dear old Mum used to send me every Saturday morning to the local bookies with her bet -it was always the Scouts Double . She seemed to win quite often because I had to collect the winnings and I got extra pocket money ! What days they were . So simple and trouble free ! |
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Anyone remember a Daily Mail bet under the name Roll Up ...there wasn't a bet every day and from memory the idea was to try to select (can't remember how many) consecutive winners. Most of course were very short prices and I recall horses like Flyingbolt,Dickey May and The Laird being selections.I used to follow it avidly and remember my housemaster thinking I at age 13 was taking a keen interest in the news because at morning break he always saw me reading the paper. Used to go to the local village bookie (which was just someone's front room) where the bets were collected and taken to a nearby town for settlement and winnings were ready the following day.
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Maybe the most worthwhile newspaper tipping item ever was Betting Spy in The Sun nearly 40 years ago. Didn't last long though - don't know why it suddenly vanished.
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Who can forget Cayton in the Morning Star
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Who remembers super nap was an excellent tipster for the sun I think
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The false added in galloping sounds...
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