Racing PresentersEast Coast Racing

GLAMOUR

Over the ladt few weeks,we have had Lizxie Jelfs step down from Sky Racing,now in the last week we now see Tony Brassell and now Mark Guest,if this keeps happening they wont have any presenters, anuone know if yhey have moved onto better things.

tony

Tony Brassel is going to racenet,

Lizzie Jelfs said she wants a change and although she does not have anything permanent at this stage will be doing some work on channel 7 over the next month or so.

No idea what Guest is doing although as he manages a few jockeys including James McDonald would not be too concerned.

tony

Further to that have just seen a tweet implying Guest is going to racenet as well

SLIPPERGOLDEN

Who is the female calling the Greyhounds?

tony

Victoria Shaw

bookielover

This is my favourite topic.

Jelfs will be missed as she had a happy knack of tipping horses at good odds based on her view of them from the mounting yard, and was not influenced in her opinion by the spruikers on Sky, in particular the slurping, continual saliva swallowing urger for the TAB,  Glen Munsie.

Munsie's claim to fame before he got the cushy job at Tabcorp ,was working on the bag for Bill Waterhouse.

The bloke they have in for Alan Martin while he's on holidays, is Tim Forsythe. Had never heard of him prior to him getting this gig, but he's an absolute shocker. Every one of his sentences ends with an upward inflection. This has been heavily baaaaackked! We are coming up to race two at Randwiiiiickkkk! Watch him if you can stand it, and you'll see what I mean. I mute the channel when he's on.

Gately, has a voice like a buzz saw. he sounds like he's on the dunny trying to have an Edgar Britt and it's not happening. Others describe his voice as a perpetual whine.

Both he and Brassel, have the annoying habit after a race, when a horse they have not tipped has won, of telling us why you could easily have backed the  horse, yet they haven't tipped it in their first four. Why not be honest, and say, I didn't tip it because I didn't think it could win. The answer, because it would show the public, that they are not the so called "experts" they are promoted to be.

I have written about Perth Racing's Brittany Taylor's piercing voice before, and as much as she seems to be a very nice young lady, the voice cuts through me like a sharp knife. To be perfectly honest, very few of the female presenters do it for me. Jayne Ivill on Racing.Com. Nup. Heavy NZ accent, and a very poor judge at that. She is barely a class 1 compared to Lizzi Jelf's who is WFA.

Jason Richardson on Racing.com. A giggling imbecile. He laughs at everything. Your mum died, ha ha ha. Let's look at race 4 at Flemington, ha ha ha giggle giggle giggle. I don't watch anything  that insult to intelligence is on.

Greg Radley, Sky Thoroughbred central, always sounds like he's announcing the declaration of world war three. Lighten up son..... just not like Richardson. When a horse wins a race, it's a great result for all the connections. Don't announce it like the horse just broke down.

Garry Harley. Can't cop him. Tips every favourite a good thing, and that raspy voice goes on and on and on. Garry Kliese, can't put more than two words together without stumbling and mumbling. Chantelle Buckley and Priscilla Looker suffer  vocally from the Brittany's.

And Chinah Marsden. They are giving her less to say nowadays. I know that she had, or continues to have medical issues, so I'll leave it to you to work out why I find her very hard to listen to.

The good ones.  Racing. Com's Brent Zarrafa despite his Sydney misdemeanour, presents well, as does Matt Welsh, although his voice does sound like a poor mans David Gately. The bloke who does the South Australian Racing with Terry McAuliffe James Patterson I think he is, is a very good judge and presents well, as does Terry.

In Queensland,, Michael Maxworthy does a good job.

There are others, the young bloke in Perth who presents with Brittany, I should remember his name, but can't is very good , Michael Charge in Far North Queensland is good.

And believe it or not, I reckon that obese blowhard, Richard Callender is one of the better ones, if for no other reason, his honesty. 

He tells it like it is, tells you what he backed, and does it hard on air when they get beaten. Actually tells punters that there are bookies operating on track which I never hear any other presenter acknowledge, and will mention some by name. He has a go at shocking rides, and asks questions that we want asked. No political correctness,or anal orifice licking with him, except when it comes to his love child Chris Waller.

SLIPPERGOLDEN

Accurate and and very amusing assessments BL

thefalcon

Brittany's offsider is Scott Embry, BL..

meatpie

bookielover said:

This is my favourite topic.

Jelfs will be missed as she had a happy knack of tipping horses at good odds based on her view of them from the mounting yard, and was not influenced in her opinion by the spruikers on Sky, in particular the slurping, continual saliva swallowing urger for the TAB,  Glen Munsie.

Munsie's claim to fame before he got the cushy job at Tabcorp ,was working on the bag for Bill Waterhouse.

The bloke they have in for Alan Martin while he's on holidays, is Tim Forsythe. Had never heard of him prior to him getting this gig, but he's an absolute shocker. Every one of his sentences ends with an upward inflection. This has been heavily baaaaackked! We are coming up to race two at Randwiiiiickkkk! Watch him if you can stand it, and you'll see what I mean. I mute the channel when he's on.

Gately, has a voice like a buzz saw. he sounds like he's on the dunny trying to have an Edgar Britt and it's not happening. Others describe his voice as a perpetual whine.

Both he and Brassel, have the annoying habit after a race, when a horse they have not tipped has won, of telling us why you could easily have backed the  horse, yet they haven't tipped it in their first four. Why not be honest, and say, I didn't tip it because I didn't think it could win. The answer, because it would show the public, that they are not the so called "experts" they are promoted to be.

I have written about Perth Racing's Brittany Taylor's piercing voice before, and as much as she seems to be a very nice young lady, the voice cuts through me like a sharp knife. To be perfectly honest, very few of the female presenters do it for me. Jayne Ivill on Racing.Com. Nup. Heavy NZ accent, and a very poor judge at that. She is barely a class 1 compared to Lizzi Jelf's who is WFA.

Jason Richardson on Racing.com. A giggling imbecile. He laughs at everything. Your mum died, ha ha ha. Let's look at race 4 at Flemington, ha ha ha giggle giggle giggle. I don't watch anything  that insult to intelligence is on.

Greg Radley, Sky Thoroughbred central, always sounds like he's announcing the declaration of world war three. Lighten up son..... just not like Richardson. When a horse wins a race, it's a great result for all the connections. Don't announce it like the horse just broke down.

Garry Harley. Can't cop him. Tips every favourite a good thing, and that raspy voice goes on and on and on. Garry Kliese, can't put more than two words together without stumbling and mumbling. Chantelle Buckley and Priscilla Looker suffer  vocally from the Brittany's.

And Chinah Marsden. They are giving her less to say nowadays. I know that she had, or continues to have medical issues, so I'll leave it to you to work out why I find her very hard to listen to.

The good ones.  Racing. Com's Brent Zarrafa despite his Sydney misdemeanour, presents well, as does Matt Welsh, although his voice does sound like a poor mans David Gately. The bloke who does the South Australian Racing with Terry McAuliffe James Patterson I think he is, is a very good judge and presents well, as does Terry.

In Queensland,, Michael Maxworthy does a good job.

There are others, the young bloke in Perth who presents with Brittany, I should remember his name, but can't is very good , Michael Charge in Far North Queensland is good.

And believe it or not, I reckon that obese blowhard, Richard Callender is one of the better ones, if for no other reason, his honesty. 

He tells it like it is, tells you what he backed, and does it hard on air when they get beaten. Actually tells punters that there are bookies operating on track which I never hear any other presenter acknowledge, and will mention some by name. He has a go at shocking rides, and asks questions that we want asked. No political correctness,or anal orifice licking with him, except when it comes to his love child Chris Waller.

more obnoxious, self importance

meatpie

SLIPPERGOLDEN said:

Accurate and and very amusing assessments BL

sycophancy is alive and well.

curmudgeon

Out of all those mentioned there has only been one outed from the industry for dishonest practice....& he got a gong for being honest.

Say no more.

bookielover

curmudgeon said:

Out of all those mentioned there has only been one outed from the industry for dishonest practice....& he got a gong for being honest.

Say no more.

Curmudgeon, I suppose you do the crime, you do the time. 

BZ misled the punters in Sydney and boasted about it. That should have put paid to any career in the industry he may have had. 

But, he moved to Melbourne, and who knows, Racing.com, previously known as TVN, have been in fierce competition with Sky and tabcorp for years, and might have thought that one way to stick it up them , would be to hire the bloke they sacked.

detonator

Scott Embrey is a gem.

In terms of presenting on race day ie form analogy, interviews etc he is very very good.

Wouldn’t surprise me if he ends up going east to further his career.

Sure there will be offers coming soon if they haven’t already.

^:)^

bookielover

SLIPPERGOLDEN said:

Accurate and and very amusing assessments BL

All said with humour behind it, Slip. But,fair Dinkum. I reckon most of the presenters don't get their job based on ability.

The one bloke who has been pushed into the background and is rarely seen or heard, is smarter than all of them. 

But, because like Richie, he happens to be open, honest and upfront, he doesn't get a gig.

I'm talking about Dr. Turf. I know the good Doctor, and aside from the fact that he's a good judge, is great value whenever he appears. 

Mind you, he's a multi millionaire, so doesn't really give a stuff.

bookielover

curmudgeon said:

Out of all those mentioned there has only been one outed from the industry for dishonest practice....& he got a gong for being honest.

Say no more.

Curmudgeon, I forgot about good old Richie and the horses ale. I suppose in his case, it's not what you know, but who you know. he's gone from being a pariah, to the President of the Trainersassociation and a presenter on Thoroughbred Central.

SLIPPERGOLDEN

meatpie said:

SLIPPERGOLDEN said:

Accurate and and very amusing assessments BL

sycophancy is alive and well.

In your case healthy discussion is not

SLIPPERGOLDEN

 Article frpm LGHR     

THE MEDIA

SKY CHANNEL provides a first class coverage in difficult circumstances but should make a few changes. SKY1 should be used for all racing and major harness and greyhound events. SKY2 should be the home of harness, greyhounds and those gallops meetings that hold next to no turnover and are televised from all parts of the world to ensure 24/7 coverage. SKY CENTRAL should be restricted to major Saturday racing and not include the secondary NSW meetings, making room for more parade ring reports and major international days, like Hong Kong.

RACING.COM provides and first class coverage of Victorian racing, the feature Saturday in Melbourne and sadly South Australian instead of Queensland coverage. No-one is interested in Adelaide racing apart from the big days. Queensland is treated second rate by SKY and should have another option (even allowing for Free-To-Air), especially during the carnivals.    

SKY should hang their heads in shame for losing popular on-air identities like TONY BRASSEL (form expert moving to Racenet) and LIZZY JELFFS (her mounting yard report was monumentally popular). Providing leading turf scribes with second and third jobs (a la RAY THOMAS) arguably ensures they become ‘spin doctors’ for Sydney and NSW racing rather than protecting the interests of the punters. They saw what happened to Ken Callander when he dared to criticise in his Telegraph column. At least Max Presnell is still there to keep the bastards honest, albeit on a lighter scale. It seems the only one capable of reading the prices at SKY is GLENN MUNSEY and he annoys the crap out of many punters. Of the presenters racing followers prefer GREG RADLEY, BRITTANY GRAHAM and DAVE STANLEY. One of SKY’S best tipsters (outside of Ron Dufficy) in PAUL JOYCE who has moved to Queensland where it seems he will be consigned to the out-of-town meetings. MICHAEL MAXWORTHY is an excellent tipster, BERNADETTE COOPER a popular host and the least said about NATHAN EXELBY’S tipping talents the better. Then again he was employed to promote racing on SKY and for the BRC when he moved from Queensland Newspaper to join his mentor who was the first to receive a ‘jobs for the boys’ reward for years of service to the BRC and QTC.       

RACING.com: ONE common thread in all the whinges we received focuses on two key identities: JASON RICHARDSON is not the popular figure with punters that his bosses believe. Just when you thought it was safe to turn off Racing.com and tune into commercial TV, he bobs up there. SIMON MARSHALL is probably the most annoying talking head on the network, not to mention the maggot corporate bookie he represents or their rivals who continue to rob punters blind promising free bets which have strings attached. The sooner we get a National TAB and make it harder for the corporates the better. They should be forced to stop closing down accounts of successful punters and required to contribute more to the economy. Back to Racing.com and punters still haven’t forgotten the ‘tipping’ faux pas of BRENT ZERAFA when he was in Sydney. It seems time forgives and he is back as a tipping machine in Victoria. Those having a bet have more faith in CLINT HUTCHINSON, BEN ASGARI and WARREN HUNTLY. When it comes to on-air presenters their favourites are JAMES TZAFERIS, GRACE RAMAGE and the terribly impressive KATE WATTS.

NEWS LTD: Like everything else the coverage of racing is ruled by Rupert’s politics and desires. The racing section has been taken over by Racenet, a quality website, which he now owns. It seems to be building an artillery aimed at something to do with another venture, perhaps FOXBET, a new corporate bookmaking entity. Gone are the days when the Murdoch Media provided quality racing coverage with respected scribes producing breaking news.

4TAB: Has basically been taken over. Steven Hewlett is a hard-working, horse racing loving, respected host who deserves to have a role in racing forever. He refuses to get embroiled in the politics which wins him many friends.   

MATT STEWART is the racing scribe that punters respect most because of his no-nonsense style. He is unapologetically a great fan of Racing Victoria and criticizes when necessary but nothing like his attacks on Racing NSW and Peter V’landys, showing up his ‘suck up and survive’ colleagues in Sydney and getting right up the nose at times of V’landys and top trainer Chris Waller.

RAY HADLEY on his 4BC Morning Show has managed the keep the ‘bastards honest’ in Queensland racing. His intervention saved the job of race-caller JOSH FLEMING when some sweetheart deal was allegedly done involving SKY, RQ and a high ranking Albion Park Harness Racing Club official of the time. Hadley has no time, like many others, for RQ CEO BRENDAN PARNELL, who should have been shown the door instead of having his current contract extended by 12 months.

ARCHIE BUTTERFLY: Like him or hate him he has made a success of his subscriber-only website, www.peterprofit.com, largely focussed on harness racing these days. But that’s another story – the Butterfly got too close to the truth on many racing issues – who said there was freedom of the press or freedom of speech in this country – even if it wasn’t what he said but the way he said it that offended some?

PHIL PURSER: For his stance on barring whips in racing and the roadside signs he has spared no expense erecting. We all miss Phil’s writing on justracing and there are many who believe his pioneering of racing websites is worthy of HALL OF FAME inclusion in Queensland.  

RACECALLERS

VICTORIA’S MATT HILL is a long way in front of his rivals. NSW & WA have class callers. The least said about the situation in QUEENSLAND where back-stabbing and political interference has ridden shotgun with JOSH FLEMING in his rivalry with the ambitious but extremely competent caller DAVID FOWLER.

THE TIPSTERS

WHEN it comes to tipping DEAN LESTER wins in a photo-finish from DAVID GATELY and MARK HUNTER – note all three are VICTORIANS. The best in SYDNEY was PAUL JOYCE who has now moved to QUEENSLAND followed by RON DUFFICY and LIZZY JELFFS who has left SKY. JOYCE will quickly become the best in Queensland ahead of MICHAEL MAXWORTHY. NATHAN EXELBY is hopeless and BART SINCLAIR, who for some strange reason tips Brisbane racing on Victorian radio, should have been pensioned off years ago. To get right up the nose of our critics, the best VALUE for MONEY for the LEISURE PUNTER is the LGHR LATE MAIL and we have the results to prove it.

IN SUMMARY, we thought there were a FEW NEW YEAR AWARDS suggested by OUR CONTRIBUTORS that were worth publishing:

THE HALF MILLION DOLLAR WASTED AWARD: On the CEO of Racing Queensland Brendan Parnell for continuing to pump up the job that he & his overpaid First Lieutenants are doing when the industry (in hushed tones of course) have no confidence in his leadership and want him replaced.

HAVING YOUR CAKE & EATING IT TOO: THE Sydney racing scribes led by ‘Razor’ Thomas who have learnt how to suck up and survive while their hero Peter V’landys runs the show. There are those who believe the reward to be an extra job or two in the racing and sports media where most of them continue to bob up at SKY – but we at LGHR know ‘cash for comment’ doesn’t exist in the media.

THE WEEKLY WIMP AWARD: Goes to the SKY interviewers who watch CHRIS WALLER win another race with a form reversal, upset winner BUT refuse to ask him about the heavily-backed stablemate that has performed like a mule preferring to suggest instead what a great training effort it was.

WALLEY WORLD AWARD TO THE BEST STEWARDS IN THE LAND: Chris Waller to the Sydney panel for rarely asking him to front an inquiry. That’s left to one of his First Lieutenants – not to mention the all-to-often acceptance from his book of excusess leaving the poor old punters with the bum out of their pants on a regular basis.

THE REHOMING OF OLD HACKS AWARD: To the Brisbane Racing Club for finding a cosy job for BART SINCLAIR for his years of service to the club (especially when it was the QTC) during his era as a Turf Editor.

THE CHUBBY CHEEKS & CHOOK AWARD: The first another cast-off from the racing media who got early retirement to ‘shoe shiner’ at the BRC & the latter who seems determined to protect his self-proclaimed job as the best caller in the south-east at all costs.

BELOW THE BELT AWARD: To the contributor who asked why a high profile racing official facing serious sex charges had not been stood down and told us about the minor code low-life’s who have found a new thrill called the reach around (google it) – at least it stops them from visiting little boys in Asia.  

THE DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE YEAR AWARD: To all of those who hate LGHR (the list is growing) for our decision to press forward for at least another year. If you don’t like it, don’t read it. DINOSAURS LIVE FOREVER!

JimmyPop

SLIPPERGOLDEN said:

Who is the female calling the Greyhounds?

She is horrible.

Piston_Broke

2 I like are Marc Ohlmus and Jason Linclon, when he was on PTT was an absolute gun on Hong Kong

thefalcon

me old mate jason, where does he hang is hat these days?

tony

Still with Sky, appears to be their Grethound expert

bookielover

JimmyPop said:

SLIPPERGOLDEN said:

Who is the female calling the Greyhounds?

She is horrible.

Victoria Shaw, and "horrible" is a compliment. Been around for years, and obviously has never improved. She actually got to call a race or two in town many, many years ago. Hard to believe but it did happen. She's basically consigned to Healesville greyhounds, where they used to have a very good male caller doing it called James Vandermyle or something like that.

I don't begrudge her the desire she had to become a race caller, nor all the encouragement she received along the way, in order to help her reach her goal. But, unfortunately, she just doesn't have it.

SLIPPERGOLDEN

bookielover said:

SLIPPERGOLDEN said:

 Dr. Turf. I know the good Doctor, and aside from the fact that he's a good judge, is great value whenever he appears. 

At the risk of being obsequious (look it up meatpie) I agree with your assessment regarding Dr Turf. 

Did he make his money on the punt? Profession? Inherited?

meatpie

SLIPPERGOLDEN said:

bookielover said:

SLIPPERGOLDEN said:

 Dr. Turf. I know the good Doctor, and aside from the fact that he's a good judge, is great value whenever he appears. 

At the risk of being obsequious (look it up meatpie) I agree with your assessment regarding Dr Turf. 

Did he make his money on the punt? Profession? Inherited?

don't need to look it up, know what it means and think you nailed it!

bookielover

SLIPPERGOLDEN said:

bookielover said:

SLIPPERGOLDEN said:

 Dr. Turf. I know the good Doctor, and aside from the fact that he's a good judge, is great value whenever he appears. 

At the risk of being obsequious (look it up meatpie) I agree with your assessment regarding Dr Turf. 

Did he make his money on the punt? Profession? Inherited?

Inherited. His old man left him, his brother and sister millions. He's a very nice bloke and always good for a laugh. Doesn't really flaunt his wealth either.

G-Mac

@Bookielover: James Van De Maat. Still calls greyhounds for RSN

@Falcon: Jason is in Wingham

bookielover

G-Mac said:

@Bookielover: James Van De Maat. Still calls greyhounds for RSN

@Falcon: Jason is in Wingham

G-Mac said:

@Bookielover: James Van De Maat. Still calls greyhounds for RSN

@Falcon: Jason is in Wingham

I was close :D

bookielover

Was watching the races yesterday on Sky having a few bets.The presenter they had on was a bloke called Mark Ohlmus. I hope  I've spelt that correctly. Without doubt the single most droning, boring voice  on Sky and that's saying something. Want a cure for insomnia, record half an hour of him talking. Cure is guaranteed.

Punters.Com has become a subscription only service. And word is that Racenet fully owned by Newscorp, will also become a subscription service. They have just employed former Sky tipster, Mark Guest, this follows on from them poaching Tony Brassel. 

Speaking of Brassel, his first two weeks have been a shocker for his followers. One winner at $3.50 on the Gold Coast. A mate of mine who followed him religiously, said, he won't follow his tips anymore on Racenet. That's because every horse he has tipped thus far, has been the favourite, and when on Sky, he'd actually tip 10.00 chances plus, on top. I reckon, Brassel felt under pressure to perform, and thought that tipping favourites was the way to go. Had he been successful, Racenet would have promoted him from the rooftops.

tony

We are all entitled to our opinion BL and in this case totally disagree with you re Mark Ohlmus one of the more knowledgable presenters imo

Thunderstruck

Noticed Mark Guest has jumped too why have all these guys done so, is it for better money? Only a casual visitor so don't pay much attention to how they make a buck but how do Racenet afford these guys atm?

I know there is talk of a subscription service kicking off there(I don't see that going all that well myself)but just wondering how they afford it right now..

bookielover

tony said:

We are all entitled to our opinion BL and in this case totally disagree with you re Mark Ohlmus one of the more knowledgable presenters imo

Hi Tony, 

With respect mate, I made no comment whatsoever about his "knowledge", just his voice. I'm not saying he's not a smart bloke, or a nice bloke. I defer to your judgement on that. 

There is a young bloke who is conducting the racing program today. I think I heard his name was Julius, but I'm happy7 to be corrected. Never seen or heard him before. Speaks well, and is easy to listen to.