Grand National Coverage

The coverage of the 2010 Grand National which was flighted on channel 206 this afternoon reminded me graphically how spectacular and entertaining racing can be with a professional approach. It represented the best racing broadcast I have seen on TV since the Epsom Derby of 2009 when Sea The Stars won.

The camerawork was absolutely magnificent and it was difficult not to be swept up in the emotion and thrill of the event.

Both before and after the event a number of ( BBC?) commentators led us us through intelligent interviews and other related material. None of them shouted at us (their audience ) or made speeches. Instead they asked for comment or posed intelligent questions to their interview subjects. The 'colour' was instead provided by injecting snippets from a variety of industry players and characters. We even accompanied the winner, after unsaddling, back to his box/trailer whilst the lady commentator chatted to the groom.

By way of comaprison I did a quick switch over to Tellytrack where the camerawork for the same event was indistinct and Molly was busy bellowing at us from the studio. Cringeworthy.

After the event the studio team did a replay with, among others, former champion jockey Richard Dunwoodie. They went through the entire race and every jump in both real time and slow motion whilst commenting on errors, tactics and reasons why horses fell. It was fantastic to see just how much ground these jumpers cover when airborne.

Well done to Tony McCoy for winning after 15 (?) attempts. Just reward for a great champion.

I wonder whether Phumelela might not rather have spent R45 million on a decent camera/studio crew and some High Definition equipment rather than on installing lights to lamely try and pander to some as yet unidentified corporate sponsors. Then at least we might have started with a product that somebody, somewhere, might be interested in backing!

Footnote : Happily no horses died or were destroyed following the running of this year's Grand National.

Garrick "ditto" just posted on the National thread

brilliant stuff

Garrick, good to hear you had a good view - I've been through the whole week of it everywhere you look, in nearly every tabloid, illustrated maps of the course explaining the jumps, reference to previous year's runnings, introduction to this year's contenders and their track history as well as the jocks, and to add to the spectacle from this morning already on 4 TV channels in the UK the GNat was covered (plus an additional channel in HD), every half hour on BBC news, BBC 4 with jockey interviews and even footage of the race as far back as 1938! I was glued, gripping stuff...superb coverage.

C'mon South Africa - its not rocket science!! if the americans ESPN and the brits BBC et al can, you can! TV can press combined can help the public learn, understand and fall in love with racing. I hope someone taped it and is analysing how they do it so it can be copied and applied in saf.
You had to be a complete idiot in the UK this week not to have known it was the Grand National today...!!!

the only thing i missed was the oncourse attendance number - there were thousands...would love to know.

I dont know what you fellows are getting so excited about. This type of coverage bar the HD has been going on for as long as I can remember. Nothing special..just normal coverage by professional people.

Evening Chicken, not sure if you watched the replay of the race?
I had never seen that type of coverage before.........but I live and enjoy living in Africa X(

chicken, garrick is a saffa, i'm an expat. does that explain the swooning?

evening Scotia nice and warm in your home town this evening for a change. Yes I did, they do it every year. I hope you had some on Ross County today 66/1 to beat Celtic. I did not but what a result.

Chicken must say that was the highlight of my weekend, I seen the post on the sports Forum and went to Sky news, never had a bet but that is what makes the Cup magic, best result since Berwick Rangers beat the mighty Glasgow Rangers

Plus they can win the final? (tu)

I wonder what the headline would be. I can remember the headlines when lowly Inverness Callies beat Celtic in the cup about 10 years ago 3-1

Super Caley Go Ballistic, Celtic Are Atrocious

Ross are the Boss as Celtic play Toss

lol

very good scotia . So when did you work for The Scottish Sun? Avow in the next at Wolverhampton

Have to go to a function/70 s pub, catch u in the morning -D

good punting!