Is this a "Time and a Place" for racing?

Good morning all after a wonderful weekend for SA racing.

Pity Do It Again could not Do It Again for the punters but the bookies also need to earn a living.

I must say I thought the coverage and production was superb over the last couple of days.

Neil Andrew's was at his best as a host with many special guests.
I was jealous to see Mike Rutherford from Mike and the Mechanics being interviewed by Neil.

It's made my song for the post a bit difficult to select as I am spoilt for choice.

I always try and Link my choice with racing and All I Need is a Miracle, The Living Years, Looking back over my Shoulder, Silent Running and Nobody's Perfect were all possibilities.

I am hoping we now have a "Time and a Place" for the eventual upswing in racing.

Not exactly sure who to thank? Tellytrack, 4Racing, Cape Racing, Ruperts, Snaiths etc? the 2 day event was certainly an upmarket affair but so is Ascot.

Couple of negatives would have been the drone footage, the race that should have been void and yet another R1 payout on the tote.

However well done to all for a great promotion for racing and the MET should be a cracker and a must if you can make it.

Good Punting

Thanks for the mention of "The Living Years"...my favourite song...

It's another classic from a superb band.

I would just clarify re the drone, good idea just need a better pilot 😎

Imo, coverage was good - for me (with all due respect to the Mechanics), I think we could have been better served with interviews with 'racing people' - and then maybe ask some more pertinent questions, instead of everyone jus singing everyone's praises - but I thought the overall production was good and the coverage of the racing excellent; my thoughts on the Scepter Stakes is that the race should have been declared null and void - imo you can't have the starting gate of one horse open before the others, without having an impact on some of the other runners.

Age may be catching up to Do It Again - could not find the Stipes Report, but there was mention of being lame in front - I think a possibility of retirement ?

Fantastic win by Jet Dark - beat Rainbow Bridge and Kommetdieding fair and square, while Linebacker disappointed - maybe a re-negotiation of his regular pilot something to be considered - the MET will be interesting

Courageous win by Captain's Ransom, and excellent efforts by Chansonette and Marina (will they be going for the MET ?); interesting that Fourie reckoned that CR will get 2000 easily, while Snaith contradicted his earlier statement that 'the distance is immaterial' by saying after the race that she is 'definitely better over 1600' :dry:

Also agree that the Scepter Stakes should be declared null and void, whats the point of calling fall starts in the future, just make the ones that break through a non-runner.

A very bad precedence has now been made.

Thanks Frodo

I did think that the majority of people interviewed were racing people and if not mistaken Mike does have horses?

MJ was a bit stiff with jockey interviews and needs to be a bit more relaxed.
Fiona walking in parade ring with the microphone is touches of Francesca Cumani ( my personal fav) .

They did say that there was coverage on SABC without the split screen but I could not find it on DSTV ?
Would like to have watched on dedicated channel 207 as per the Ascot coverage which was world class.

Step in right direction 🤞

Only negative for me is giving us the trainers comments when they loading, could listen to Neil all day

I thought Eddie Jordan and Mike Rutherford looked like brothers.


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Production was good. MJ being stiff at first but warmed up at day 2. Understandable since he's a jockey not a presenter, and clearly has a good rapport with the other jockeys.

Liked the interviews with the 2nd place jockeys, though not sure how long that feature will last, a bit like interviewing all those who lost court cases straight after the cases.

Liked the fact they interviewed Marcus after the DIA race, would be nice to get this a regular feature - Make them at least a bit more accountable to the public for shorties missing.

The best dressed segments were a farce to watch on TV - Should've been kept on the course itself.

Neil really is coming into his own when it comes to presenting, though has the same Age and Style self deprecating brand of humor that racing people have seen from him countless times, though I can imagine newbies would have liked.

The horse coverage was amazing - Liked the fact that they actually captured the excitement on course, and a bit of the drama as well. It was overall a great production, and the guy they interviewed about the changes made really seemed to know what he was talking about.

I am aware M J Byleveld has had a couple of inuries.
Is he coming back to the saddle?