.....lack of!!
After contributing to this post Today's Racing I thought I would get my soap box out!
I can only think of one TV pundit I would listen to and actually take note, that is Andy Richmond on RUK. I know Andy and he's a shrewd cookie so when he offers advice I would say listen to him. The rest of them I would not pay in washers!!
The Mourning Line with McGrath and Cunningham is plain awful, it verges on unviewable at times. Actually I have not watched a full show for many years. McGrath is painted as some Timeform guru but to me he was nothing more than a brown noser who plotted his way to the top. In all the years I have been watching him on TV I cannot remember a single piece of useful advice from him. After the race he's bloody brilliant, there is nobody better!!
I remember the Derby with Dawn Approach, they lined up all the experts and asked if it would win. There was not one of them who would give a sensible answer. On here I wrote he was unlikely to stay the trip and his price was ludicrous. I was even fortunate to give the winner albeit a choice if I was forced to pick. When the race was over McGrath and Cunningham sat there blowing warm air up each other's south west passage telling us all that the winner and placed horses were "the ones with decent middle distant pedigrees" DUH......so why not mention that before the race then?
Now some will say they're not supposed to be there to offer betting advice; that is the lame excuse I have been offered from certain quarters. So I would simply ask "What the hell are you paying them for? Clearly we do not need them!"
Now on ATR we have Mick Fitzgerald. He was a great jockey and he's a good guy but he talks inane drivel and myths which mean nothing in the context of horse racing and betting. On one occasion there was a bumper being run, a bumper is the colloquial term for a National Hunt flat race. He offered no sensible insight prior to the race which turned into a farcical slow run affair. The tape went up and they stood there before walking for a furlong. They then cantered for most of the distance and sprinted for 2 furlongs. The fav and 2nd fav finished 1st and 2nd. Fitzgerald then said "if they go slow in bumpers, that is the result you will always get, the front two in the market will win!" Now that is complete nonsense so I contacted the studio and asked him to clarify his comments as to me they were utter rubbish. He sent a snotty reply saying "I said in bumpers, listen!!" I had mentioned bumpers in my question so I replied and said "I was referring to bumpers and it's still nonsense!" Well needless to say he couldn't justify his comments so the exchange ended there!
Earlier this week, a friend contacted me and asked if I could calculate the record for Nicky Henderson's Novice chasers at Fakenham. I didn't know why he wanted this data but I called in a favour and basically it was 4 wins from 17 runners. You would have made a pretty packet laying all of them. Then I discovered Fitzgerald said live on TV "You could back Nicky Henderson's Novice Chasers blind at Fakenham" Now some will say I am being pedantic but I would argue it is plain wrong for him to say that when it clearly isn't viable! My inference from a statement like that would be I could profit from it when the stats show otherwise.
So basically, when you hear an "expert" on TV it is best to ignore them. If their drivel makes the price shorten then simply trade it but whatever you do, please do not take their advice.
Can I just add James Willoughby to the trusted list. He doesn't generally offer betting advice as such but he does offer excellent data on speed ratings etc.
Rant over!
TV pundit advice.....
The problem with a lot of pundits or professional gamblers is the lack of proof or evidence on a consistent basis. Pricewise is often highly regarded, but from what I read in recent blog if you actually followed all his bets, he has made a loss this year.
I haven't quite figured it out yet, but I recon the nature of the sports means you can only really make a small profit at best which is difficult to achieve long term and not that exciting for punters and for most people they dance above or just below break even.
The problem is they win a couple of decent bets and they become a pundit. Nobody says, great now do it consistently.
Correct me if I am wrong?
I haven't quite figured it out yet, but I recon the nature of the sports means you can only really make a small profit at best which is difficult to achieve long term and not that exciting for punters and for most people they dance above or just below break even.
The problem is they win a couple of decent bets and they become a pundit. Nobody says, great now do it consistently.
Correct me if I am wrong?
-
JollyGreen
- Posts: 2047
- Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 10:06 am
You're not wrong, but I would question they ever had a run of profitable bets!
Cunningham offers a premium rate tipping service and apparently it is totally awful. I cannot remember the name of it at the moment!
Cunningham offers a premium rate tipping service and apparently it is totally awful. I cannot remember the name of it at the moment!
that'e just what i've noticed Jollygreen...great advice after the race has finished. Quite often after they have given their predicted winner, the price of that horse will shorten so a lot of punters are being taken in by them,only to lose their hard earned cash. Maybe they are working for the bookies after all!!?JollyGreen wrote: McGrath and Cunningham sat there blowing warm air up each other's south west passage telling us all that the winner and placed horses were "the ones with decent middle distant pedigrees" DUH......so why not mention that before the race then?
Next time you watch and listen to Graham Cunningham talk about a race he just repeats exactly what happened.
" A furlong out the winner takes it up, kicks on and puts the race to bed in a matter of strides, the second ran on but was no match for the winner, the rest of the field trailed home."
When he is previewing a race he does exactly the same with the VT. "Here you can see xxx take it up, kick on and within a matter of seconds puts the race to bed."
About as insightful as my budgie and a complete waste of Channel 4's money. Very little point in watching The Morning Line.
" A furlong out the winner takes it up, kicks on and puts the race to bed in a matter of strides, the second ran on but was no match for the winner, the rest of the field trailed home."
When he is previewing a race he does exactly the same with the VT. "Here you can see xxx take it up, kick on and within a matter of seconds puts the race to bed."
About as insightful as my budgie and a complete waste of Channel 4's money. Very little point in watching The Morning Line.
I used to listen to the 'Morning Line' at the weekend, nowadays I still do but just to have a laugh. How so many presenters with vast years of racing knowledge can pick so many losers amazes me. Its almost worth putting a lay bet on their choices 
