Bryan Martin was the worst at getting carried away with a win. The 2006 Derby, when Efficient beat Gorky Park and Teranabaa, "oh, this is a champion!".
I think he also labelled I Got Chills a champ. Last Spring he got one race completely wring when he called Husson Lightning in front for about 250m when it was Here De Angels.

Still Greg Miles for mine, but no doubt Shean has made up considerable ground over the last twelve months.

One time leader Ian Craig starting to fade noticeably; Don't mind Alan Thomas or Darren McCaulay; Wayne Wilson & Hilton Donaldson drive me up the wall.

Of the Aussies O/S, I don't mind Jim McGrath at all, and Darren Flindell does a pretty good job for mine. Still waiting to hear a remotely listenable American caller.


Nige

seventh: Tend to disagree with you about Thomas, he calls well and is a pretty accurate too.
His slight downfall is he focuses a little too much on hot favs and well backed runners, where they are and how they're travelling abit too much.
It makes him lose sight of some of the other runners at times.

Poor 'ole Ronny Papps, he was more concerned with calling who sired the horses in running, than the actual runners themselves.

I thought Mark Shean was terrible when I first heard him but he's grown on me.He's very accurate and doesn't make many mistakes.
Don't mind him now.I must say though it's time somebody tapped Ian Craig on the shoulder.

Mark Shean is excellent and I reckon he's a good judge too.

Miles is alright but I don't reckon as great as most on here seem to think. Agree with Pink the "champion becomes a legend" line was nauseating.

Best commentator is "Pommy" Jim McGrath :)

To All,

What are your thoughts on Jim Jacques (spellcheck needed) in Adelaide? How good is he!

I don't invest on the carts because my selections had a magnetic attraction to being five back on the rails and seeing more rump that a butcher shop.

I don't know why Jim's parents selected his christian name unless they liked to hear him called JJ, but, I tell you what. He is one great caller. I reckon he can make a three day old pizza sound tasty.

Gee I like to avoid the red hots.

Regards

Timesman

PS On Mark Shean, I thought he picked Valedictum up very late in his victory on Saturday. This was no bet race for me and I have only watched it three times so I could be wrong. He is getting better by the week, trying to vary tone and sound more enthusiastic.

There is only one thing i want from a race caller. When he calls a race, I need to know where my horse is. I may not know the colours or the television does not show the colours clearly. I can do the rest. Greg Miles tells me every time big fields and small.

Nothing wrong with Greg Miles, a joy to listen to on the weekend he is a fine caller and no doubt one of the best. I said that about Hilton too a few weeks back. I don't like bagging out callers, its a hard craft, however Mark Shean isnt my cup of tea. Seems like a nice bloke who would be better in some other capacity. But anyone knocking Miles and elevating Mark Shean has problems. Next post i am going to read will be about how youthful Kevin Thompson sounds calling Harold Park!! I think they have the extra ambulance at the track just for him.

I too agree with all the positive comments made about Mark Shean. I think he is quickly becoming the nation's premier race caller.

I have up until fairly recently had Greg Miles in that possie, but I think he's tapered off a bit lately, to the point where he's become inaccurate in what he is saying compared with what is happening. Mind you, I DO NOT want his job...bugger me if I can remember the names of every horse in one race let alone their colours.

Miles - no thanks.
Mark Shean called superbly on the weekend. He just doesn't have that deep voice that would be perfect, but overall is my no.1 at the moment.

Infidel, that bet you had in Brisbane, was it your first bet anywhere in the last 12 months?
Maybe your horse was a late scratching. I think Alan Thomas is a great race caller and I always enjoyed Wayne Wilson.

Do you all remember the great Ronny Papps! I think he was told to retire because he was causing to much grief with the SA punters, he was a punters nightmare.

I had my first bet for the year in a Brisbane race last week. The caller did not mention my horse in the 1600m of the race.

It sounded like the dufus who only called Media Puzzle in the Melbourne Cup. Is he still around?

bring back Tappy.......

He called it correctly. Efficient was flat footed for a number of strides before launching into his finishing run and so he was "feeling the pinch" at the moment the caller's eye passed over him. He just didn't feel it for long :)

Greg Miles is one of the best IMO. His only less-than-good Cup call was Ollie on Media Puzzle, but in the emotion of the moment I don't think many people had eyes for any other runner in the straight either.

whitegoodman: Is that the best you can come up with? Efficient was being ridden along at the 800m and Miles called it right, except the horse responded.

Miles is the best caller in the country by a mile (pardon the pun) He makes the two callers in Sydney sound like amateurs.

He is a great judge of how a horse,in particular favourites are travelling.

I think his call of the Lonhro Aust Cup was one of the best Ive heard, at no stage did he call Lonhro "gone" when he was entitled to.

You can always turn the radio on and turn off the sound on the television.

"Efficient feeling the pinch" around the bend in the M. Cup. I can't trust his calls again after that.
Nearly as bad as the Fox commentator who went off giving Cronulla victory on Sat night after Kimmorely missed the field goal.

We need more good callers like Miles..

I dont know who was the caller at Ballarat yesterday, but he deadset had no idea at all, I only watched a few races and in 2 of them, he called the wrong leader in the straight..
If these callers dont do their homework, they may aswell give it up..