Matt Chapman commentating at Lingfield... just no

[Posts: 851Joined: 14 Jun 2009, 23:52Location: Croydon]

I've twice now been unlucky enough to watch races at Lingfield with commentary by Matt Chapman and my god they were awful, who on earth added him to the list of raceday commentators. Obviously someone likes over-the-top/ hysterical

[Posts: 2032Joined: 06 Jun 2011, 14:34Location: Bury St Edmunds]

He has the timbre of a motorsport commentator and what he says has about the same relevance to what is actually taking place. Bring back Extel and he might have a future.

[Posts: 488Joined: 27 Jul 2011, 22:05]

Got to agree, they were dreadful.

[Posts: 601Joined: 22 Jun 2010, 00:44]

I think I read somewhere he was almost forced to take up the role as SIS wanted "their men" more fairly represented on the roster (as opposed to Turf TV/RUK people, eg Messrs Hoiles, Machin et al).

He seems to be spreading his wings. I have seen him on Coral TV a lot of late down my local bookies, and of course he still does loads of ATR work.

Its all very subjective, but I do think he is not cut out for racecourse commentary. As far as I am aware he would have been put on a training course as well, so whilst I guess he has shown some improvement (when he used to do impromtu commentaries on ATR when the feed from the track was lost he was awful) he is not a patch on fellow newcomer John Blance, whom I am reliably imformed is also form the SIS stable which Chapman began his broadcasting career in.

I am still a fan of Peter O'Sullevan's dulcet tones and don't think he has ever really been replaced. The modern commentators seem hell bent on adopting annoying catch phrases and inserting them as often as possible. They also seem to glory in getting pun's realted to the horses name into the calling home of winners. I do find that intensely annoying, especially if I have just done my dough!!!

[Posts: 975Joined: 20 Sep 2011, 16:52]

I must confess I was impressed with how much effort Matt Chapman made with his commentaries at Lingfield and how much homework he had obviously put in.
He added in all sorts of bits of form and plenty of mentions of jockeys to add a bit of interest to the small fields.
He seemed to start off in the first race in quite an understated way but then built it up to the style we are used to on At The Races.
He is obviously very competent and perceptive but, sadly, seems to have decided to bring the same strange and unnatural-sounding modulations of voice that we are used to on At The Races to his racecourse commentaries.
It's a shame because, if he just did it straight with no theatricals, he would not attract the criticism he has on this thread and in earlier discussions. He's obviously made a calculated decision to do his racecourse commentaries in this style, rather than toning them down.
Full marks to him, however, for adding in all the extra bits, making an effort and not just giving the horses' names and nothing else. I found his commentaries strangely fascinating because they were so different.
I have heard Gary Capewell, one of the other new commentators only once, when he called one of the races at Uttoxeter a while ago. I thought he did a good job and brought an unexpectedly rousing finish to his commentary on that race.
Excellent to hear David Fitzgerald commentating at Musselburgh recently on the rearranged meeting covered by Channel 4. It gave him a wider audience. He also did a fine job at Southwell recently during a meeting I watched on At The Races.
Evidence of plenty of homework again in the way he spiced up the commentaries with interesting bits of information, including the number of winners jockeys had ridden or the number of races horses had won. I like these extra bits.
Mark Johnson was doing the same at Leicester the other day. It's all good stuff.

[Posts: 1304Joined: 01 Oct 2009, 20:13]

Chapman's commentary efforts are best reserved for the Stateside programme to brighten up the evening if/when they have a technical fault. And I say that in the best meaning way possible.

[Posts: 975Joined: 20 Sep 2011, 16:52]

Lingfield seems to be one of the favourite courses for the new commentators cutting their teeth this year.
I saw the last three races from there at Lingfield on At The Races today and thought John Blance did a very good job commentating, especially in the last race. He looks like he will be a good addition to the rota.
At the Races course presenter Jim McGrath deserves credit for generously thanking John for his efforts in the commentary box just before the last race. It must be very difficult for Jim and the others under threat of the axe from the influx of newcomers.
I'm sure he would wish John Blance, of SIS, nothing but the best in his budding racecourse career but obviously not necessarily at the expense of his own place on the commentary team.
Iain Mackenzie was in action at one of his regular haunts of Hereford today but, in the couple of races I saw, did the usual job, and no more, that we have come to expect from him. Sadly, in a few months, he too will no doubt be gone and it will be the end of an era.
Tommo has really raised his game recently but, again, is the die already cast for him?
The three newcomers all deserve to be given their chances, based on what I have heard, but it will be a great shame if some way can't be found to keep the stalwarts on the rota as well.

[Posts: 176Joined: 21 Sep 2010, 09:50Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne]

Just watched the first from Lingfield yesterday. Needless to say it was only for 30 seconds. dear oh dear oh dear..........

[Posts: 975Joined: 20 Sep 2011, 16:52]

He was doing the full theatricals at Lingfield again. Has obviously decided that the contrived and unnatural modulations of voice, in the style of his At The Races presenting, are what the racegoers want.
In fairness, he was packing in plenty of extra bits of information during the commentaries and had obviously done his homework again but I still don't understand why he can't use a natural speaking voice. A synthetic, fake, over-the-top and ultimately patronising style is not what is needed.
Meanwhile, at Fakenham, Iain Mackenzie was still doing the best he could but was sounding understandably fed up, not surprising because he will almost certainly be losing his job to make way for Matt Chapman.
At Hexham the previous day, Malcolm Tomlinson was further polishing his now quite impressive Jim McGrath impressions, no doubt in the expectation of being the full time voice of Jim McGrath in a few months.

[Posts: 6673Joined: 25 Feb 2001, 19:39Location: Surrey]

"Meanwhile, at Fakenham, Iain Mackenzie was still doing the best he could but was sounding understandably fed up, not surprising because he will almost certainly be losing his job to make way for Matt Chapman."

What, a waste if Iain Mackenzie is forced out - I just have to turn the sound off when Chapman is commentating.

Regards

[Posts: 975Joined: 20 Sep 2011, 16:52]

"Meanwhile, at Fakenham, Iain Mackenzie was still doing the best he could but was sounding understandably fed up, not surprising because he will almost certainly be losing his job to make way for Matt Chapman."
What a waste if Iain Mackenzie is forced out - I just have to turn the sound off when Chapman is commentating.

I just do not know, for the life of me, why Matt Chapman thinks it adds anything to be doing racecourse commentaries in the bombastic, totally unnatural, ridiculously cadenced, overgrown-schoolboy-showing-off voices that mar his At The Races appearances.
I know he has more fans than critics on this forum and, yes, he has won the broadcaster of the year award, but why do the commentaries and indeed At The Races work in such a stupid, mock, taking-the-mickey, send-up voice best reserved for comedy spoofs?
The good burghers of Lingfield are certainly being treated to the comedy-voice antics regularly.
It's adding insult to injury that good, workmanlike commentators like Iain Mackenzie, Jim McGrath and the rejuvenated Tommo are all facing the sack for being older and, in some cases unfashionable now, to make way for "new talent" like Matt Chapman.
I wonder if Chapman talks to his family and friends in the comfort of his own home in the same false, chummy, isn't-this-all-a bit-of-a-laugh way. Schoolboy puns and silly voices included, of course.

[Posts: 881Joined: 11 May 2009, 23:30]

Dont see the problem with Chapmans commentary at places like Southwell and the likes, brightens up all the dull racing to be fair.

[Posts: 975Joined: 20 Sep 2011, 16:52]

Dont see the problem with Chapman's commentary at places like Southwell and the likes, brightens up all the dull racing to be fair.

He's certainly very competent, enthusiastic and, I have to concede, does a good job, if you can stand the over-the-top style and ludicrous vocal gymnastics.
The powers-that-be obviously haven't told him to tone down the theatricals so I suppose you can't blame him for milking it, if he's trying to prove he's different and a novelty.
At this rate, forget Alastair Down and Alice Plunkett or Mike Cattermole and Emma Spencer. It's going to be Matt Chapman and John Hunt as the new love-in presenting double act for the Channel 4 takeover of racing TV next year.