As we bear down on Christmas, it's time to start compiling our reviews of the year. I've already started this by composing a letter to the Racing Post - I used to send them loads, but now that I have this blog I rarely favour them with my opinions / inflict my opinions on them - in which I put forward Fakenham as Racecourse of the Year. On Friday I and, I presume, all other National Hunt trainers received a letter from David Hunter, who does such an excellent job of making the good ship Fakenham run in a good and friendly way, in which he stated that, although the falling levy will mean that Fakenham's Basic Daily Grant will fall by 21% (over £50,000) in 2008, the Board of the course have pledged that the total prize money at the track will be no lower in 2008 than it has been in 2007. That is a truly praise-worthy declaration, and makes the course the worthy recipient of my Racecourse of 2007 award (for which it would have been on the short-list anyway).
Runaway winner of racing broadcast of the year has to be At The Races' Melbourne Cup coverage (well, it gets my vote anyway, in just the same way that I'm sure Screaming Lord Such would have voted for himself in elections). But, for a more serious look at racing's television coverage, I think it's about time I addressed the 'in terms of' problem. 'In terms of' isn't just a problem for the racing media: it has become a nationwide epidemic. A worldwide epidemic, for all I know - or an English-speaking-world-wide epidemic I suppose that should be. Although it's taken hold everywhere, the media, unsurprisingly, are the principal victims/culprits, and racing's media is no exception. In my eyes the Racing UK team can do no wrong, but I do have to admit that its presenters were collectively very prominent in the race to collect the 'in terms of' end-of-year wooden spoon. Fortunately, Channel Four Racing has inevitably ridden to the rescue, and the following observation during a nauseating recent Ronnie Wood feature has got the Racing UK team off the hook: "Because you've toured so much, you have probably been seen by more people than anyone else in terms of touring". I have to admit that I have actually heard uses of the phrase on Racing UK which were at least equally silly, but because Racing UK's presenters are otherwise so excellent they are naturally given the benefit of the doubt - but even so, let this be a warning to them: raise your game in terms of (deliberate mistake, just in case anyone was wondering) not using idiotic cliches such as 'in terms of' during 2008, or face the consequences!
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3 comments:
I am waiting for these presenters to add the word "literally" to "in terms of " to make things literally worse in terms of presenting.
I'd like to wish all at BHS and the readers of this blog seasons greetings, a very happy new year and, since this can be a reflective time of year, to join me in raising a glass to absent friends.
Hi John
My gripe "in terms of" the English language is the use of the word "genre".For years we have had the word "style"(i.e.in the style of).Now people like Richard and Judy, having delusions of grandeur,'refer to the French word "genre".Lets get back to basics!
Carbon Footprint.
This is the "in" phrase of the moment and it will be coming to a place near you shortly(i.e. Newmarket).
With the increase in fuel prices it may be considered that "in terms of !" your carbon footprint it will not be acceptable for you to have runners at faraway tracks such as Musselboro.
To a certain extent Newmarket has been saved from decline by Arab money.This has been a short term"fix" and the underlying problems need adressing.I have not been a lover of all weather racing,however I have noticed an increasing ammount of Newmarket Trainers have runners at these meetings.Wages to stable staff have to be paid in winter and any source of income is welcome.The two Newmarket courses are greatly under utilised.Local trainers face increasing expenses sending their horses to Wolverhamton etc.I am now going to speak the unthinkable!Newmarket may have to consider an all weather track,possibly alongside the July Course.The positives for this thinking is retaining income from these meetings in Newmarket and keeping a vibrancy to the place during the winter months.Trainers already use all weather gallops so horses are used to the surfaces.I have put my head above the parapet and now expect to be shot at!
The discussion,in terms of"in terms of,"could become interminable in terms of length or in terms of terminating it.
I think that makes sense,if not I have probably been swigging too much of the cooking sherry!
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