It is Royal Ascot Week and Ascot Racecourse is abuzz with fervor as The Queen’s favourite Week in Racing arrives. In the morning horses are doing their final preparations for the Week of Racing history. Richard Hoiles is one of the top commentators for ITV, the voice responsible for bringing the big races to life for the fifty thousand in attendance at the racecourse and as well as the millions who watch and listen to the racing on Satellite Television and Social Media.
How Much Does Horse Racing Commentators Earn –The Salary for Horse Racing Commentators in the United Kingdom range on a Per Annum basis from approximately £13,271 for the Apprentice Commentators to approximately £73,732 for the Top earners with the Median of approximately £30,000.
Across the Pond, the salaries of Race Announcers on a Per Annum basis in the USA range from $18,000 to $86,780, with a median salary of $30,960. The mid-range 67% of Race Announcers earn between $30,960 and $48,910, with the top commentators taking home just under $90,000 per annum.
What attributes allows a Commentator to earn their Salary
- A Pleasant Voice – It might sound strange, but a pleasant voice makes the punter want to listen to the race call. Clarity, pleasant, and being easy to listen to, are important attributes for a commentator who wants to become one of the best in the United Kingdom and indeed one of the best in the World.
- Bringing the Race to Life – This is a massive attribute that only the best can achieve. As they jump, a commentator should give as much information about each runner as possible as every punter will have bet on each horse in the race. They will then discuss the pace of the race, ensuring that as many runners as possible receive a mention as the middle of the race develops. Commentators should not use catchphrases, rehearsed cliches, or silly theatrics. Ensure that the Horserace (the Story of the race) unfolds in a natural, heartfelt, and concise manner and punters will endear themselves to this commentator.
- End of the Race – The top commentators always know where the finishing line is and even in a close finish will be able to intuitively call a horse a winner even if there is a nostril between the two horses crossing the finishing line as one. Clarity of the voice, as well as a clear and concise summary of the finish, is massively important to all horserace enthusiasts.
Horse Racing Commentators – Planning for the Day to earn their Salary
Racehorse Commentators prepare days in advance for a race day and the really big days such as Royal Ascot, the Kentucky Derby, or the Dubai World Cup. The background preparations of printing colour sheets, making notes, and writing down the draws of especially the favoured horses will all be completed the night before.
In terms of memorizing the colours, except especially difficult races, will only be done as the jockeys enter the parade ring or paddock or the runners are on their way down to the start. Short-term retention is the key and retention of those colours is vital to becoming the best.
Commentators Salary – Thinking on their Feet is where the Best Differentiate Themselves
- Practice and concentration are vital in a Horse Racing Commentators arsenal. Precision and rhythm, as well as making every word count, a diverse vocabulary as opposed to stock, repeating words are vital elements for the best commentators.
- The best commentators are always mindful of the main storyline but do not sentences that frequently seem forced and instead are comfortable and trust themselves to utilise the correct words for when an unusual circumstance occurs.
Commentators Salary – There is no “I” in Team
- While commentating might be a lonely endeavor, the commentator is very much part of a team when it comes to people behind the scenes giving camera shots and the director’s decisions as to what to show at what time.
- The men and women behind the camera are also multitalented and think on their feet when it comes to which shots and which angles to display and in conjunction with the Director work as a team to enhance the commentators’ Story.
The Top Tier Earners in World Class Commentators – United Kingdom
The four H’s are widely considered the best in the United Kingdom. Richard Houiles, Simon Holt, John Hunt, and Jerry Hanon are the quintessential voices of horse racing in England and its surrounds. They tell the stories that punters want to hear, engrossing the television and social media horse racing fraternity with their smooth, clear commentaries across all the top racecourses in the United Kingdom.
The Potential Top Tier Earners in World Class Commentators – From South Africa to Dubai
Hitherto relatively unknown South African Alister Cohen is fast becoming one of the best young commentators in the World. Raised in Durban and commentating on the racetracks in Gauteng in South Africa, his calm and efficient commentating style soon made him one of the best in South Africa.
In 2021 he accepted the job of being the Voice of Dubai for the United Arab Emirates Horseracing Season, via a rigorous selection process. He is now based in Dubai, where he commentates on every meeting, the pinnacle being the Dubai World Cup Meeting at the end of March 2022.
Horse Racing Commentators – Telling the Story without Frills to earn their Salary
Whether it’s the four H’s in the United Kingdom, the voice of the Kentucky Derby in the USA Travis Stone, or the Dubai World Cup, what the punter wants to hear is the story of the Horse Race as it unfolds. They do not want theatrics or cliches included in the commentary, just a clear, concise story of the race unfolding, and then the climax as the leaders near the winning post.
Some commentators seem to think that to engage the betting public they have to include the theatrics or cliches, but they don’t. This is why Richard Houiles, Simon Holt, John Hunt, Jerry Hanon, and Alister Cohen all provide what the bettor, the handicapper, and the general racing public want to hear, the story, the drama, and the climax. That’s what puts them amongst the best, and highest-paid Commentators in the Horse Racing Industry.