Raleigh Gilbert
Encyclopedia
Walter Raleigh Willock Gilbert, known as Raleigh Gilbert (born 28 February 1936, died around the same date in 1998) was a British
horse racing
commentator active for 40 years.
and educated at Sherborne School
, Gilbert rode as an amateur while living in Kenya
in the mid-1950s, and began his journalistic career as racing correspondent for the East African Field and Farm in 1956 before returning to Britain and writing for the Sunday Post
in Scotland
.
In the early 1970s he worked briefly for the BBC
, commentating on the 1971 Grand National
for BBC Television
, but the dominance of Peter O'Sullevan
and Julian Wilson
on TV and Peter Bromley
and Michael Seth-Smith on radio blocked his way, and in January 1972 he joined ITV
as a commentator. From that year until the end of 1980 he was one of the commercial channel's two main commentators, along with John Penney - both were heard almost every Saturday on The ITV Seven
(part of World of Sport
) because ITV habitually covered two meetings every week. Although he never covered the Epsom Derby
or Oaks
for ITV (these were always the province of Penney), he commentated on many other major races, including the 1,000 Guineas, 2,000 Guineas, St. Leger
, Irish Derby
, Irish Oaks
and Eclipse Stakes
.
He also covered greyhound racing
and polo
for ITV, and continued to give racecourse commentaries on meetings not covered by ITV, such as the Cheltenham Festival
. In common with a number of other racecallers, he provided radio voice-overs and mock commentaries for fictional television series.
From the beginning of 1981 onwards, Graham Goode
became ITV's number one commentator, and Gilbert now covered fewer major races. His TV work declined further when the number of meetings covered by commercial television declined considerably from January 1986 onwards, but he was still heard quite often on ITV and later Channel 4
through the late 1980s and early 1990s, often commentating on the earlier stages of major races at Newmarket
where two commentators were deemed necessary. His course commentaries continued, and he was a founder commentator with SIS
in 1987, covering the Chester Cup
on the day the service (which provided betting shops with live pictures of races) began. His final broadcast on Channel 4
was in January 1996 - at the end of his involvement with the channel he was only used as a betting and results reader.
However, he continued as a racecourse commentator (also heard on SIS
and The Racing Channel
) though he was due to soon retire at the time of his death. A week before he was found dead in his flat in London
, he had missed a commentating assignment (at Wolverhampton
) for the first time in his career.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
horse racing
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
commentator active for 40 years.
Early life
Born in DevonDevon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
and educated at Sherborne School
Sherborne School
Sherborne School is a British independent school for boys, located in the town of Sherborne in north-west Dorset, England. It is one of the original member schools of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference....
, Gilbert rode as an amateur while living in Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
in the mid-1950s, and began his journalistic career as racing correspondent for the East African Field and Farm in 1956 before returning to Britain and writing for the Sunday Post
The Sunday Post
The Sunday Post is a weekly newspaper published in Dundee, Scotland by DC Thomson, and characterised by a 'folksy' mix of news, sentimental stories and short features...
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
Commentary career
Gilbert began his career as a racecourse commentator in 1958, and eventually became the first person to commentate at every racecourse in the UK.In the early 1970s he worked briefly for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, commentating on the 1971 Grand National
Grand National
The Grand National is a world-famous National Hunt horse race which is held annually at Aintree Racecourse, near Liverpool, England. It is a handicap chase run over a distance of four miles and 856 yards , with horses jumping thirty fences over two circuits of Aintree's National Course...
for BBC Television
BBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
, but the dominance of Peter O'Sullevan
Peter O'Sullevan
Sir Peter O'Sullevan is a retired horse racing commentator for the BBC from 1947 to 1997, and correspondent for the Press Association, Daily Express and Today.-Early life:...
and Julian Wilson
Julian Wilson (broadcaster)
Julian Wilson a former pupil of Harrow School was the BBC's horse racing correspondent from 1966 until his retirement in 1997. He was succeeded by Clare Balding....
on TV and Peter Bromley
Peter Bromley
Peter Bromley was BBC Radio's voice of horse racing for 40 years, and one of the most famous and recognised sports broadcasters in the United Kingdom.-Early life:...
and Michael Seth-Smith on radio blocked his way, and in January 1972 he joined ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
as a commentator. From that year until the end of 1980 he was one of the commercial channel's two main commentators, along with John Penney - both were heard almost every Saturday on The ITV Seven
The ITV Seven
The ITV Seven was an essential part of World of Sport in the United Kingdom. It started on 4 October 1969 when the programme began to show horse racing from two courses each week rather than one, under the title "They're Off". In the early 1970s it changed to the ITV Seven, reflecting the number...
(part of World of Sport
World of Sport (UK TV series)
World of Sport was a British television sport anthology programme which ran on ITV between 2 January 1965 to 28 September 1985 in response to competition from BBC's Grandstand...
) because ITV habitually covered two meetings every week. Although he never covered the Epsom Derby
Epsom Derby
The Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...
or Oaks
Epsom Oaks
The Oaks Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at Epsom Downs over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 10 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in early June....
for ITV (these were always the province of Penney), he commentated on many other major races, including the 1,000 Guineas, 2,000 Guineas, St. Leger
St. Leger Stakes
The St. Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 1 mile, 6 furlongs and 132 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.Established in 1776, the St. Leger...
, Irish Derby
Irish Derby Stakes
The Irish Derby is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late June or early July.It is Ireland's equivalent of the Epsom Derby,...
, Irish Oaks
Irish Oaks
The Irish Oaks is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in July....
and Eclipse Stakes
Eclipse Stakes
The Eclipse Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 7 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in early July.-History:The event is named after Eclipse, a...
.
He also covered greyhound racing
Greyhound racing
Greyhound racing is the sport of racing greyhounds. The dogs chase a lure on a track until they arrive at the finish line. The one that arrives first is the winner....
and polo
Polo
Polo is a team sport played on horseback in which the objective is to score goals against an opposing team. Sometimes called, "The Sport of Kings", it was highly popularized by the British. Players score by driving a small white plastic or wooden ball into the opposing team's goal using a...
for ITV, and continued to give racecourse commentaries on meetings not covered by ITV, such as the Cheltenham Festival
Cheltenham Festival
The Cheltenham Festival is one of the most prestigious meetings in the National Hunt racing calendar in the United Kingdom, and has race prize money second only to the Grand National...
. In common with a number of other racecallers, he provided radio voice-overs and mock commentaries for fictional television series.
From the beginning of 1981 onwards, Graham Goode
Graham Goode
Graham Goode is a British horse racing commentator best known for his long association with ITV and Channel 4.-Commentary career:...
became ITV's number one commentator, and Gilbert now covered fewer major races. His TV work declined further when the number of meetings covered by commercial television declined considerably from January 1986 onwards, but he was still heard quite often on ITV and later Channel 4
Channel 4 Racing
Channel 4 Racing is the name given to the horse racing coverage on the British television station Channel 4.-History:The first transmission of racing on the channel was on 22 March 1984 from Doncaster, as it took over midweek coverage which had previously been on ITV...
through the late 1980s and early 1990s, often commentating on the earlier stages of major races at Newmarket
Newmarket Racecourse
The town of Newmarket, in Suffolk, England, is the headquarters of British horseracing, home to the largest cluster of training yards in the country and many key horse racing organisations. Newmarket Racecourse has two courses - the Rowley Mile Course and the July Course. Both are wide, galloping...
where two commentators were deemed necessary. His course commentaries continued, and he was a founder commentator with SIS
Satellite Information Services
Satellite Information Services is a company which provides news gathering services and broadcasts events such as Horse Racing and Greyhound Racing, as well as Lottery games such as Rapido and 49's, to betting shops in the United Kingdom and Ireland and other Worldwide destinations.It was formed in...
in 1987, covering the Chester Cup
Chester Cup
The Chester Cup is a flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Chester over a distance of 2 miles, 2 furlongs and 147 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in May....
on the day the service (which provided betting shops with live pictures of races) began. His final broadcast on Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
was in January 1996 - at the end of his involvement with the channel he was only used as a betting and results reader.
However, he continued as a racecourse commentator (also heard on SIS
Satellite Information Services
Satellite Information Services is a company which provides news gathering services and broadcasts events such as Horse Racing and Greyhound Racing, as well as Lottery games such as Rapido and 49's, to betting shops in the United Kingdom and Ireland and other Worldwide destinations.It was formed in...
and The Racing Channel
The Racing Channel
The Racing Channel was a British subscription television channel which used to extensively cover horse racing. It ran between 1995 and its closure in January 2003....
) though he was due to soon retire at the time of his death. A week before he was found dead in his flat in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, he had missed a commentating assignment (at Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton Racecourse
Wolverhampton Racecourse is a thoroughbred horse racing venue located in Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England. The track was the first to be floodlit in Britain and often holds meetings in the evening....
) for the first time in his career.