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covering fences 5/21 - fences 9/25 (Valentine's Brook) from 1993 - 1997. The three portions of the 4½-mile race he would cover from 1998 would be from the start up to the first fence, the 13th to 17th fence, and from the 29th fence to the finishing post. McGrath called home the winner of every
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and McGrath decided not to make the move. He was publicly critical of the BBC for losing the
National and other key meetings.
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as the BBC's senior race commentator in
December 1997. He then commentated on all of the BBC's major meetings including the
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McGrath initially commentated in his native
Australia but found few opportunities so he moved to Hong Kong in 1973.
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125:. Before becoming the main race caller for the Grand National in 1998 he was stationed out in the country at
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He was previously deputy race commentator, and sometimes a paddock commentator from 1993 to 1997, when
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commentator from 1997 to 2012, when the corporation lost the television rights to all
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The
Directory of the Turf, 2011, Hungerford, Tomorrow's Guides, 2011, p.304
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In 2013 the rights to televise
British horse racing went exclusively to
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McGrath joined the BBC in time for the 1993 racing season. He succeeded
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BBC Sport | Grand
National 2002 | One man and his microphone
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in Dublin. In the same year he covered the Ebor meeting at
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In 1984 he moved to Europe, initially commentating at
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233:Jim McGrath joins At The Races - irishracing.com
121:, and the world's most famous steeplechase, the
208:Nobody calls them home like McGrath - Telegraph
20:, who works for Channel 4 Racing and Timeform.
276:Australian expatriates in the United Kingdom
253:BBC Press Office - Biographies: Jim McGrath
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177:'s Commentator of the Year award in 2001.
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18:the British commentator of the same name
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141:McGrath has also commentated on the
291:BBC sports presenters and reporters
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281:British horse racing commentators
148:In 2004 he became a presenter on
296:People from Charlton, Victoria
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50:horse racing in Great Britain
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63:was the lead commentator.
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103:Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
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175:Royal Television Society
16:Not to be confused with
286:Australian racecallers
154:. He was "Hotspur" of
28:(born 13 June 1952 in
26:Jim Aloysius McGrath
158:from 1991 to 2014.
156:The Daily Telegraph
115:Glorious Goodwood
111:Hennessy Gold Cup
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173:McGrath won the
87:Peter O'Sullevan
61:Peter O'Sullevan
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145:in Australia.
130:National from
127:Becher's Brook
123:Grand National
119:Welsh National
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151:At The Races
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76:Phoenix Park
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46:horse racing
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301:1952 births
107:Irish Derby
99:Royal Ascot
265:Categories
181:References
44:'s senior
40:) was the
163:Channel 4
54:Channel 4
38:Australia
95:The Oaks
34:Victoria
30:Charlton
169:Awards
117:, the
109:, the
105:, the
101:, the
67:Career
91:Derby
136:2012
132:1998
93:and
80:York
134:to
52:to
42:BBC
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214:^
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36:,
32:,
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