Alistair Cohen

I first met Alistair Cohen at the 2013 National Sales, where he was working as a bid spotter. It’s not every day one finds a TV presenter prepared to get stuck in at real grass roots level (and look happy doing it).

Alistair Cohen is 24. I have to repeat that as his on screen polish dwarfs his lack of years by some margin. Off camera, the composure loosens a little. He is surprisingly uncontrived and self-deprecating and unlike most racing people, is the first to admit his mistakes and shortcomings. He is also refreshingly honest. He says what he means, means what he says and has mastered the art of being blisteringly honest without the slightest hint of rancour. There’s no such thing as off the record with Alistair. He also has an incredible memory for dates and details – I checked every date and quote and he was spot on. His passion and knowledge, coupled with a boyish sense of humour make him interesting and fun to spend time with.

Alistair Jonathan Cohen was born and bred in Durban and spent his first 9 years living 400m from Greyville racetrack. The bug bit early. Alistair remembers joining his dad on race days, rushing from the parade ring to the track and back again and sneaking into places he wasn’t allowed. “My dad has never been a big punter, but has his R10 PA every day. He’s always had an interest in every race meeting and his friendship with Owen Heffer (Winning Form) is probably the reason I’m in racing. I went to school with Owen’s youngest son. We played cricket together and after matches, I used to spend my weekends at the Heffer household watching racing.”

However, it was on 14 April 1997, the day London News won the QEII Cup, that he realised he wanted to make racing his career. “That’s the day I fell in love with the game,” he says simply. “London News was my hero. His was the first July I really watched and I remember thinking ‘whatever wins this will be immortal’. David Raphael made the call – ‘London News! He’s everything they said and he wins!’ It stuck in my head and I knew it was something I wanted to do.”

Foot in the door

Gold Circle advertised a commentating competition. Alistair explains, “It was one of those ‘If you think you can do it, send us a tape’ type of thing and I applied.” Gold Circle were impressed – and a little shocked to find how young he was. “Colin Aitken had got my tape and rang my school to say they didn’t believe I was really 12, but wanted me to come along.”

“On 10 August 2003, the 6 finalists went to Clairwood. It was a gloomy day and we got to call races 3, 5 and 8. I was shaking and a complete wreck. I had no idea what I was doing and was absolutely awful. In race 3, there was a horse in lumo yellow colours. It was the only horse I could see and the only one I mentioned for the whole race. It was the height of embarrassment – particularly as it didn’t win. After the meeting, we were called into the boardroom. They thanked us for coming and then lo and behold, asked to chat to me afterwards. They said it hadn’t been pretty, but they thought I had potential and were prepared to give me a chance.”

Spare boxes at Clairwood and Greyville were made available for me to practice calling into a tape recorder on race days. The moment the school bell went on a Wednesday, my mom was at the gate to drive me to the races. She has no interest in racing, but would sit in the grandstand all afternoon while I practiced. My mom is a complete saint and never complained. Those baby steps had a lot to do with the position I’m in now. She was always my biggest supporter and always will be.”

Going solo

His first commentary came on 16 August 2010 at Flamingo Park. He recalls the details as though it was last week. “Alan Schoeman was the regular commentator and I’d been sent to stand behind him for the day. After race 2 he said ‘do you think you can call one?’ Being brash, I said ‘sure’. By the time I’d called them down I wanted to run, but he supported me and said I could do it. It ended up coming across very well. It was a small field. Nicola Welch won on Combera Boy and Corne Spies trained the first three past the post. I called another one later and was happy. That’s how live commentary started.”

“I started going to Joburg to call the canter downs, do on-course announcements and gain confidence. At the 2010 jockey international, the visitors were easy enough to tell apart, but the South African silks were a pain because they were so similar. Clyde has a photographic memory for colours, but he hadn’t realised that the jockeys were in national colours. He got to the box a few minutes before the race, realised the problem and rather than put himself under pressure, gave me the call as I’d done the canter down. In hindsight, it was probably the best way things could have turned out. There was no time to get nervous and it just came out the way it came out. Halis Karatas won on Mr Black Tom. It was definitely not my best call, but it was a good ice breaker and learning experience.”

Learning the ropes

“Jack Milner, Robert Garner and Patrick Davis have all been invaluable. Jack made me listen to Aussie race caller, ‘The Accurate One’ Bill Collins. A lot of callers model themselves on him. I also studied Trevor Denman – he’s out of the top drawer – as is David Raphael.”

“Patrick has supported me from day one. He’s always had an open door policy and if I do something he doesn’t like, he’s the first on the phone to discuss it with me. He’s always treated me like a professional and given me the benefit of the doubt. Even though I’m young and inexperienced, he always listens and comes back with a good, balanced answer. He’s one of the reasons I have as much confidence in the game as I do.”

“When I moved to Joburg in 2010, the idea of doing nothing while I waited for the Flamingo bus didn’t appeal and Patrick put me in touch with Robert Garner in the publishing department. I became the Daily Sun tipster and story writer for a while and it got me paying attention to every race around the country. Jack Milner is very knowledgeable and helped with my writing and English and he and Robert have been a huge influence.”

“Neil Andrews has been another great mentor and friend. He’s showed me the ins and outs of broadcasting and how other forms of media work and helped me with presenting and broadcasting. He also started with commentating before moving into TV presenting and is the best mentor anyone could ask for. Gavin Venter is another. We presented together when I started working at Arlingon. He rode for many years and I stay with Gavin and Tara Laing whenever I’m in PE. From a racing perspective, people like that have helped me a helluva lot.”

How do you prepare for a race?

“The night before I study the card extensively. I look for the likely frontrunners and fancied horses as that’s what the punters are interested in, but the real learning happens during the canter past. You see the horses for the first time and that’s when the details start to stick. You notice how horses go down and figure out their traits and mannerisms on the day. Before the race starts, you sort of know where they’re going to be and a pattern starts to develop in your head of how things are going to work out.”

Favourites?

“Commentary boxes are not exactly filled with champagne and roses, but I’m happy to go anywhere I’m needed because I enjoy it. In terms of the track configuration and atmosphere, I like Turffontein best. Champions day is my favourite by a long way. It’s just the fact that there are 10 races of which 9 are graded and the other is a MR100, making it worthy of being graded. It’s the week of Nationals, so everyone’s at Turffontein. You’ve got the best sprinters in the Computaform, the best 3yos in the Derby and all the Joburg horses that end up in the July will come through the Presidents Champions Challenge. The Fillies Nursery shows you who’s the best 2yo filly at the time (Entisaar is a case in point) and the SA Nursery is the same for the colts. I called the entire meeting for 2014 and it was the first time in my life I wished there were 20 races on the card.”

“The Vaal sand makes it easy to spot the winner a long way out and it can make you look pretty good. Of course, there’s always that one exception and makes you look an idiot!”

Do you watch a lot of racing?

“I have a phobia of missing a race. It’s a bit of a disease. If I’m out for the day, I make sure I’ve got it all pvr’d. I like to keep my finger on the pulse of every race in the country, so that if I do end up commentating at different centre, I know what I’m getting into.”

Any calls you’re particularly proud of?

“Deliver The Power won the Tommy Hotspur Stakes in 2012. That came out very well and really sticks out as a commentary that I made special. In all honesty, I’m never 100% satisfied when I switch the mic off. There’s always that feeling that you could have done something more or something different to make it more special. But you can’t dwell on what you could have done, in place of what you did – you’ll just get despondent. Richard Hoiles told me that you can’t sit and prep for commentary – every race is unique.”

Any bad ones?

“At Tuffontein a few weeks ago, a horse called Smart Mart was carded in the 6th and scratched at the start. In the next race, the same owner, trainer and jockey combination sent out a horse called Star Point. I called him home as Smart Mart and Murphy’s Law, the horse won. My phone was vibrating throughout the race and after the finish, I glanced down, saw one message and my heart just sank, but by the time race 8 was finished, I was over the mistake and could laugh it off. We’re all human and not every commentary is going to be a good one. Even the best make mistakes and everyone’s entitled to have an off moment.”

How do you handle criticism?

“No-one’s immune to copping flak and you can’t please everyone. I didn’t handle criticism too well to begin with, but I’ve got better. Thankfully there are lots of positive comments, but the negative ones work in your favour as well. There’s always room to improve and people won’t be negative if something in your repertoire is lacking. Everyone has on days and off days – it’s about how you bounce back.”

Why do you do it?

“From Aussie harness racing, to Flamingo Park to a Gr1 at Turffontein, every race is unique and has a story that’s worth telling. Every one has a different story with a different plot and sub plot. Live broadcasters are entertainers and it’s our job to tell those stories. I think that’s the beauty of broadcasting.”

Ambition

“I am super ambitious. Not so much in terms of a particular race or meeting, but more for making a name for myself abroad. It’s natural to want to move forward and if I could end up in a big racing country and become the next David Raphael or Richard Hoiles that would be a dream come true. I’ve got no illusions that I’m still a long way from that level, but who knows what doors might open.”

Colour me impressed. And did I mention he’s only 24?