LONDON (AFP) ― Former BBC racing commentator and successful owner Julian Wilson died aged 73 following a long illness on Monday.
Wilson ― who was the face of televised racing on the BBC for 32 years and retired a month after the legendary commentator Peter O’Sullevan in 1997 ― was more at home presenting the BBC racing program than commentating when it was considered the broadcasting home of the sport.
However, he did commentate on 24 Grand Nationals on the section of the race which included Becher’s Brook, in those days a fearsome obstacle that claimed several horses on each of the two circuits and required very sharp eyes to call the fallers.
Always one to do things in style, Wilson ― educated at Harrow school which produced among others Britain’s World War II Prime Minister Winston Churchill ― travelled to his interview over the BBC job in first class on the train while his three rivals travelled in second.
He proved to be an inspired choice as while perhaps lacking in humor his interviews never shirked the subject and regularly provided headlines for the racing pages the next day.
Away from the BBC he enjoyed success as an owner, primarily with Tumbledownwind who won prestigious two-year-old race the Gimcrack Stakes in 1977, and was also racing manager to then Liberal MP and ‘Sporting Life’ columnist the late Clement Freud.
“He was the most thorough professional I’ve ever come across,” said former top jokcey Jimmy Lindley, who worked with him at the BBC for several years.
“He was probably the most astute person that’s ever been involved in racing.”
His former BBC colleague JA McGrath, who replaced O’Sullevan as number one commentator in 1997, recounted how sportingly Wilson had taken the decision when he was appointed number two commentator to O’Sullevan in 1992.
“Julian was present at the meeting and at its conclusion he then escorted me down the back stairs.
”Knowing how much he had wanted to commentate, I said that I hoped my job offer would not affect our relationship,“ wrote McGrath in the Daily Telegraph for which he is their chief racing correspondent.
“‘Of course not, old boy. My chance has gone. I wish you well.’ (he replied) And, I always felt he did.”
koreaherald@heraldcorp.com
