23 June 2023 , 18:17
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ITV Racing commentators Richard Holies and Mark Johnson have revealed the secret to their success together - they were both born on the same day.
While not related, the duo share the same birthday, February 7 1966, and this week have been sharing the commentary box at Royal Ascot. Their work at the royal meeting went viral this week when ITV posted a clip on Twitter of their collaboration during the Royal Hunt Cup. It has received more than 300,000 views.
With a field of 30 runners, spread right across the track, the 1m handicap is one of the trickiest races of the week to commentate on. While Hoiles called the race, Johnson, working alongside, acted as the spotter, picking out the colours of the notable horses so Hoiles could give an accurate account of the race.
The video drew a response from Frankie Dettori, who said: “Love, this great work.” Their ITV colleague Oli Bell said: “Commentators don’t get the credit they deserve but it is such a hard skill - very lucky to have two of the very best in the world working for ITV Racing.”
Explaining the secret ingredient to their teamwork, Hoiles said: “Strangely enough we were actually born not just on the same day but on the same day in the same year.” Both aged 57, Johnson said he is the older of the pair, by about three hours.
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“The most important thing, particularly with the straight races here at Royal Ascot is I am always looking where he is not looking,” Johnson explained. “When he is talking about horses in one group, I am concentrating on the other group. Until they invent a commentator whose got four eyes, we can’t possibly see two groups as clear as one group together.
“Once the get into two groups, when he is concentrating on horses on the near side, which in the video that’s what was happening, I am watching for when Richard is going to move from one side to the other so that I can help him bridge into his next line which is the horse who is leading on the far side.”
Hoiles added: “We are not reading anything, Mark is just literally pointing to the runners and pointing to the ones in front. If I don’t know something I'll point to the screen, if Mark is telling me something I really need to know,, he will point to the screen.”
He added: “But you are only as good as your last commentary.”