Mike Cattermole

Mike is held in the very highest regard as a commentator, broadcaster, and journalist within the field of horseracing. However, there is much more to Mike than meets the eye!! His love for horseracing was borne out of watching Red Rum win the Grand National. By the time Red Rum won his 3rd Grand National, Mike was hooked. He started going racing with his dad. Jumps racing was his first love, but it was not long before Mike discovered the world of horse racing was much wider than he first thought. Discovering that horses raced on the flat, it wasn’t long before he was trying to find that elusive winner at Royal Ascot and Glorious Goodwood!!

Working in an office job in London after leaving university was never going to be a long-term option, and it was one day during his tea break that he noticed a position as an editorial assistant advertised in The Sporting Life. The position was based in Halifax. It took him the time to finish his sandwich to decide he was going to apply. The position was for Timeform… he got the job! It was at Timeform where he really learned the mechanics that made horseracing tick. The art of handicapping was one that he soon grasped and still feels the knowledge he gained through the likes of Jim McGrath and others at Timeform have held him in very good stead ever since.

Mike was loving his time at Timeform, but temptation came via an offer for 3x the salary working at The Weekender. Mike took the job. Mike was learning his craft fast, and it wasn’t long before he moved over to The Sporting Life, taking a position as a reporter. While at The Sporting Life, he was approached by a jockey who was looking for someone who was keen and hungry and had a good knowledge of horseracing to become his agent. Mike accepted the role as agent fitting it in alongside his Sporting Life position. The jockey was Willie Carson. Although Mike couldn’t quite get Willie over the line as champion jockey, they did come close, and after a very successful few seasons, they parted. Virtually straight after they parted, the rumors circulated that Mike was available, and he received a call from another jockey… none other than the legendary Lester Piggott. Despite not actually recognizing Lester’s voice on the phone, the embarrassment was instantly forgotten, and he accepted the job and became Lester’s agent.

The role for Lester was short term, but Mike did book him a winner with Bold Pursuit at Kempton and also secured him a ride in the Guineas, which Mike still remembers very fondly. At this time, Mike was beginning to work as a commentator and was traveling a lot, so he decided not to further pursue a role as a jockeys’ agent. He remembers his first day as course commentator in 1993 at Fontwell when nervously taking his post the Clerk of the Course approached him and said… “I hear you’re our commentator today Cattermole, please try not to —- it up !”* That certainly did nothing to calm the nerves but Mike got through the 7 race card unscathed. Mike joined the Channel 4 Racing Team in 1999 and loved every minute of it working with the likes of John Francome and John McCririck to name just 2. He joined At The Races in 2002 as a full time commentator and is still there now under the rebranded Sky Sports Racing over 20 years later. Mike has commentated on 3 Grand Nationals over the years but would love to one day ‘call’ The Derby We cant think of anyone better to call the field as the thunder around Tattenham Corner !!! It’s an absolute privilege to have Mike as our brand ambassador.