10 June 2024 , 11:40
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One of the most popular figures in racing broadcasting has announced he is putting down his mic at the end of July.
Robert Cooper, who is in his seventies, has been a constant on tv screens since the first dedicated racing channels were launched. He has covered all the major racing events but is now commonly seen at the smaller tracks. Typically he will make his final broadcast from Yarmouth at the end of July.
“I’ve been reporting from the track since 1996, 28 years,” he said. “The time was going to come sooner or later so I just thought, when the fun stops, stop, sort of thing.
“Why not do it now while I’m still reasonably healthy, still got most of my marbles. I hate the word retirement. It makes me think of sweeping leaves and strimming and prevents a new challenge.
“I just think it’s time for a change. It had to happen sooner or later so why not now.” He added: “I’ve had a pretty charmed life. A lot of people retire at 65, I’ve had a good bit after that. I don’t want to go on until I am completely senile.”
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Cooper worked for Mecca bookmakers, then joined The Racing Channel from SIS, which became At The Races and now Sky Sports Racing.
“In my early days I covered the Ascots and Goodwoods but since the formation of this channel they have, quite rightly, taken a younger view, so someone has to do the Wolverhamptons and I quite like that,” he went on. “I like the people who go to those meetings. They are all very approachable.
“I’m very lucky to have worked doing my hobby. My standout moment will be saying goodbye at Yarmouth on July 30. It’s on the first day of Glorious Goodwood. Talk about burying good news!”
Cooper is forever remembered for the famous clip of an exchange with Derek Thompson when he was reporting from Hereford.
It has become a staple of the Accidental Partridge social media account which highlights moments that Steve Coogan’s comedy character Alan Partridge might have said.
Thompson is in the studio when he says to Cooper, "Oh you've been joined by a beautiful lady!" With impeccable comedic timing, Cooper replies, “It’s a man actually Derek”.
Cooper said: “It happened completely by accident. Someone dug it out of our video library and it’s amazing how it gathered momentum.
“It was even on the Graham Norton show when Steve Coogan was a guest.”
He continued: “The thing about that was it was absolutely immaculate timing by me but its purely because of the satellite delay from Tommo asking the question and me saying ‘It’s a man actually, Derek’ which worked rather well.
“It’s had millions of views and still people come up and mention. It’s nice to be remembered for something."
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