Pat Comerford has been appointed Emirates Racing Authority Commentator for the 2023-24 season. Australian Comerford, 28, is relishing the challenge of calling races across the UAE, having started his career six years ago in the Northern Territory. From there he moved to New Zealand, before becoming the voice of Singapore racing in late 2021. Comerford will replace Alistair Cohen at the microphone in the UAE, calling at all five tracks; Meydan Racecourse, Jebel Ali, Ali Ain, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi. “I’m looking forward to returning to a portable set up calling across multiple venues which I haven’t had since my time in New Zealand,” he says. “I have a soft spot for the dirt as it’s where I cut my teeth. If you told me half a decade later i’d be getting a chance to call at the world’s premier dirt surface in Meydan, I would have laughed at you!” He does, however, have a few concerns about the diverse nature of racing in the UAE. “The Arabic names is always going to be an initial worry,” he says. “But I have followed racing in the UAE at an arm’s length over the years. It’s hard not to follow it as a racing fan with all the superpower nations and their best horses competing here each year for glory. “To get this opportunity here in the UAE and follow a similar path to predecessors such as Craig Evans, who also came through Singapore, is truly a privilege and I’m looking forward to the experience.” The 2023-24 UAE racing season gets underway at Al Ain on Saturday, October 28th.