Agree with everything you say about Alan Thomas's pre race and after race comments.
However I find his actual call of the running of most races as one of the best around. He actually points out where the horses are - three wide, on the rails etc. Compare that with Ian Craig's terrible calls of Sydney races. He knows where the horses are but so what! He often gives us no idea when, with a packed field, he reels off one name after another and leaves it at that. In my opinion it's no contest between him and Alan Thomas.