MY CALL - DAMNED IF YOU DO, DAMNED IF YOU DON'T!
By David Fowler | Tuesday, August 23, 2011
David Fowler is the principal thoroughbred caller for Radio TAB, taking the position upon Wayne Wilson's retirement last August. David, who is a keen form student and punter, has enjoyed a lifetime involvement in the racing media. His personal blog, ‘My Call’, appears exclusively on HRO.
Where's my teacup? They tell me there is a storm brewing in it!
Honestly you have thought the world was coming to an end with Racing Queensland's decision to showcase the Gold Coast Harness Racing Festival meeting on Sunday afternoon and transfer Sunshine Coast races to the Saturday night.
While I'm not an apologist for the controlling body, I do feel a pang of sympathy for them on this one.
They've been accused left right and centre of giving the trots a hard time since the merger began yet as soon as they do something pro-active for that code, they cop a bucketful from the thoroughbred side of the fence!
Damned if you do and damned if you don't!
Granted the thoroughbred industry provide the lion's share of turnover. No argument there, but do they have to be top dog all the time?
Besides, one of the primary reasons to showcase Gold Coast on the Sunday afternoon was to coincide with Breeders Crown Finals days at Melton, one of Australian harness racing's biggest days.
The school of thought of running both on the Sunday has some merit, but the trots would have been flat out securing a berth on Sky 1 and would have to had to have limped along on Sky 2.
It was an experiment which probably won't be repeated again, but all the hullabaloo was way over the top!
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Sometimes knowing someone's personality can tell you a lot about their horse.
Take Belltone for example.
Since joining Kelso Wood's stable he has been airborn, unbeaten except for one day at Eagle Farm when he was nabbed in a photo finish.
I reckon Kelso is a gun trainer with a great strike rate but getting him to open up in an interview is a hard task. Been there, done that.
Yet when the subject of Belltone comes up he speaks with a glowing confidence that is rarely seen.
I've seen emotion when he talks of Zero Rock, but with Belltone it's a strong confidence in the horse's future.
"Could be a Stradbroke horse," he commented post race after Saturday's white-wash.
Knowing the man, treat that remark with plenty of respect.
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I made mention on Radiotab on Saturday morning that I'd give the game away if Fantastic Blue didn't beat home Hussonator in the stayers' open.
Well we got that one right, but it can never be a perfect day as I got the photo wrong and thought Loves A Challenge had nosed out, of all horses, Fantastic Blue!
Haven't I copped it since!
But fair’s fair and when you're at the top of your tree, the punters expect a 100% service. And I don't mean 99% either!
Any caller will tell you that when you get a tight one right it's expected, but when you get one wrong they'll be baying for your blood.
A little known fact worth pointing out here is those watching the races are in the box-seat because the camera is right on the line so if you get a photo wrong you might need an appointment with the optometrist.
But I call 30 metres before the post at Doomben so they are running away from you. That reminds me … a tradesman never blames his tools so I'll quit while I'm ahead.
It certainly made me gun shy for the rest of the day with nose decisions in the fifth and the eighth.
"Likeable" Lindsay Gallagher didn't miss me in his weekly column but being a former racecaller himself, I can cop it from someone who has been in the profession although he's an "on the line" expert these days.
Colour blindness, understandably, halted his rise in the racecalling ranks, but didn't stop him being the success story he is today in the bookmaking field.
Until next week.
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