MY CALL - RQ SHOULD BE APPLAUDED FOR THINKING OUTSIDE THE SQUARE
By David Fowler | Tuesday, September 25, 2012
David Fowler is the principal thoroughbred caller for Radio TAB. 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.
The appointment of Shane Scriven as RQ's Jockey’s Advcocate is an excellent example of thinking outside the square.
And the recent securing of Alan Reardon fits the same bill.
I've heard "jobs for the boys" whispered about both appointments. In essence, such comments are negative and typically short-sighted.
And, reading between the lines, RQ's chairman Kevin Dixon has been primarily responsible for the formation of each position.
For starters, both Scriven and Reardon have similar qualities that give them a solid foundation. Above-average ability and passion will take you a long way.
But Dixon's masterstroke is that both Reardon (stewards) and Scriven (jockeys) are highly respected by the younger participants in their respective fields.
I am certain their ability to take on mentoring roles weighed high in Dixon and his Board's mind.
The knowledge and advice they can impart to their younger peers doesn't necessarily fit into a "job description".
Thank God for that!
Mentoring is such an understated quality in the workforce these days that it is truly worrying.
The youth is the future in any walk of life and a pair of old hands is a great asset to have at your disposal.
Smart employers know that not every worker has to produce a bottom line.
These appointments are to be applauded in no uncertain manner.
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I know a bit about the mentoring business.
It gave … and still gives me great pride that I was able to navigate Fox Sport's Ryan Phelan and RadioTab's Chris Barsby in the fledgling stages of their media careers.
But, just as importantly, my spending time with Wayne Wilson has been invaluable to my career.
And here's the rub. Spending a day at the races with Wayne Wilson was a far better learning experience than any "official" teaching guide to being a good racecaller.
Wayne had no agenda to teach. You listened, you watched and, as such, you learnt.
Knowledge gained is often more than reading facts on a page.
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George Main flop All Too Hard is yet another victim of "overboom".
When that boom goes on … and sometimes it's laid on thick … it's hard to scrape it off.
A bit like mud sticking.
The sad part is a horse like All Too Hard gets critiqued too harshly in every start he has because of the over realistic expectation of his ability
He's well above-average and deserves to get cut some slack.
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I hope I'm not "overbooming" Tony Gollan.
But if the first two months of this racing season are any indication, he is going to play a powerful role in Brisbane metropolitan racing.
It's too early to make a call but the very fact he is leading the trainers' premiership says something.
Certainly a positive sign for the city landscape.
Until next week.
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