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MY CALL: THE HARSH CRITICISM OF TEAM HAWKES REGARDING THE CHAUTAUQUA SAGA IS HARD TO JUSTIFY

By David Fowler | Tuesday, March 20, 2018

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 spiralling rise of social media has given those who wish to express an opinion several platforms to do so.

Facebook, twitter, blogs, even reader response to websites are the most popular avenues for anyone to voice a thought.

Significantly, in my opinion at least, it frequently provides an insight into how someone or how a collective group think.

And multiple social media replies from an individual can also given an insight into their character.

The horse racing industry is also a forum to these accepted forms of communications.

Disappointingly, the lion's share are negative and develop into a "pile-on", particularly in the twittersphere.

The recent woes of Chautauqua serve as an excellent illustration to my comments.

I'm amazed at the amount of venom being directed towards the Hawkes family and to a lesser degree the horse's connections over its refusal to leave the gates in four barrier trials.

If you landed from Mars and read a selection of tweets and reader responses you would think Team Hawkes are money-hungry, uncaring horsemen.

Anyone who even fleetingly knows the family also knows this is the polar opposite.

The frustration and disappointment they must have felt and and are feeling would be palpable.

They gave it their best shot but realise the game is up.

Yet, they are subject to this barrage of criticism.

I'm all for free speech and the right to express an opinion.

It's just the general tone, not just in this issue by the way, that surprises and disappoints me.

And some people want to tell me there isn't a dark side to social media,

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I'm not Robinson Crusoe but I'm breaking a New Year's Resolution today.

I promised myself I wouldn't mention the Eagle Farm track in any of my media platforms and so far have been as solid as a rock.

Maybe I should have made the resolution public.

I've had my coat pulled one too many times in the last fortnight about why I haven't commented on the current situation.

And it's given my critics great currency I'm going soft on Racing Queensland and the BRC. Gee, there's a new line!

Let me state the reason for "promise to myself" in two concise paragraphs that even the simplest minds can process.

Racing Queensland issued a statement that Eagle Farm would resume racing in Spring.

I will consider commenting about Eagle Farm in the Spring.

Now you know.

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Speaking of Eagle Farm...not the track....full marks to the BRC for their initiative to conduct Paddyfest there last Saturday.

These racetrack complexes are often underutilized and the potential to source revenue outside of racing is either overlooked or not even considered.

Paddyfest allowed this historic racetrack to be used and for the cobwebs to be blown off the presently-idle infrastructure.

As I trundled up Racecourse Road after dinner, the amount of jolly people wearing green hats heading the opposite way suggests it wasn't a bad day !

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Here's one twitter handle you should hop on to.

"Brisbane Racing History" has only recently evolved and gives some great race finish and return to scale shots of South-East Queensland racing during the '70's, 80's and 90's.

Have a peek. You might see yourself there.

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