MY CALL - BLACK CAVIAR, A BOX OFFICE SENSATION

By David Fowler | Tuesday, April 12, 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’, will appear every Tuesday on HRO.

How do we make it different?

That's the $64 000 question the Brisbane Racing Club's brain trust has to answer after the Black Caviar phenomenon rolled on at Randwick last Saturday putting twelve straight wins on her CV.

Next stop is Doomben on May 14 for this box office sensation.

Honestly, what we have experienced this summer and autumn with Black Caviar is unprecedented stuff. More about that later.

Black Caviar's scheduled visit is an amazing opportunity for Queensland racing. In years past we've benefitted from the presence of the likes of Might And Power, Takeover Target and Apache Cat, but Black Caviar is in a different zone and the excitement is only getting more powerful with the frenzy due to arrive on our doorstep within a month.

We've seen the snappy merchandise and the free buses etc, etc that the Melbourne and Sydney clubs have delivered, but what can we do to go one step better?

It's a tough assignment but certainly a pleasant situation for the Brisbane club to be in.

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Younger readers would never have experienced this Black Caviar juggernaut in their fledgling days of racing.

Older readers would remember Tulloch, Manikato and Kingston Town, but was their domination on the racetrack as powerful as that of Black Caviar?

We tend to be kinder to days gone by and while I can't talk for Tulloch, Manikato and Kingston Town were mighty but Black Caviar has taken my racing emotions to a new high.

Think of that moment when she was pushed hard in the William Reid. Recall what you felt on Saturday when she was giving Hay List a healthy start up the rise at Randwick.

These feelings of tension and excitement only happen with champions and her presence has been a great boost for racing in general, putting it on front and back pages for all to see.

All agree her champion status is sealed by the margins … the ease with which she beats top grade gallopers.

Hay List was right on his game on Saturday yet she towelled him and Hay List beat the other by five lengths!

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Black Caviar also breaks the mould in another way in her champion status.

Racing history reminds us of the greats like Phar Lap, Bernborough and Tulloch.

All stayers and all male.

But here's a girl and she's a sprinter.

I'm sure those old racing hardheads who are adamant that "a good colt will always beat a good filly" are starting to scratch their heads.

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Even spare a thought for the race commentators.

I'm thrilled to think I'll be broadcasting her and I'm sure my Sky Racing
colleague Alan Thomas feels the same.

But how do you make that broadcast "more special" or a "little better". It's in our professional blood that we set out to achieve this.

One thing is for certain. You can't rehearse a call because when those gates crash back who knows what is going to happen.

It will be simply a case of the huge crowd riding with us as we take part in another chapter of this wonderful story.

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Did Saturday's racing shed much light from a Carnival viewpoint?

I doubt it and that's a little scary considering we are only a fortnight out from the
big gun racing.

The track played accurately as a genuine slow and punters finished on the worse side of the ledger.

Bookies didn't lose but last race winner Seek and Find was a "serious go".

Not quite an "off the map" job, but a nasty result as a $5 to $3.7 firmer.

Seek And Find's backers must have been giggling when all the speed on paper disappeared and he strolled through the first 600m in a moderate 36.7 … unbelievable at Class 6 Saturday standard.

And with the favourite Captain Clayton back in second last they had every reason to smile a bit more.

Don't give up on Captain Clayton. He is my horse to follow.

It was tactically impossible for him to win so to finish so close after going wide was an excellent effort and, granted, his second-up record is not whizz-bang.

Until next week.

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