MY CALL - YOU HAVE TO PLAY WITH THE CARDS YOU ARE DEALT ... AND REMEMBER TO ENJOY THE GAME!
By David Fowler | Tuesday, June 12, 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.
Was the Stradbroke field below par relative to recent years?
More importantly, does it really matter!
Maybe I'm mellowing from the days I was a young and hard marker but offering such an opinion on the Stradbroke serves little in the whole scheme of things.
Basically, you play with the cards you're dealt.
If Sea Siren had won we would have been hailing history at Eagle Farm as she had completed the Group One sprint treble.
If Buffering had won … and he nearly did …it would have been hailed as a great hometown result and Buffering's first Group One.
There are so many other scripts that could have been offered so it wasn't a dud race.
Sure Mid Summer Music's win didn't inspire great excitement, but spare a thought for her owners. Do they need to be told it was a sub-standard Stradbroke?
It's a similar story with Sizzling. A clean sweep of his Carnival assignments … brilliant stuff … but we hear, "what did he beat?"
Even Brambles' whitewash of the three-year-old schedule is met with "doubt he'll measure up in the spring."
Etcetera, etcetera.
I'm not suggesting we wear rose coloured glasses but let's enjoy what we have rather than analysing everything to the point where only Black Caviar will do.
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The relationship between Channel Seven and the Brisbane Racing Club is a fantastic plus for the Carnival.
This year's Stradbroke day coverage was extended nationally and it was first rate.
Not just the racing side of things but presenting all things Queensland.
Free-to-air coverage enhances a Carnival's status and it is hoped the association extends for many years.
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Racing foremost is about winners, but a loser took my attention post race on Saturday.
My broadcasting position, high atop the public grandstand, gives me a bird’s eye view of the post race excitement … and the post race despair.
Not that Rob Heathcote was in a despairing mood after Buffering's brave Stradbroke second, but his face said it all.
Sadness mixed with immense pride. The emotion stood out like a neon sign. I won't forget the look.
Buffering's tenacity and consistency has elevated him to ambassador status for Queensland racing.
Everywhere he goes and even when he campaigns at home, he will be cheered as the pride of the team.
He certainly deserves his break.
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Our Winter Carnival is far from over but a little more relaxing over the next few weeks.
We're looking forward to running Adnocon first-up in the Eyeliner and hoping he can win it for the third year in a row.
It's been the specific game plan by our trainer Gerald Ryan.
Generally, they don't get any faster as they get older but fingers crossed he runs well.
Until next week.
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