MY CALL - A GOOD IDEA WORTH COPYING
By David Fowler | Tuesday, April 23, 2013
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.
I was once told it was not a sin to copy an idea.
As long as it was a successful one!
The ATC's decision to run Black Caviar's T.J.Smith as the last race was a ripper. The excitement built all day to the fitting climax.
It's something that I'm amazed hasn't happened on a more regular basis. The only other annual feature I can recall going off last is the Darwin Cup.
So why doesn't the Brisbane Racing Club try it during the 2013 Winter Carnival?
Say, run the Stradbroke as the last of nine at 4.15. After all, it's already the second last race on the card.
Food for thought.
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With the merger in 2009, BRC took ownership of two tracks.
It's worked to advantage on numerous occasions particularly in regard to wet weather where a neat swap can now be executed which before would have been a tricky exercise.
And, of course, only recently we saw the BTC Cup card transferred to Eagle Farm when the Black Caviar option was still on the table.
Races traditionally run at one track or the other have also been swapped with a view to programming considerations.
No dramas so far. But switching the Sires Produce to Doomben and running it a fortnight before the J.J. Atkins instead of a week has brought out the traditionalist in me.
I'm not calling it a hanging offence but did it have to happen?
Eagle Farm is traditionally the home of certain races as is Doomben. I regard the Sires Produce as a "certain race".
I know, I know we've moved on and it's now one happy family but …
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Saturday's Doncaster result demonstrated why a slice of our feature races must remain as handicapped events.
Sacred Falls (53kg) gunned down Pierro (57kg). The four kilos difference was a major contributing factor.
That is what the racing game is all about. The boutique horse isn't assured of victory all the time. If that was the case, the majority of owners and trainers may as well take their bat and ball and go home.
The Doncaster result is mentioned today to again warn administrators that tinkering with the Stradbroke's handicap status is a folly.
Since a review was flagged, the overwhelming majority of people I have spoken to are determined to make sure the status quo remains.
I don't know if Racing Queensland and Brisbane Racing Club actually realise how volatile this topic is.
And for those pushing the weight-for-age barrow, isn't the Doomben 10,000 a fortnight earlier enough for your satisfaction?
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At the outset I mentioned about copying ideas.
Along those lines, I defer to some parts of The Australian's Brendan Cormick's piece on Black Caviar's retirement which was last week's big news story.
I can't express my thoughts any better.
"Black Caviar has captured the imagination of the nation's sport lovers, not to mention members of Generation X and Y, caught up in the romantic tale of the unbeatable horse" …
"You cannot compare eras, but you can appreciate the products of them. The fans of any sport are influenced at a young age by the stars and judgement skewed. With age comes cynicism."
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And in closing, it was great to see Anna Lizzie win at the Gold Coast on Saturday.
Alan Bailey hasn't enjoyed the best of health in recent times and I'm led to believe this is the one horse has in training.
The "old boy" still has the polish and skill, obviously.
Until next week.
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