MY CALL - TOUGH DAYS ON THE PUNT. TIME TO TAKE A CHILL PILL AND SEPARATE FACT FROM FICTION
By David Fowler | Tuesday, August 6, 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.
Take a chill pill and relax. Brisbane racing is not on its knees!
Metropolitan results haven't been kind to punters in the past fortnight but they are not as shocking as some make out.
At the risk of being branded a "mainstream media apologist", let me explain.
I take my form seriously and am the first to acknowledge my tipping results and betting ledger at the past two Saturday city meets has been plain.
A disgruntled punter is often one with tunnel vision. Doesn't listen to anyone, ignores any bit of information bar his or her own. It often ends in tears.
Naturally if they don't stump up with a winner, the "joint is stuffed".
But they know no better because they only see what they think should be right. (That line is almost biblical if you read it a few times!).
There is room for more than one school of thought in trying to select a winner of a race.
I confer with bookmakers and rating experts on race morning after my radio and internet previews are completed. Sometimes your game plan is sorely tested after listening to another opinion or two.
Sure, the rank-and-file punter may not have access to such information channels but there is a host of considered opinion out there through print, radio and the internet that IS accessible.
When I arrived at Doomben last weekend the general consensus was it was an open meeting with most races having several chances.
Surprise, surprise! That's how it turned out.
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Let's look at the results. The following contains no fiction or subjective comment. It is all fact.
Jungle Heat runs well fresh, had the rails alley and an in-form Ric McMahon up. He was a rough chance in an open race.
Saint Encosta is not a horse of mine but ran well in the Grafton Cup and his CV clearly shows he runs best when his runs are spaced.
Double Impact won by six last start on a heavy track but ran favourite and again led all the way.
Rusty Colours lost the rider last start after consistent form.
De Dozen Stars was a last start Eagle Farm winner on heavy but was the leader on every speed map for this race. He leads and wins.
I didn't like Lightfeet Lady but she drew widely the previous Saturday and dropped in grade against her own sex. (Out goes quaddie for Davey boy!)
Liesele was mapped to boxseat and had five alley and G. Colless. Certainly improved on her last run but it was predicted by Liam Birchley in Saturday's Courier-Mail.
After Baron arrived in Brisbane with highly consistent form in what was considered by all as a raffle.
Again all fact, no fiction.
And ,no, I didn't back every winner on Saturday. In fact, I didn't back one but another sound rule of punting is to look back and ask why they won. The above doesn't contain too many surprises.
In other words, one couldn't say with conviction, "How the hell did that possibly win" which I said when Carn won the previous week.
It's these sweeping generalisations that Brisbane racing is a no-go zone that causes problems. It's often barked by those who don't spend enough time on the form.
Roughies win. Middle of the market runners win. That happened Saturday.
It was a rough day at the office. Don't let the back-up beat you. We have to work harder next week to try and find a winner.
It's too easy to say it's rigged or it's all too hard. I've heard it all before.
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How appropriate Brian Ogilvie's funeral and wake will be at Eagle Farm on Friday at 11am.
I'm sure many will turn up who didn't know him personally but had had a bet with him over the years. I'm certain of that.
And if you didn't know him, you missed out on meeting a great guy.
Most of the good...and not so good... stories have been told and they'll be told again on Friday. Some of them will be embellished. "Big Betting" would like that.
He can rest in peace knowing his contribution to Queensland racing over more than four decades was second-to-none.
Until next week.
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