MY CALL - PUISSANCE DE LUNE WAS GOOD BUT WE'VE GOT TO PUT A HOLD ON ALL THE BS
By David Fowler | Tuesday, August 20, 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.
Puissance De Lune was good but put a hold on the BS!
It's almost like some of my colleagues can't wait to see a potential spring star and then wax lyrical.
Talk about hype after Saturday's win.
Reality tells us he beat modest opposition in modest time in the middle of August. That's all fact.
But fantasy is that the Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup are as good as over. His uplift in feature markets was pure overreach and makes him ordinary value at present.
Don't get me wrong, it's great to have a local as a leading chance for the big gun races but Saturday was a small stepping stone on what could be a rocky path.
The upside to Puissance De Lune is his versatility.
I'd describe him as a "fast stayer" who can be put anywhere in a race.
That type win more than they lose.
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Most will say first race favourite Double Impact had every chance when second to Grey Assignment.
I say pilot error brought about his defeat.
At the same track and distance a fortnight earlier, Double Impact was allowed to run freely, posting smart sectionals from start to finish running 1:35.45.
His opposition chased and chased and ran out of puff.
Yet, same jockey Anthony Allen elected to nurse him Saturday and crawl through the first 1000m in four seconds slower than his previous start.
This allowed Grey Assignment to sit close and outsprint him. It was simply a dash up the straight in a much slower overall time of 1:38.2.
Double Impact's ability to go fast from start to finish wasn't utilised on Saturday.
He still may not have won … but he may have too!
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RQ's chairman of stewards Wade Birch thinks advising a tactic change as late as 30 minutes before post time is acceptable.
I disagree.
Many tactic changes aren't worth the paper they are written on. "May", "If possible", "If circumstances permit" is all guff.
But, on occasions, there will be a change of significance which can clearly change the landscape of the race.
Fixed odds betting is up on Wednesday nights, rank-and-file punters generally bet on Saturday mornings so why not an earlier deadline?
It's a bit rich to say connections haven't worked out their game plan by, for example, after the scratching deadline.
Food for thought.
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Enjoyed some corporate hospitality at the Broncos-Eels match at on Friday.
I was impressed how injured players tour the corporate boxes and are more than happy to answer questions about their own careers and the Broncos in general.
It's an excellent PR exercise that racing could examine and tweak to give sponsors a bigger bank for their race-day buck.
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One racing website can now see into the future.
After highlighting the success of the Mackay beach "race meeting", it lamented the small acceptance at the Ooralea meeting with only 80 paying customers.
Amazing powers to announce how few attended seeing that meeting will be run later today!
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