MY CALL - EAGLE FARM MAKEOVER WILL NOT BE RUSHED TO FIT INTO A PAPER TIMETABLE
By David Fowler | Tuesday, July 15, 2014
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.
Could next year’s Stradbroke be run at the Sunshine Coast?
A Sunday Mail columnist raised the possibility recently with the Eagle Farm revamp scheduled from September to March.
It’s a swift turnaround, shorter than originally mapped out, and based on a minimum of wet weather.
It would be safe to assume that BRC would be satisfied with a Doomben switch if Eagle Farm was not ready in time.
Traditional Derby and Oaks distances would have to be dispensed with because of no 2400m starting point at Doomben but surely that’s not the end of the world.
Racing Queensland’s CEO Darren Condon was quite forthright in my Radio TAB interview on Monday that the Eagle Farm makeover won’t be rushed just to make way for a paper timetable.
And while he didn’t rule the Caloundra option out, he certainly didn’t rule it in.
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RQ’s decision to drop Tuesday product from the weekly racing calendar would not have been an easy one.
Many of the Tuesday meetings have been farmed to Saturdays and Sundays with Sky 2 coverage and we’ll also see the occasional Wednesday where Queensland hosts a meeting in the north and south of the state.
RQ would be aware they run the risk of losing turnover from giving up a Tuesday Sky 1 slot to the lesser watched Sky 2 weekend coverage.
But they will earn a bouquet from the industry for not letting turnover be their sole guiding light, understanding race-clubs can market Saturdays and Sundays more effectively.
RQ chairman Kevin Dixon has said previously he is prepared to “take a hit” on occasions with a turnover drop and many would support the stance.
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Betting trends are often hard to follow.
When we were at the races on Saturday, bookmakers and corporates couldn’t get Adebisi and Kingdoms out quick enough in the betting.
Yet Tattsbet fixed odds figures reveal they were clearly the best backed runners in their respective races. Adebisi held twice as much as race favourite Mr Favulous.
The fixed odds operators had big smiles when Miss Cover Girl and Vain Queen were bowled over, each holding six figure amounts.
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Many were crowing that Sportingbet put up the “wrong price” of $81 about Jim Byrne winning the Brisbane Jockeys’ Premiership after he rode a double on the weekend.
Byrne went to 49.5 wins trailing Michael Cahill (54) and Tim Bell (53) who were winless on the day.
But Byrne is still a longshot with five meetings remaining.
Those poking tongues at Sportingbet forget Byrne has to chase to catch up and then has to hope Cahill and Bell don’t ride a winner, an unlikely prospect even though it happened on Saturday.
Notwithstanding it’s a keen contest to the wire while Tony Gollan is at Black Caviar odds to win his first Trainers’ Premiership.
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I rarely use this blog to promote my passion of harness racing but I’m making an exception here.
The Albion Park club of which I am vice-chairman has a wonderful promotion this weekend where you can secure 10% ownership rights of I’m Themightyquinn (Blacks A Fake) and Bling It On (Queensland Derby).
You can enter the competition on-line at the Albion Park Harness Racing Club website or fill in an entry form on race-night.
The winners will be announced after race two and you have to be there.
It’s the last night of the Albion Park Winter Carnival and the racing will be first class.
See you there.
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