MY CALL: THE FUTURE OF THE DOOMBEN 10 000. COMMERCIAL CONSIDERATIONS VERSUS TRADITION
By David Fowler | Tuesday, November 8, 2016
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.
The end of the Doomben 10,000 as we know it is far from a done deal.
But it may well be the savage backlash to the consideration of moving the race to Eagle Farm will be its saviour.
Racing Queensland's CEO Dr Eliot Forbes conceded the draft document sent out from his offices late last month was "collaborative."
"But no decisions have been made and any changes would need Pattern committee approval. This is just the start of the consultation process," Dr Forbes said.
It is significant to point out the draft proposal notes, "the changing of the name of the Doomben 10,000 may be of historical concern to traditionalists."
But it also demonstrates positives about the track switch which includes perfect lead-ups to the Stradbroke meet and the opportunity for bigger field sizes.
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Commercial considerations versus tradition,
This is what it boils down to and ultimately, in my opinion, the BRC will have to make the choice.
You would consider the odds are in favour of the Doomben 10,000 being dumped if BRC chairman Neville Bell's comments in today's Courier-Mail are to be taken at face value.
However Bell's confidence might be shaken by the public outcry since the story was released.
The opposition to it is palpable and the BRC has to concede its present good will with the public in general is in short supply.
The commercial consideration is understandable but the question begs "how many more people do they think they are going to get by transferring the meet to Eagle Farm?"
Generally, the second or third days of the BRC Carnival are sleepers.
Will Eagle Farm turn that on its head?
Infrastructure savings would also be an assistance to the club's bottom line by going to Eagle Farm rather than staying at Doomben.
All of that has to be weighed against trashing or wiping out Queensland's second most iconic thoroughbred event.
Forget that it might be called the Brisbane 10,000 or simply the 10,000. That doesn’t cut the mustard.
I reiterate the BRC will have to weigh those scales but ultimately they might not be the only judges in the room.
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