MY CALL: WHEN IS ENOUGH ENOUGH?
By David Fowler | Tuesday, June 20, 2017
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.
Sometimes you say enough is enough,
The Eagle Farm track woes have occupied plenty of column inches in newspapers and the internet and much the same attention through television and radio.
To be honest, I don't fully understand the varying horticultural issues. It's not my bag.
I try to listen and learn but I don't make much headway. Do you feel the same ?
And then the blame game takes centre stage.
I've heard so many conflicting stories from so many different parties I don't know what's up or what's down.
So I've come to a swift and simple conclusion.
Let the independent reviewer Dale Monteith pinpoint the exact problem and then get it fixed as soon as possible.
I think many of you will feel the same.
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"They" say the music was too loud infield at Ipswich on Cup day.
Maybe so and I'm sure the club will examine the issue in their debrief on the days activities.
But Ipswich Cup day is what it is.
While this won't please the purists, it's a party around a race meeting. Not the other way around.
Those who argue that many of the attendees wouldn't have even watched a race miss the point.
They've made a commitment to attend a race meeting from a social viewpoint and they will spend accordingly.
Their spend is particularly vital to the Ipswich club. Cup day is sink or swim for their bottom line.
A club relying on racing as it's sole income stream is almost certain to make a loss these days.
It's essential for the Ipswich club to grasp the opportunity at hand and run with it.
So on their behalf, excuse the noise.
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The $13 million infrastructure grant to Ipswich was well reported and well received by the club and the industry in general.
The Gold Coast Turf Club are now waiting for their phone to ring .
Will it?
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It's rare I'll repeat a topic in this blog that I canvass on my Monday morning Press Room program on Radio TAB.
But I think my comments about the Queensland Saturday model needing urgent review is worth mentioning in this forum.
Too many non TAB meetings and too many provincial clubs running every Saturday is placing undue pressure on prizemoney distribution and the well being of racetrack surfaces.
And this flawed model goes unchecked year after year.
Queensland hosts between nine and eleven meetings each Saturday compared to two or three in New South Wales and Victoria.
Country and provincial clubs won't be happy with my comments but some rationalisation has to kick in somewhere.
Someone has to take a stand.
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