MY CALL: TRACK BIAS POLARISES DEBATE

By David Fowler | Tuesday, October 24, 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.

Yet another high profile Carnival meeting was the victim of negative comment at the weekend.

A significant track bias to on-pacers and those who raced near the rail dominated discussions after the Caulfield Cup meeting.

If it's not the movement of the "moveable" rail, it's whether a track has been watered too much or not watered enough.

Track bias, for whatever reason, generally polarises debate.

And, like many other societal topics, it's the extremes of the conversation that attract the most coverage.

Let's take a quick history lesson.

Decades ago, the running rail was a constant because it was wooden in structure.

A "false" rail was occasionally implemented in extreme wet weather situations to protect the inside part of the track which was used consistently.

And tracks were not artificially watered.

I'll pose the question. Why can't we have a permanent rail with no watering?

Let the jockeys work it out for themselves.

Tinkering could be tolerated in extreme conditions.

A "false" rail could be used if the inside track section was too wet and watering could be allowed in an extremely dry climate.

Altering the landscape, on whatever front, is causing pre-race indecision and post-race angst for punters.

Rather than pander to the lobbyings of one group or another, leave it be !

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My exclusive item about quarter horse racing last week created plenty of discussion.

A lot of the feedback was "I'd jumped the gun" and "it will never happen".

It's worth reiterating two points.

The State Government requested a business case which has even delivered.

That is fact.

The State Government will consider the business case seriously.

That is opinion.

Let's see where the cards fall.

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There seems no opposition to Winx in Saturday's Cox Plate.

That's quality and quantity.

As I said on Radio TAB's Press Room on Monday, it's a unique situation. No form talk. No robust debate on the outcome of the race.

Yet, there is only a scarce amount of general admission tickets left.

In other words, it's almost a "house full" sign.

Such is the drawing power of this champion mare.

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QUESTION:- Would the Sunshine Coast cushion track have been fit for for use if the grass track had been too wet on Sunday.

Or is the cushion track a "dead duck"?

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