MY CALL: I REALLY ENJOYED CALLING THE KENNEDY COLOURS HOME WHEN SNITZ SALUTED ON SATURDAY

By David Fowler | Tuesday, February 13, 2018

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.

There is always a touch of "days goes by" when Jim Kennedy owns a winner.

Without knowing exactly, but fair to estimate north of 80 years old, Kennedy stood proudly in the winners' circle when his promising three-year-old Snitz won first-up and made it three on the trot at Doomben on Saturday.

Almost 40 years ago he stood just as proudly in the same enclosure when he achieved his biggest success in racing, winning the 1978 Doomben 10,000 with Blue's Finito.

The Kennedy family colours of "Red, Dark Blue Sash, Black and Yellow Hooped Sleeves, Dark Blue Cap" are part of the tradition, worn by Doug Messingham on that day in 1978 and Robbie Fradd on the weekend.

Kennedy was a dynamic owner in the late seventies.

It's worth remembering he shared in the ownership of the Jim Atkins-trained stayer Pay The Purple with the late BATC chairman Judge Eddie Broad and the late federal politician Jim Killen.

That powerful triumvirate were part of the history-making 1979 Labour Day Cup at Doomben when New Zealand jockey Linda Jones became the first woman to win against the men in Australia.

His success as an owner wasn't his only foray in the racing game as he dabbled in the breeding game and had a stint on the BATC committee in the late eighties.

But in the whole scheme of things, racing only played a bit part in Kennedy's career.

Born and bred in Collinsville in Queensland's North, Kennedy's working career started in accountancy but his entrepreneurial flair soon extended to the retail business and then into tourism.

A clear illustration of his business expertise only has to be seen in the countless commissions and inquires he was asked to chair by State and Federal Governments over the decades.

It's wonderful he still plays a part in Queensland racing.

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I get a real kick out of calling Snitz winning, particularly when J.J. Kennedy AO CBE is trackside,

The wispy hair, same framed glasses and beaming smile surround a face that hasn't changed a lot in 40 years.

I used to practice my galloping racecalling in the now defunct members' stand at Albion Park during the mid seventies alongside the late Keith Noud and the late Vince Curry.

Jim Kennedy, a particularly big racing wheel at the time, was close friends with Vince Curry and didn't mid racing a horse or two at "the Creek"

He'd pop up and have a chat with my idols and gave me a lot of encouragement to pursue my calling career which to a 13 year old seemed a dream at the time.

I remember those kind words every time Snitz salutes and I'm behind the microphone.

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Full marks to Racing Queensland for their pro-active approach in dealing with the heat this week.

Rescheduling Ipswich from Wednesday to Friday and Gatton rom Thursday to Tuesday was sensible and gave stakeholders ample time to asses their options.

The weather is not a perfect science and you can only act on the information at hand but being quick off the blocks is a key step.

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Noticed Justice John Muir died on the weekend at age 73.

Many will recall Muir took the hotseat as interim Racing Queensland chairman when the incumbent administration was booted out by the State Labor Government in mid 2015.

My condolences to his charming wife Sandra and their family.

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