MY CALL: RACING IS DOING EVERYTHING RIGHT

By David Fowler | Tuesday, March 31, 2020

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.

It’s amazing how some people or organisations will use any situation as a vehicle to vent their deep-seated prejudices.

But it doesn’t surprise me.

As the racing industry soldiers on into its third week abiding by the strictest of bio-security measures, pockets of discontent of our continuance are emerging.

Many received a text purporting to come from Queensland Health last week to sign a petition through change.org to shut down the racing industry because of the pandemic.

It was a ruse and the perpetrators should be dealt with.

Social media provides another forum for those pushing hard for a racing closure.

Many are the same ones who thought it high treason to beam the Everest barrier draw on the Opera House sails or think trainers don’t care for the animals in their care.

Let me be clear that anyone is entitled to an opinion on anything providing it’s based on fact. That’s non-negotiable.

But when their opinion is not based on fact but rather on prejudice, it should be called out.

And when they use a crisis situation like corona virus to state this prejudice it should be simply ignored and afforded no oxygen.

Do they think they have a greater wealth of knowledge than the Federal or State Governments who, so far, have green lighted the business to continue under the strictest of protocols?

It’s timely to put the value of the racing industry’s presence in the current climate on the table.

First and foremost, it is acutely aware of the health crisis and there has not been a positive test to corona virus at the time of writing.

The bio-security measures in place are of the highest order and being well observed by all of those permitted on track.

Secondly, it’s keeping a hell of a lot of people in work. Not just the direct participants but the many thousands who feed into the business.

Do those detractors think this is a bad thing?

And, thirdly, and probably harder to quantify, is the social benefit that racing is providing in these unprecedented times.

Aussies love their sport whether watching or betting or both and racing is the last one standing.

With the lockdown scenarios gaining strength, racing is providing a welcome distraction from the glum situation many find themselves in.

As the last week has demonstrated, racing jurisdictions around the nation are not resting on their laurels but trying to keep a step ahead in a bid to stay alive.

Queensland’s quarantined racing that begins today is a perfect example.

So a simple offering to the detractors … back off … we’re doing everything right.

David Fowler