MY CALL - FOCUSSED SINCERO COMES GOOD IN SHADES
By David Fowler | Tuesday, June 14, 2011
David Fowler is the principal thoroughbred caller for Radio TAB, taking the position upon Wayne Wilson's retirement last August. 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.
If you never believed in the importance of gear changes, the Stradbroke result surely must have converted you.
Was it the same Sincero that mauled Beaded in the last few bounds in last Saturday's Stradbroke compared to his so-so QTC Cup performance?
No, it was a far more focussed Sincero with the shades added during track-work during the week. What a masterstroke!
I was surprised in my first run through the field in the broadcast that he was a lot handier and when he emerged with clear running at the 150m, you knew the race was over.
Beaded is top shelf, but I think it’s fair to say she doesn't quite get a strong 1400 metres.
And Zero Rock did Queensland proud with her fighting third. She deserves a big race victory.
Woorim was unlucky on two fronts. He encountered traffic problems in the straight, but the slackening of the tempo midrace didn't help his cause either.
And wasn't the pace of the race, or lack of it, a bizarre feature. I had to check the semaphore board twice to make sure I had read the figures correctly.
The first 800 metres was run in 48.3 seconds and the last 600m in 34.6, totalling a 1:22.9 gallop for the famous 1400m sprint.
Traditionally they scoot over the first half mile in the Straddy in sub 46 seconds, but this year was in stark contrast to the norm.
I can tell you there was a very sneaky street corner tip for the Warrnambool visitor Raffaello who went into the race first-up but was well backed at long odds.
It was an ambitious exercise but keep him on the radar next start in a more suitable assignment. I can guarantee you he is going very well in private.
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Trusted Partner might have won the Lightning at $21 bucks but fixed odds operators groaned as he slipped clear in the straight.
This was one of the craftiest long-priced goes in sometime and underlines the training performance of rookie Simon Foster.
It's tough enough to win first-up let alone in a Listed race like the Lightning.
I smelt a rat when I saw the money had rolled in on Tattsbet fixed odds and further enquires have revealed the money trail didn't end with that organisation.
On-track operators largely missed the plonk.
The only goose in the end was me for not copping the tip!
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Big days mean big holds with bookies and on the tote.
Last race winner Torio’s Quest was expected to be a big improver on a dry track and those in the know hotfooted to take the $7 bucks along the rails soon after betting started.
But such is the huge hold on the last race with Tattsbet he returned an $11 dividend.
The way he cleaned up his rivals suggests he will be a star in the spring.
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It's been a stellar racing carnival and it’s not over yet with Ipswich, Tatts and Caloundra still to be decided.
But what a disaster last Wednesday's card was on the inner grass track at the Sunshine Coast.
First question that needs to be posed is why was the meeting at Caloundra?
For goodness sake, it’s Stradbroke week with so many visitors in town. What's wrong with Doomben?
Second question why run it on that "goat track"?
The poor acceptance clearly demonstrated owners and trainers don't want to run on it and the absence of the bigger name jockeys was obvious.
And to make matters worse it was rated a heavy eight and one of the most biased tracks we've seen in recent times with the inside a "no-go zone".
Accordingly, punters voted with their pockets and the turnover was abysmal.
Surely, surely, never again.
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BOOKIES TALES
Bookies Tales 1: Which well-rounded bookie was "egged" by some kids as he waited for a taxi at a well-known restaurant on the weekend? And such a nice suit it was!
Bookies Tales 2: Which rails bookie could moonlight as a council road-worker? The way he keeps putting his hand up to say no to a bet says he's got a future in the business!
Bookies Tales 3: Which longstanding bookie calls it a day at the end of this month? Not too sure if he'll be bearing gifts on his departure either.
Until next week.
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