Scary experience triggered retirement

IT is said that all good things must come to an end. And so it is with me.

Paul Dolan. Picture: Warren Lynam

IT is said that all good things must come to an end. And so it is with me.

Many of you may have heard that I have announced my retirement from racecalling.

It's not an easy decision but the time is right.

I couldn't begin to thank the many people who have helped and supported me over 45 years of calling and writing about racing. There are simply too many to mention.

What an honour and thrill it has been to call so many superstar greyhounds.

Like helpful people, there's too many to mention.

Why retire now, you may ask? I recently turned 65 years of age, not that there is necessarily an expiry date on racecallers.

I was driving home from an Albion Park night meeting a few months back and I fell asleep at the wheel.

I was awakened by the rocking motion of the car as it was heading down an embankment.

I saw a large concrete drain looming and managed to steer the car to the left of it and onto some grass.

To say that was a scary experience is an understatement.

I'm not giving that a chance to happen again.

My final greyhound meeting to call will be Thursday, September 20 at Albion Park.

I've been given the honour of calling the Pat O'Shea Plate at Toowoomba gallops on Sunday, September 23, a race named in honour of a great racecalling mate who passed away in 2015.

After that I'll pop up calling an occasional country gallops meeting but not on radio or Sky television.

No doubt I'll see you at a racetrack or two in a social capacity.

My last race call at the Ipswich Showgrounds will be on Derby and Futurity night on Saturday, September 15.

My last racecalls at the Ipswich Turf Club at Bundamba will be on Friday, September 14.

I've thoroughly enjoyed working there too, over a long period of time.

Sandown speedsters

LADBROKES markets suggest a Victorian double in the two feature races at Sandown tonight.

Big Flood, for Seona Thompson, has box two in the National Sprint Championship and is the $2.80 favourite.

Queensland's runner is Maurice Minor, drawn box five for Tom Tzouvelis and quoted at $7.50 to win.

Sensational stayer Tornado Tears has box two for the National Distance Championship.

The Robert Britton trained stayer is the $1.55 favourite.

Plenty of people are declaring Tornado Tears to be the best stayer Australian has ever seen.

He's right up there, that's for sure. But surely the immortal Zoom Top is still the best.

Queensland's runner in the National Distance is the Selena Zammit trained Double Gee, drawn box seven and at $7.00.

The Distance race is at 8.28pm and the Sprint at 9.10pm tonight.

Fastest winner

THE $25,000 to the winner Townsville Cup will be run on Tuesday night over 498 metres.

In the heats three nights ago, the locals struggled against the visitors from the south-east of the state.

The fastest heat winner was Fabrique for Chris Riordon of Bribie Island in 28.72.

Big Bad Bob, for George Clegg of the Gold Coast, scored in 28.81.

Tom Tzouvelis, from Ormeau, won with Loch Freddie in 28.92.

The only local to win a heat was Licorice Shot for Rhonda Essery in 29.12.

Chris Riordon's Fire to Rain is in the final after a second placing. So too Soft Sand for Tom Tzouvelis.

Faringdon, from Rockhampton, and a local, Natty's on Fire, also finished second and qualified.

The box draw is: 1 Natty's On Fire, 2 Licorice Shot, 3 Soft Sand, 4 Faringdon, 5 Loch Freddie, 6 Fabrique, 7 Big Bad Bob, 8 Fire to Rain.

Consider this

BORROW money from pessimists. They don't expect it back.

Originally published as Scary experience triggered retirement