Race 2 at Melton- Dashing Dan- always on the money

[triplev123]

Got to love Dan's calls in tight finishes...even in the toughest of spots he will ALWAYS have a go and he is rarely if ever wrong.
Tsonga. Nice work. Congrats to Jim Amalfi too btw.

[Don Corleone]

Dan called to the card well, exactly what we expect from him. He's one of many top callers you guys have over there. That's why yous don't need Mark Mc back.

[aussiebreno]

Mark McNamara for NSW Menangle!!

Has Dan Mileiki ever got one wrong? You just count on him everytime cant you.

[Don Corleone]

Yeah Dan is on the money everytime and Mark's call of last seasons Derby over here was Brilliant. I mean who calls a dead-heat correctly!!! Yesterday while Breeders was on, over here we had local gallop meeting that Mark was calling. One race Dan, next race Mark. It dosen't get much better.

[triplev123]

How about his faultlessly calling 9 Group 1's back to back and with every one of them a blinder?
Nice work Dashing Dan.

[David Summers]

Don , if you all in NZ are holding Mark McNamara hostage and awaiting a big ransom , how much are you asking? We will start a fund going immediately to get him back :-) How could we ever let him get away in the first place???

Mark calling Menangle here and then replacing that pathetic Mark Sheen (the squealing parrot) and calling the thoroughbreds too , that's my dream.

No disrespect to current callers Fred Hastings (Harness) or Matthew Hill ( SkyRacingRadio Thoroughbreds) , but Mark McNamara is just a class above.

Dan Mielicki , legendary caller , brilliant as usual yesterday.

[triplev123]

Macca & Dashing Dan- THE BEST THERE IS. No question.

[ringman]

Dan is a street ahead of the rest in all departments no false hopes given while too many others wont have a go when the margin is a neck

[Don Corleone]

Hey Ninja, Mark's ransom is priceless! To keep him here will be the hardest.

[Maorisidol]

Fred Hastings, if you read this, please absorb the info.
There is nothing more frustrating when watching Sky at Menangle and over the line they go in seemingly blistering time, you finish the call of the last horse and SO often.....nothing.
Whats the Mile Rate? How fast did they go? How good a performance was that? I dunno, you didnt say!
Immediatley after the last horse (as Mielecki does) give the last 400 last 800 and MR.
As a viewer i want to be entertained, i want to say "wow" what a great run, what a fast time, i want to be further impressed by where our sport is in 2011. What those horses are doing on that track is fantastic and i see it as part of your "promotion" of the sport to tell everyone when something great happens.
Now i understand on Sky races can get behind time and you may get cut off and switched within 2 seconds to a dog race at Wentworth Park or whatever, but most times, we should get the times, if you give the times, but again its needs to be immediate in case Sky cut you off!
I discussed this once with Sam Nati (email) and unfortunately for you he agreed with me that you can be guilty of this a little too often.
Apart from that, good job.

[doinmabest]

Hi Maorisidol

I accept your criticism, however, there are two things to note. Firstly, the timing board at Menangle is in the process, so I am told of being sorted so the information appears instantaneously. As you would be aware, I have copped plenty of criticism on this forum over saying EG- time is 1.55 and change, etc... I was told this should be sorted soon. Secondly, Irrespective of the day, I am usually chopped and dont get to summarise on TV. My local radio station always returns to take in a post race clean up. I have no control over what direction SKY take, this includes big race nights where they cut to Haysey or Adam after last call......I really do as often as possible try to give the last qtr and time following my calls and as an exercise will revisit last Saturdays meeting as an example....As I said, I really do my best and I am not Dan, Mark or anyone else. I will not be as good as those two outstanding callers, but I give it my all and hope some people out there like my style and coverage. I spent 20 years calling greyhounds and was shifted to the Harness 2 years ago when Mark decided to go to NZ. So in relative terms I am still learning and finding my way back in harness...All I ask is that the tough judges understand my position and that I will always try to improve.
Cheers
FH

[doinmabest]

*** As a hoofnote, Only 4 replays from Saturday night appear on Harness.org but in each of them I gave Last Qtr, In the stand I didnt give a rate as it was 2300m Stand and It was approx only, however gave the last half. For races two and three I gave last Qtr and approx time and race four gave last qtr but got chopped after saying änother fast run there"
As I said Maoris, I will be cognisant of the fact that that info is important but If I am chopped, I cant do much about it as far as the TV coverage goes!
Cheers and thanks for the feedback.

[triplev123]

Hey Fred, while every other Bastard on here is polarising around their respective interests and telling you how to suck eggs, I thought I may as well take my shot as well. ;);););)
What chance of occasionally giving the Breeding of some of the horses in the moments before they score up or otherwise maybe after they have raced?
On the high profile days especially I'd even be happy to send you through whatever I know as far as some background info. on the breeding/close relations/maternal families of some of the starters etc. Comes as easy as breathing to me. You're welcome to it if you would like it.

VVV

[thesushitrain]

i find no problem with your sectionals fred, you always give them and they are more important then then overall mile rate

but do you have to say... alabar 150, starts to draw away, soon after, tradesman way, supreme effort... every race

[doinmabest]

Hi Triplev
Just on breeding, post race, it is similar to the issue I face regarding any post race comments.
On local radio(2KY) they cross back so I can give winners breeding, name owners, trainer and driver
Plus give margins, sectionals and gross time. On feature days SKY chop me last call and cross to
The live hosts for any post race commentary.
The idea of your pre race is not a bad one though I again point out on feature days where we have a live
Hosting, they usually cross up to me when the gate rounds the turn so again not much chance
To do much. I would however ask that any info you could provide would help, even if I can't guarantee that
I can get it to air. It would be good to expand my knowledge and have it handy in case the opportunity arises
To use it on air.... As I said my hands are tied in most cases as to what time I get post race but I will do what I
Can!
Cheers vvv
FH

[doinmabest]

Thanks Aussie,
Not sure I use those every race but point taken, and I will try and drop off the things
That u hate!
Cheers FH

[Greg Hando]

I reckon you're doing a good job Fred under sometime's trying circumstances keep up the good work

[The Money Tree]

Anyone that can cop criticism on the chin and tries to make themselves better will always succeed.
You are obviously passionate about what you do so keep it up the Fred.

[Don Corleone]

Obviously over here in NZ we stay a bit longer with Fred and I can assure you we get all the information that everyone has mentioned - 1/2, 1/4 mile rate etc and breeding - who went well etc. You're doing a fine job Fred. Keep it going.

[Maorisidol]

Hi Fred, i appreciate you comin on here and being involved and having a chat, great work, many wouldnt!
Firstly i dont expect anyone to be Dan M and i dont expect Mark Mc to be Fred etc etc. So you be yourself and thats all good, dont get me wrong i like your calls i like your style as far as i am concerned your calls and you are great no prob.
All i like to hear to "finalise" a race is in my mind is the MR and other times, it sort of completes it, Sure i can go to a website and get the times later when they are posted but its not the same, and as i initially mentioned i understand sometimes you get cut off...
Being a Melbourne boy i havent had the pleasure of getting to Menangle yet, so i plead ignorance to the timing board and its idiosyncrasies, so i hear your frustration of having an "exact" time "immediately"...
All good, thnx again.

[doinmabest]

Cheers guys!!!
Always happy for constructive criticism and comments....
Thanks
FH

[David Summers]

Thanks for your input Fred. Really enjoying the accurate calling , as usual , at Menangle today.

Any "inside knowledge" about when that annoying timing system at Menangle will finally show the full mile rate as they pass the post? There were posts in the harness forums a few months back that this was been addressed and in that 4-6 weeks it would be fixed. See as of today still not so.

Anyway, Fred you have lots of loyal fans and we are just trying to be constructive as far as we can. I am sure that most of us would not have a clue about the difficulties you face in race calling, so keep up the good work.

[doinmabest]

Ozi
Thanks for the feedback, I was told 4-6 weeks back also
And even as recent as last week copped a phone call that
It was a matter of a few weeks.... It has to do with some sort
Of software adjustment with the finish linx equipment. That
Is all I can tell you... The sooner the better mate!

[David Summers]

Definitely FH. What I have been doing , in the meantime , and it is pretty accurate , when you give the times for the quarters I take the fraction and add the four together and if the quarters are 28.4 , 30.2 , 29.1 , 27.2 and the mile rate shows as 1-54 with no fraction , I add 4+2+1+2 = 9 , I take that as the fraction and therefore the "real" complete mile rate is 1.54.9.

Pretty pathetic I know , but that's what I do for now. Brilliant win by Wilusi Blues after breaking and losing so much ground at the start. Very promising. Love the Courage Under Fire progeny.

[triplev123]

No worries Fred, will do.
Have got your tabcorp e-mail address here so if there's anything worth noting I'll send it through.

While I'm at it, at the request of Dale Walker, here's a pic of Sam Nati's famous Puffy Pirate Shirt.
http://media.smithsonianmag.com/images/object_shirt.jpg

[The Big Mile]

Thanks Aussie,
Not sure I use those every race but point taken, and I will try and drop off the things
That u hate!
Cheers FH

Freddie forget that rubbish! Amp it up! We love it. You called my greatest moment in the sport and for that I am eternally grateful, as you did (and do) a BLOODY GOOD job. That 'superstar' caller below the Murray couldn't even get the name right when we headed down so he isn't perfect. Milecki is a very good caller, brilliant in fact, but he does make mistakes as well. People make mistakes. Some people do it on purpose (read NSW trots at the moment) but at the end of the day if a racecaller can add colour and interest in the race and call it well, then they have done their job.

Go and listen to some of the back lane drunks that call the trots in the US. Then you may be grateful (Larry Letterman, Roger Houston and the bloke at Fraser Downs excused!).

Keep it up Fred!

[triplev123]

Ozi
Thanks for the feedback, I was told 4-6 weeks back also
And even as recent as last week copped a phone call that
It was a matter of a few weeks.... It has to do with some sort
Of software adjustment with the finish linx equipment. That
Is all I can tell you... The sooner the better mate!

Hey Fred. I think they may have to rip it all out & start again. Few people are aware that the finish linx equipment at Menangle went into meltdown and despite the best efforts of a host of technicians it has never been the same since the day when it inadvertently snapped off a rather vivid pic of The Big Mile's Bulider's Crack as he crossed the line alongside his much loved filly. :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek: