While Darren Flindell was weaving his own brand of magic at Royal Randwick on Saturday, a race caller from the previous generation was celebrating a unique anniversary at Warren - a tiny hamlet of 1500 people some 536 kms from Sydney.
As Darren was calling the action in classics like the Doncaster and the Derby, Colin Hodges was providing the brand of professional commentary at the Warren meeting that has made him a true legend on the western line. The brand of commentary that has given western districts racing an identity all its own. The brand of commentary that in 2017 earned him a well deserved Order Of Australia Medal.
The powers of concentration are as good as ever. Col Hodges at Warren on Saturday - Image by Tess Mulligan.
Humble to the end, Col had mentioned to only a precious few that he was coming up to fifty years as an active race caller. He had no idea that the Warren Jockey Club Committee was planning a special presentation during the course of Saturday’s race meeting, and he got the shock of his life when Sky Racing’s Manager of Presenters Leith Mulligan turned up to pay his respects. Leith was accompanied by his daughter Tess who busied herself as the official photographer.
Congratulations from Sky Racing's Leith Mulligan at Warren on Saturday - Image by Tess Mulligan.
One of Leith’s roles is to coordinate the schedules of Sky’s army of commentators and make himself available whenever they’re needing consultation. He was aware that the Warren meeting marked a special day in the life of a man whose contribution to country racing is incalculable. Leith made the 1000km round trip as a mark of respect to one of Sky’s pioneer commentators.
It’s a safe bet that at some stage of the day, Colin would have allowed himself a quiet little trip down memory lane to the fateful day exactly half a century ago when his mentor Bobby Gunn sent him to a speck on the map called Fifield in the Central West to call the local picnic race meeting.
Col responds following a special presentation on the occasion of his 50th race calling anniversary - Image by Tess Mulligan.
Suddenly fifty years have vanished and he may well have been shaking his head in disbelief as he fixed his binoculars onto the swivel in the broadcasting box on Saturday. Sixty eight horses contested six races on the spacious Warren course. Col Hodges had a handle on every one of them as well as their trainers and jockeys. Western Districts Racing has been fortunate indeed to have the dedicated services of Colin Hodges OAM for such a long and exciting chapter in its history.
Another day at the office! Col has spent an incalculable number of hours in the broadcast boxes on western districts racetracks - Image by Tess Mulligan.
(Banner image - A last minute check of the colours as runners arrive at the barrier - Image by Tess Mulligan)