Dolan to dust off binoculars and call at Ipswich

By Alex Nolan

Legendary Queensland broadcaster Paul ‘Dogsy’ Dolan will dust off the binoculars and call a race at Saturday’s Ipswich 40^th Anniversary meeting at the Showgrounds.

Dolan called time on his career that spanned more than four decades in 2018 but has returned from time-to-time and called races on special occasions.

Dolan will MC the celebrations to mark 40 years of greyhound racing at Ipswich, which commenced on May 1, 1982.

The meeting is highlighted by the G3 Ipswich Auction Series Final (520m) and also includes a 40^th Anniversary Trophy (520m) worth $15,600 to the winner.

Calling proceedings tonight is Queensland’s current number one greyhound broadcaster John Brasch, who is also hoping to lure former Ipswich callers Damian Courtney and Terry Spargo trackside.

Brasch said he hoped ‘Dogsy’ would be able to call one, perhaps two races on the 12-race programme.

Brasch also managed to organise a special message from another former Ipswich caller in Michael Wrona.  

“I’ve been calling races in America since 1990 but Ipswich was an important part of my formative years,” Wrona said.

“Paul Dolan gave me the opportunity to call non-TAB races back in the 1980s.

“As I gained experience on the radio, I began broadcasting plenty of full nights of racing from Ippy.

“And the last race typically was not the end of the festivities as the socialising and merrymaking continued into the early hours of the morning playing cards in the committee room.

“Ipswich will always be near and dear to my heart.”

The first race at Ipswich was held over 512m and won by the Lyndal and Don Massey-owned and trained chaser Yessam Black Top.

Brasch said the club had organised for Lyndal and Don to be present for Saturday’s meeting.

“The club have invited many more familiar faces to reminisce about the 40 years of racing at the Showgrounds,” Brasch said.

The highlight on the card will be the G3 Ipswich Auction Series Final is worth a whopping $40,000 to the winner.

Despite going under as a short-priced favourite in her semi-final, the Jedda Cutlack-trained speedster Tungsten Miss has come up a $1.45 favourite with TAB.

Brasch expects last year’s Bogie Leigh Futurity winner to bounce back and take the big one, while he is sticking with the in-form Extra Malt in the 40^th Anniversary Trophy, who has also come up an odds-on favourite.