Bush legend calls time in the racing game

By Jordan Gerrans

From Birdsville to the west and to Blackall in the north.

All the way over to Roma in the east and down to Noorama in the south.

For almost half a century, the surname Power has commanded the bookmakers ring at race tracks across the Sunshine State on a weekly basis.

At his peak, David "Crocket" Power fielded at 48 bush race meetings in a calendar year.

He has averaged 30 meetings a year for the past 49 years.

It will all come to an end for Crocket early next month when he fields at his final race day at his beloved Charleville.

However, it will not be the end of the Power name in the ring.

The 72-year-old admits he no longer has the fire in the belly to travel across the state every week working on the non-TAB circuit.

The popular bookmaker and owner will hand the reins of his operation to his daughter Brooke who will continue on his legacy for years to come.

Close friend and fellow bookmaker Peter Alexander lauded Crocket’s life-long contribution to the industry ahead of his retirement. 

“He has made a lot of lifelong associations through racing that carry on to this day with characters who frequent the races in the bush,” Alexander said.

“Now that he has made the decision, he is content with it all.”

It all began in the bookmaking game for the Power clan back in September of 1974.

The retiring racing enthusiast can recall the first meeting he fielded at.

It was at Charleville and the first race of the day was at Doomben before the locals kicked-off.

Crocket started at Charleville and that is where he wants to finish.

He will be on track this Saturday as the Central Warrego Race Club officially opens their brand new track.

And, he will work his final afternoon in the caper on Melbourne Cup day when Charleville hosts their annual non-TAB meeting for the occasion.

“I have had a terrific run at it,” Crocket said.

“It has been really enjoyable. When we first kicked-off, it was a pretty good earner as well.”

Crocket is regarded as a legend of regional racing in the Sunshine State by countless who have come across him over the decades.

“Very popular, for a bookie,” was how one long-time racing man described him.

Alexander – who goes by Red to his mates – has stood side-by-side with Crocket at the track for as long as he can remember.

As well as fielding at the track, they have both spent time on the local Murweh Shire Council and been involved in businesses in the area.

“Without bookies, the races wouldn’t be the same,” Alexander said.

“He is by far the biggest resident bookie that has been here since the 1950s.”

While the cash is nice after a winning day for any bookmaker in Australia, there was something else that drove the retiring Crocket.

“I liked the fact that you were challenging someone every time you wrote a ticket,” Crocket said.

“That was the challenge between you and the individual person.

“You are physically talking to that person and giving them the ticket.”

Crocket appreciated the challenge and took on punters but there was always a bond between the two parties.

“He is very competitive on the race track in terms of working with him, he is competitive but fair,” Alexander said.

“It was never the money that motivated him, it was the challenge.

“He liked to take the big bets and he has lost interest since the money has dropped off and there is not that big money at Western race tracks any more.

“It is not around at any race tracks any more compared to the old days.”

Crocket got his taste of the racing industry from his father who was the secretary of the Central Warrego Race Club for almost 40 years.

He loves his gallopers and racing, but it is not everything for Crocket.

He worked in a sheering shed as a young fella, then got involved in pubs before eventually running his own bulk fuel and petrol stations in Charleville.

As a bookmaker, the point is to take money home from the races.

And, Crocket obviously did to continue in the role for nearly 50 years.

But, he invested back into the industry wherever possible. He purchased his first horse in 1977 and still races a few now.

Crocket has a promising one now with another favourite son of bush racing in Queensland, Peter Moody.

He can recall ‘Moods’ as a young fella in the Charleville before he made it big and raced Black Caviar in front of the late Queen Elizabeth.

Moods and Crocket have been close mates since they were kids.

"I'd love to be at the Charleville Newmarket this Saturday," Moody was quoted as saying back in 2012 at the peak of his training powers.

"I part-own four horses, with my mate David Power, which will be running at the meeting."

Moody trains in partnership with Katherine Coleman these days.

The stable have a promising one - Insulation - with Crocket owning 25 per cent.

The plan is for Insulation to run on Cup day in Melbourne.

Crocket says that will be a thrill as he has never had a runner on the card of the race that stops the nation before. 

He would love to be there at Flemington.

But, he has other commitments at home, fielding at his last local race meeting.

He will then hand over the bag and his stand to daughter Brooke.

She took out her licence three years ago.

While Crocket has been in the game for almost five decades, he admits to barely doing any form chasing up trials or replays.

Instead, he just watches closely on race day and frames a market the following week. 

That is where Brooke will shine as she has her head in the computer going through all the replays and trial form from around the state.

“She is taking it on now and from a young age, all my kids knew how to write a bet or do your balances of money at the end of a day,” Crocket said.

“She is doing all the trials and form these days, she knows her stuff.

“I will miss it as it’s something I have done all my life. My wife helped me out in the early days.”

Roma and Cunnamulla acknowledged Crocket’s retirement and service to the industry at their recent race meetings.

Charleville will have two opportunities to farewell a favourite son of bush racing in Queensland over the next fortnight.