The race calling career of Kel O’Rourke, could have so easily ended before it really began. Thankfully it didn’t, and 40 years later, next Saturday night, Kel will fulfil a lifelong dream of calling a race at Wentworth Park.
A suggestion from Sydney’s premier racecaller Tim Newbold to Greyhound Racing NSW Chief Operating Officer Wayne Billett that the final of the inaugural GRNSW Country Challenge at Wentworth Park should be called by a regional racecaller, has seen Kel selected for the job.
“I am over the moon. I was just totally blown away when I was told,” Kel said. “It’s always been a goal, and from a personal perspective, it’s been one of my dreams just to call a race there. It’s the Randwick of greyhound racing.
“Of course you think about what it would be like to call at Wenty, but in all seriousness, in the food chain (of callers), I was probably well down the list. I wouldn’t have been first or second drop in the batting order to fill in, put it that way.”
Like his father and father’s father, Kel was born and bred in Canberra, and back in the 1960s the family moved into a housing commission home “probably a metal driver and pitching wedge from the 1200m barrier shoot at Canberra.”
“One of dad’s best mates was the late Jack Gordon who was beaten a pimple (with Wanted Man) in the first ever Black Opal in ’73,” Kel recalled.
“My dad was heavily involved with the horses here (in Canberra) and quite often in the old days if you won at Randwick and all the family was there, we would go out to Harold Park or Wentworth Park.”
Kel met with the likes of Graham McNeice and racecaller Paul Ambrosoli during those trips and would begin lasting friendships. It also fanned a flame to become a racecaller, and in 1981, that became reality at Queanbeyan greyhounds … although it was a career with an inauspicious beginning.
“Yeah that first one was at Queanbeyan, in November 1981 and the dog that won the race was Disco Bandit,” said Kel as if it was yesterday. “And it was the worst call ever.
“I had Disco Bandit running last, I had a dog in front who was actually fifth, the dog running second … he stayed in the boxes, it was an absolute debacle.
“I got to about race 5 and I thought I have just have to start to memorise a few of these otherwise I’m in the wrong gig. I think I got to race 8 and I absolutely nailed one, and I thought here we go I’m the next Paul Ambrosoli. And then the last two races were pretty similar to the first race.
“But I persisted, and got better thankfully, and couldn’t think of doing anything else now.”
Kel was the racecaller at Canberra from 1983 until racing was halted in the national capital back in May 2018, and now calls at numerous venues around the State, recently calling Jungle Deuce to victory in the inaugural Brother Fox Cup at Dubbo.
He has been to Wentworth Park “a million times” but this Saturday will be different, and he expects there may be some nerves.
“The only little thing that bothers me is the height (of the broadcast box in the grandstand). I am scared of heights. Every time I go up there to say gidday to Tim, I tippy toe when I get out of the elevator,” Kel said.
“Once I get there I’m sure I will be nervous, and also the fact that it’s Tim’s last night calling, so it will be a really special night.”
Tim Newbold, who has been the number one caller in NSW for the past seven years, will call his final meeting on Saturday, having decided to hang up the binoculars and take up a role with GRNSW next month.
“I keep telling him, old racecallers – well he’s not old – but they don’t retire, they always come back,” Kel said.
“I’ve told him I might get him to call down at the Pinebowl (Nowra), or maybe even get him one night to call at Temora … as the fog rolls in.”
