If you tune into Sky Racing for their greyhound racing coverage at places like Gunnedah and Dubbo, you’ll most likely hear a Dan Russ doing what he loves.
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Russ has been calling TAB greyhound racing meetings at Dubbo and Gunnedah for about six years but his time in racecalling starts well before that.
As a five-year-old, Russ remembers following around racecalling legend Bob Poetschka – a man Russ describes as his mentor – absorbing all the information he could.
The passion for calling only grew from there.
He started calling trials – Tamworth, Armidale and Musswelbrook are a sample of town he’s called races at – before being offered a part-time role at Sky Racing.
“My parents always had trotters, so I’d always been involved in harness racing and it just grew from there,” Russ said.
“My break came in dog racing and I just took it.”
Russ’ isn’t done with yet. He hopes to increase his hours calling in years to come.
“I would love nothing more than to be a full-time racecaller. Whether it be in thoroughbred, harness racing, greyhounds or all of the above,” he said.
Russ is getting ready for Gunnedah Greyhound Racing Club’s New Year’s Eve TAB meeting on Sunday.
Preparing for a race call is the opposite to studying for a test.
Cramming is the name of the game in Russ’ racecalling manual.
“There’s usually eight dogs in a field and you can more or less pick out a couple who’ll put themselves in the picture so you’re prepared for that,” he said.
“You have a real good look at them from the time they’re in the parade yard to the boxes and memorise their name to their rug.
“It’s a good solid two and a half minutes to really get them stuck into your mind but you’ve got the book there if worse comes to worst.”
The meeting has a 10-race card which includes the 512-metre Ladbrokes Monthly Medal which was transferred to Sunday after Gunnedah’s last meeting was abandoned three races in due to power failure.
The first race of the night will jump at 7.42pm while the last race on Sunday will be run at 10.50pm.
Gunnedah Greyhound Racing Club president Geoff Rose said racegoers and the greyhounds would be well looked after.
“We’ll keep the bar open to see in the new year. We’ll keep the kennels air-conditioned, too, so the owners can relax,” Rose said.