McNamara to MC fundraiser

Mark McNamara
Mark McNamara
Canterbury commentator Mark McNamara is known for his quick turn of phrase and he will need it to be at its quickest when he matches wits with All Black coach Steve Hansen, next month.

McNamara is the master of ceremonies and Hansen the special guest at a fundraising event organised by the Canterbury Jockey Club to raise money for the family of fallen southern jockey Rebecca Black.

Black was killed in an race incident in December, leaving behind three children in sons Bassy and Caleb, and daughter Lilly.

A trust to financially assist the children was set up soon after the jockey's death.

When McNamara was approached by the Riccarton club to MC the April 20 fundraiser, he quickly accepted.

``When they told me what the purpose of the evening was, I was certainly very happy to help in any way.''

McNamara, known for the pinpoint accuracy of his calls as well as a lightning-quick turn of phrase, will be tasked with prying answers out of the media-savvy, quick-witted Hansen.

Although he will not be too shy to ask the big questions, McNamara is expecting to get some light ribbing from Hansen, despite the commentator controlling the microphone.

``Being an Australian, I'm not big on mentioning anything to do with the Bledisloe Cup or World Cup.''

Once that is out of the way and McNamara has asked the obvious questions rugby fans would want asked of the head of one of the most successful teams in the world, he is keen to move the conversation on to racing.

``I'm keen to know more about his involvement in racing and how that came about.''

Hansen is regularly seen on South Island racetracks watching his horses.

The All Black coach has campaigned horses with long-time friend Sabin Kirkland, who trains his race team at Ascot Park, since the 1990s.

The majority of Hansen's horses carry the monicker `Dezzie' in their race names. Dezzie is Des Hansen, Steve's late father, who died in 2012.

Hansen and Kirkland's latest prospect, Dezzie's Delight, gained a career-best result when third at listed level in the Southland Guineas, last month.

The pair also raced Dezzies Dream, a Coates Choice full sister to Dezzie's Delight, who won three of her nine starts and ran third in the 2015 group one One Thousand Guineas at Riccarton, before being sold to Australian interests.

McNamara, too, has plenty of racing interests away from the microphone.

The former New South Wales caller has several horses on his Rolleston property.

``The racing team is pretty small at the moment - got a 3yr-old filly. Hopefully, not far off the workouts.

``I've got shares in three broodmares, one of which has a Changeover yearling just been broken in. The other two have weanlings by Sportswriter and Alta Christiano.''

Gossip among racing enthusiasts on both sides of the Tasman had McNamara signed and sealed as the replacement for great Victorian caller Greg Miles.

Miles will soon step down from his duties which include calling the Cox Plate, Caulfield and Melbourne Cups each year.

Miles called his first race at Caulfield in 1979, and will call his last meeting there on April 15.

Matthew Hill was recently announced as his replacement by Racing.com, the media arm of Racing Victoria.

A trip back to his native New South Wales and attending a friend's wedding in February set off rumours McNamara was being interviewed in Australia to take over from Miles, he said.

``I actually found it hilarious. First got asked when I went back to Aussie to call Orange trots and attend a friend's wedding.

``The funniest part about it was I never applied for the position at all, nor even spoke to anyone from Racing.com in Victoria.''

McNamara's fans can rest assured the caller will not be moving back across the ditch, any time soon, he said.

 - Jonny Turner

Add a Comment