Kachel’s phantom race-call adds unique touch to The Triangle
INVERELL race-caller Greg Kachel has supplied a unique “last chapter” to the recently-launched publication The Triangle, a book chronicling the history of bush racing in the Moree district.
The book has been published to raise money for the refurbishment of the old Moree Crown Lands building, which is now in the hands of Moree and District Historical Society to use as a museum.
A list of the best 16 picnickers, compiled by the book’s author Bill Poulos, compete in the fictional One-Mile Beyond Everest All-Star Picnic Gold Cup – and Kachel has supplied a phantom race-call to decide the winner.
The race-call can be heard by clicking a link featured at the end of The Triangle’s epilogue, Finally a Race Meeting in Heaven, which looks back at the owners, trainers, strappers, stable-hands, jockeys, horses, bookies and characters that helped shape bush racing in the district over the past 150 years.
“I’m not so sure a couple of the people featured would have actually made it through the Pearly Gates, but bush racing would have been much the poorer without them being trackside,” Poulos smiled.
Inverell race-caller Greg Kachel promotes The Triangle at the recent Moree picnic races (Image courtesy www.bradleyphotos.com.au)
“Greg has done an incredible job, as usual, putting the phantom race-call together and the Moree and District Historical Society thanks him deeply for all his help.”
Kachel, who was Inverell 2NZ’s station manager for more than 30 years before taking on the chief-of-staff position for now-retired NSW National Party senator John Williams, is one of bush racing’s biggest assets – behind the microphone as well as away from it.
“Greg just doesn’t call the races when he dons the binoculars on race-day; it is incredible how he helps out in so many ways behind the scenes,” Poulos said.
“Apart from his regular spots on local radio across the region promoting bush-racing, Greg is an integral part of every race meeting he attends.
“He does a magnificent job calling all the action but apart from that he also emcees any race-day activities that need emceeing.
“When a race club committee is a person short for a job on race-day, Greg is the first bloke to put up his hand – I spotted him one day in between races at Talmoi picnics scrunching up raffle tickets and placing them in a huge bucket while he studied the race-book to memorise colours for the next race-call,” Poulos said.
The Triangle will be available for sale at Mallawa picnic races on Saturday, June 8 and again at Talmoi picnic races on Saturday, June 22 – rounds two and three of bush racing’s Golden Triangle.
The Triangle, detailing the history of bush racing in the north and north-west in a timeline format dating back to 1865, was launched at the recent Moree picnic races – round one of bush racing’s Golden Triangle.
The book, which includes 24 feature articles, is also available at participating stores and businesses across the Moree Plains Shire.
Tourism Moree heads a long list of outlets including Deluxe Café Moree, North West Real Estate, Sutherland Reid and Farrar, B&W Rural, Kenway and Clark, Beauty Matters, Dipper’s Home Timber and Hardware, Webb and Boland Lawyers, Croppa Creek Store, The Moree Gallery, South Moree Butchery, A Tasty Surprise, Thomas Lee Motorcycles, Moree Veterinary Hospital, Faulkner’s Newsagency, McGregor Gourlay, Jukes Tyre Service and Assef’s Moree.
Mungindi’s Jolly Swagman Hotel, the Pally Pub, Pioneer Hotel at Boomi and Garah’s Club Hotel will also stock the book while Mungindi Jockey Club will sell copies at its annual cup meeting on Saturday, July 6.
The Triangle was published at no cost to Moree and District Historical Society after receiving grants and donations from Moree Plains Shire Council, The Moree Desperates, all three picnic race clubs at Moree, Mallawa and Talmoi and local member Adam Marshall.
Media Release: June 4, 2019