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Long road to the top for HK's new race caller

Murray Bell

Brett Davis experienced a baptism of fire, arriving in Hong Kong to take up his role as the new English-language race caller at the start of international week. But the 33-year-old was more than happy to take on the man-sized assignment first-up.

Davis came from Singapore, where he had been in the employ of the Singapore Turf Club for 20 months, but is originally from Adelaide, South Australia.

'I'm actually a qualified plumber,' the affable Aussie revealed last night. 'I did my course and apprenticeship straight out of school, then worked in my brother's plumbing business. I had always had a passion to be a race caller so when he sold the business, I decided to pursue my passion.'

As anyone who has ever pursued a passion will readily understand, that usually means a few lean years initially, and Davis was no different.

'I worked part time for the TAB's radio station in Adelaide for 71/2 years, mainly monitoring and getting cups of coffee,' he laughed, 'but eventually got some producing and on-air work.'

His first call was at the Gawler greyhounds in 1997 and the following year he made his thoroughbred debut on Caulfield Cup day - not at Caulfield, mind you, where the super horse Might And Power romped away with the Caulfield Cup, but at Mildura in the far north-west corner of Victoria, some 550km away.

It's a long way from Mildura to Hong Kong, but this kid's made it. 'Thoroughbreds are in the blood as far as our family goes,' Davis said. 'My father [Michael Davis] syndicated and raced quite a few horses at home and I was always interested in racing and in becoming a race caller.

'My mother [Carole Davis] was very well known in Adelaide television circles, so she got me quite a bit of experience in front of the camera as well.'

Davis couldn't have started at a busier time than international week but has met the challenge head on.

'I think Brett has started very well,' said his immediate boss, Jockey Club telecast manager (English services) Nuno Fernandes. 'He called one race on the International Jockeys' Championship night, presented on Sunday at the International Races, called the entire programme at Happy Valley on Wednesday, co-presented our Racing To Win show, and has called a lot of barrier trials during that time as well.

'We're very happy with how he's gone.'

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