Dave McDonald as been commentating in Otago and Southland for 43 years.
Davey Mac, iconic deep south commentator, looks on the bright side of shock job loss
By Barry Lichter • 11 May 2020
Davey Mac, the voice of the south, reckons there might be a silver lining to the terrible news he was given today that after 43 years of race calling, he is no longer required.
McDonald, 65, says that after so many years of not being able to punt on the job he’ll now be able to enjoy having a bet.
“I’m not a bad tipster so I reckon I’ll be backing them myself now.”
McDonald has been the voice of racing in the deep south since he called his first gallops meeting at Tapanui in 1976.
In that time he believes he would have called close to 40,000 races, and has been a much followed caller of all three codes.
Easily the most experienced of the commentators singled out by the TAB to lose their jobs in a 30% cost-cutting exercise, McDonald was feted by the TAB when he reached a 40-year milestone in September, 2016. The New Zealand Racing Board made a special presentation to McDonald in the birdcage.
McDonald admits while he knew he was in danger as a contractor rather than a salaried employee, it still came as a shot when media personnel manager Michelle Pickles broke the news.
“Such is life. But I reckon there’s a bit of life in me yet and I’ll still call at the trials down here.”
McDonald says he’s also open to filling in, work which Pickles said she would try to organise with the bosses so there’s still a slight chance we’ll get to hear more horses “running them into the kitty litter.”
McDonald said without doubt his most lasting memory of his career in the commentators’ box would be all the wonderful people he had met along the way.
He had plenty of highs but some lows as well.
In the 1990s he interviewed international model Rachel Hunter and music star Rod Stewart at a Wingatui.
But he also called the races that jockeys Sam McRae (Riverton, 2005) and Ashlee Mundy (Kurow, 2012) died in.
“It was tough. I felt like going home but I had to keep going,” McDonald told Southland racing writer Jamie Searle.
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Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
5.40pm
“She’s going as good as she can. She’s got a bit of speed but isn’t that strong. But she should get a nice trip here and be right in the frame. She’ll win one soon.”
Race 1: Jessie Lincoln
5.40pm
“She’s a big filly who has taken time to mature but she has plenty of ability. She’s a good pacer and I expect her to improve on her resuming run and go well.”
Race 1: Lincoln Dealer
5.40pm
“He’s a bit of a handful, too keen for his own good sometimes, so I’ll be happy to see him just get round and do most things right. He’s no superstar but he’s coming to it slowly but surely. We’re throwing him in the deep end here and he has a terrible draw but we have to start somewhere.”
Race 4: Lincoln Maree
7.04pm
“She’s as tough as old boots and tries like hell and you can’t ask for much more than that. She just lacks a bit of speed but has a good attitude. She usually finds one or two better than her but will make them work for it anyway.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Prince Lincoln
4.56pm
“He’ll be improved for the last run, has trialled and is working well, and has a better draw (the ace) this time. You just have to be a bit wary because he’s let us down a couple of times.”
Race 3: Angelic Copy
5.56pm
“She had a tie-up issue but seems much better now. It’s her first run for a while so she’ll definitely need the run. I’m just hoping she gets around all right and pulls up OK.”
Race 3: Colonel Lincoln
5.56pm
“He’s a very capable horse, if injury prone, and he’s been back in work for three or four months. You never say never but, realistically, he’s just starting off so you can’t expect him to be at his peak.”
Race 5: Sammy Lincoln
6.55pm
“I know I said it two starts back but if there’s such a thing as a certainty, he’s it. Even from seven on the gate, everything says he’s the one to beat. If he hadn’t gone a bit goofy up the home straight last time in the Sires’ Stakes Semi at Cambridge, he’d have easily run third. This is a huge drop in class.”
Race 7: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.58pm
“I expect he’ll be a bit sharper this time. He’s looking well and feeling good but I still think another run under his belt will be beneficial for him. He’s not one to leap out of the ground but he is capable of taking the race.”
