scooby3051 10,976 Report post Posted June 16, 2016 Manawatu tipster has always enjoyed his smoky tips coming up trumps PETER LAMPP Last updated 05:00, June 16 2016 DAVID UNWIN / FAIRFAX NZ Manawatu Standard racing reporter Stewart McGrail. Ads by Google Maths Practice Ages 5-15nz.ixl.com/maths A maths website kids love — Win awards, certificates, have fun! OPINION: On Stewart McGrail's last day at school, he was told by his headmaster someone had to come last; just not as far back as him. The headmaster was the ruthless Johnny Dash at Wanganui Technical College, noted for brandishing the cane, as young McGrail could attest. He would sneak the Turf Digest into school and had Dash known, he would have told McGrail there was no future in that either. In a week or so, he enters his ninth decade and almost 70 of those years have been in the horse-racing industry. He still contributes to the Manawatu Standard and is a judge at races at Waverley and Wanganui from where Trackside watchers often hear his unmistakeable judge's calls. As a tipster, he has always gone for a "smoky" tip and derived satisfaction from it coming up trumps. Racing took him to Macau near Hong Kong and for donkeys years to meetings up and down the East Coast, as far as Gisborne, and across to New Plymouth. As a schoolboy, Dash might have written off young McGrail. But he was adept enough at English and arithmetic and once he turned 15 he was off, felt it was his duty to help keep the home fires burning at Fordell where his father was a sharemilker. Although he had gone to the races with his father, the industry didn't beckon immediately. He bummed around in woolstores and seagulled on the wharf at Castlecliff until a vacancy came up at the Wanganui Chronicle for a linotype operator or night-shift compositor. Ad Feedback The compositor job proved to be his big break, laying out hot type for the pages and fostering a friendship with racing editor Brian Bergin. They would go to the races, mix with up to 20 racing journos from around the country and one day Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune racing editor Warwick Shooter offered the young McGrail a job on his racing desk. At the Chronicle, the other compositor was a slacker and McGrail often found he was laying out the whole newspaper. When he asked general manager Alan Burnett (later Independent Newspapers Ltd chairman) for a pay rise, Burnett said "no" and McGrail, who had "two-and-a-half kids" by then, took off to Hastings. He still reminds Burnett of that to this day, saying he did him the greatest favour. For four years in the 1970s he was back in newspapers, brought in by racing contacts to close down the Guardian in Palmerston North. Once he cut the freebies, he took it back into profit. Bergin was also a racing handicapper and when he left for Singapore, McGrail went on to be the handicapper at Gisborne, Wairoa, Hawke's Bay and Waipukurau. Renowned caller Allan Bright offered him a job at the then Manawatu Evening Standard; but it wouldn't have worked. They would've been at the same meetings, doing different jobs. McGrail did come to Palmerston North, taking over the NZ Racing Form Record in 1971 and tipping sheet, the Sports Gazette. The Form Record closed in 1988, videos making it redundant. A year later he was off to the Macau Jockey Club to be their chief handicapper for two years, with wife Shirley. Taiwanese owned the club and when it went broke after 18 months, Macau casino magnate Stanley Ho took it over. It was a tax-free gig, McGrail was paid well, there was golf in nearby China and the hospitality was superb; but things were different. Stipendiary stewards didn't want to know when he pointed out misdemeanours and officials were offered inducements. That was a forerunner to 15 years as the Woodville Racing Club secretary where he learnt to be a diplomat, selling himself to owners and trainers and continually fighting to retain their plum Saturday date in January. At one time there were 300 horses training there under the likes of Eric Ropiha, Jock Harris, Sid Brown, Bruce Marsh, Murray Baker... Now there are about 30. Back in the day, racing scribes such as Bright made a pretty penny with "ratting", selling their reports to up to 15 newspapers in one hit. McGrail likens his judge's box to a confessional, where confidentiality and concentration reign. At Hastings, in a tight finish, he had to call a dead heat after the photo operator forgot to turn on the power. These days the photo comes up on screen instantly. He has had family shares in horses. At Claudelands one day he bought Skadoot for a mere $300. Back then one win was enough to put an owner in profit for the year. Skadoot won five. rdytdy, Behind the 8 Ball, gubellini and 2 others 5 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdytdy 5,343 Report post Posted June 16, 2016 Stewie McGrail. Been a family friend for decades. Good bugger alright!! Behind the 8 Ball and Ashoka 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rumpole 483 Report post Posted June 16, 2016 14 hours ago, rdytdy said: Stewie McGrail. Been a family friend for decades. Good bugger alright!! Very very top bloke best advertisement that smoking is good for you and a good judge of a horse rdytdy and Behind the 8 Ball 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midget 4,489 Report post Posted June 16, 2016 Great bloke, should have his own radio show IMO, he's honest, informed and always entertaining is our Stewie. rdytdy and Behind the 8 Ball 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Behind the 8 Ball 46 Report post Posted June 17, 2016 Like the above comments me and Stuie go back decades.... what wasn't mentioned was his keen interest in 'cue sports'... talking 'races' I've enjoyed many dry comment from him in the press box... long may he remain on this side of life! rdytdy and Ashoka 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
