How 'rabbit' Warren Became A Bunny To The Punt
The Age
Tuesday December 9, 2008
His first bet was sixpence on a 20-1 winner and, by George, he was hooked.
IN THE past few columns we've seen how cleverly betting plunges can be orchestrated.However, this week we speak to one of Australia's best-known sporting commentators and discover how he was seduced into a lifetime of punting.In 1949, Ray "Rabbit" Warren was being looked after by his father Joe at their home in Junee, NSW.Warren admits to driving his father mad during race broadcasts, so his dad, a fettler with the NSW railways, allowed him to bet sixpence on the 1949 AJC Derby.At the age of six, the youngster selected Playboy, a maiden but, more importantly, ridden by George Moore."And you can guess what happened then," Warren laughs. "Playboy came down the outside and won at 20-1 and dad gave me 10 shillings, which seemed like a million dollars for a family living in a railway home out in the bush."I'll never forget the day. My mother was out buying galvanised iron for our leaking roof and dad loved a punt but couldn't put up with my constant interference," he said.In later years, Warren continued to back George Moore in every ride he had and, with the brilliant Sydney hoop gathering a 33 per cent winning strike rate each year, Warren managed to make a healthy profit."But what it did do was to open up the possibility of a life of broadcasting as I just loved hearing Ken Howard and Bert Bryant describe a day at a city race meeting, colourfully outlining the cut and thrust of big bets and nail-biting finishes," Warren said."So I put together a tape and thought to myself, will I post it to Melbourne and go right or to Sydney and go left. You see, Junee is smack bang in between both places and I elected to go to Sydney."And remarkably in 1969, 20 years after I was baby-sat by my father, I was the second assistant to Ken Howard on AJC Derby day. His first assistant was a bloke called John Tapp."But Warren's talents were move obvious to TV networks around Australia and the country boy had to make a decision early in his career whether to pursue general sports broadcasting or racing."I had a good look at it and the networks were pretty insistent that I had a gift for calling rugby league and so that's what happened."After a few seasons with rugby league the Nine Network picked me up for calling swimming and my whole career blossomed and now I rarely call a gallops race," he said.Warren admits to being a lifetime fan of the late Bert Bryant, who, he believes, filled every Australian home with colour in the 1960s and '70s."We would sit there by this big radio and Bert would describe a day at the races. He was so good that even if you'd done your life on a 3-1 on chance he'd make you laugh. He had the knack of being on the punters' level, a gift that so few broadcasters ever had."Warren had a drink with Bryant a week before he died. And he told the veteran caller that after his success in 1949, his parents had allowed him only to bet on Saturdays. And Bryant asked Warren: "And today, Rabbit, how do you bet?" His response was: "On Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, but never on Good Friday or Christmas Day."
© 2008 The Age