Sport
13 May, 2025
Top broadcaster booked to call Mount Isa Cup
Josh Fleming will be at Buchanan Park next month to call the Mount Isa Cup program.
One of Australia’s best racecallers will tick off Buchanan Park as his 101st venue when he flies in to call next month’s Mount Isa Cup.
Josh Fleming, who was recently made redundant from Sky Racing – much to the chagrin of many – received the call from Mount Isa Race Club president Jay Morris to fill in for the Cup meeting.
Regular caller James Coghlan is unavailable for the June 7 event.
“When (Morris) rang, I was very keen to get out there,” Fleming said.
“I was supposed to do the Mailman Express meeting in August in about 2019, but I got gastro and couldn’t go. So it’s sort of been six years in the making to get there.”
Fleming, who had been calling metropolitan races in Brisbane, is best known in the Outback for his annual pilgrimages to Birdsville, where he has broadcast many a Cup, including the two won by Morris – Just A Touch and Iron Meteorite.
“I know some of the colours in Mount Isa – I’ve called plenty of races with the Ballard silks and the Saunders’ colours,” he said.
“There’ll be a few new names, obviously. The big challenge will be sorting all the Tanya Parry runners. I’m sure she’ll have a stack in on Cup day.”
The Barcaldine product, who called his first race in Longreach at the age of 14, said his trip to Mount Isa would be memorable.
“I worked out that I’ve called at 100 tracks throughout the 26 years since I first started full-time,” he told North West Weekly.
“Mount Isa will be track 101, all things being equal.”
With some uncertainty over his race calling future, Fleming said he would still return to Birdsville later this year.
“They’re very keen to still have me out there,” he said, confirming he had spoken to the Birdsville Race Club after news of his shock redundancy a fortnight ago.
“In light of what’s happened, they’re definitely a club that’s always supported what I have done since I was 14.
“(Calling other race meets) is sort of dependent on what other work opportunities might come within the industry. I might go up there fresh off a spell.”
