Episode 596: Craig Sant - Born into a trotting family but race calling was his dream. He’s now the voice of “top end” racing
All ready for another day in the Darwin broadcast box.
Sky Racing’s Greg Radley spends time with Craig Sant at Darwin Cup time each year. He called me after this year’s NT carnival with a strong suggestion that we should invite Craig onto the podcast. We put the wheels in motion and Craig is our special guest this week. The 57 year old son of former trots trainer Allan Sant was brought up with standardbred horses and in mid-teens looked likely to follow in his father’s footsteps, but his nagging desire to become a race caller refused to go away. It took a long time and the disappointments were many, but his sheer persistence finally landed him behind the microphone at Alice Springs where he called the action for four years. Today Craig’s firmly ensconced in Darwin where he covers 40 thoroughbred meetings a year at the famous Fannie Bay track, and more than 70 at the Winnellie Park greyhound circuit. Craig talks about his annual get-together with Sky’s Greg Radley.
He talks about the month long Darwin Cup carnival which attracts horses and visitors from all over Australia. He agrees it brings added pressure to the resident race caller.
Craig reviews this year’s Darwin Cup won by visiting Adelaide horse Watadeel, one of a ten horse team brought to the top end by trainer Michael Hickmott.
He pays tribute to former Fannie Bay caller Mick Stumbles who was in the chair for close to forty years. Craig says he was scheduled to call his first Darwin Cup in 2013 but missed the opportunity as a result of a tragic race fall.
Craig says he finally got off the ground with a Cup call in 2014 and he hasn’t forgotten the occasion. The winner got the result on protest.
He talks about the unique dirt track which is sprayed with oil every year.
Craig says there are no breeding industries for thoroughbreds or greyhounds in the region. He says all equine and canine competitors are from other places.
He talks of childhood days in the Sutherland Shire and his obsession with the Cronulla-Sharks NRL team.
Craig explains that his father Allan kept his harness horses in backyard stables at Caringbah and had to go to a great deal of trouble to get them worked.
He recalls Allan’s success with horses at the iconic Harold Park track at Glebe, and a later relocation to the well known harness racing town of Peak Hill. Craig says he drove horses in trackwork and in a handful of trials but resisted the temptation to follow in his father’s footsteps.
He takes us through the early years when he practiced his race calls onto a tape recorder wherever he could find a spare broadcast box.
Finally, a surprise opportunity! Craig talks about an on-air job with a Darwin radio station owned by the Northern Territory TAB. That exposure led him to the track commentator’s role at the Winnellie Park dogs.
He looks back on an opportunity at Pioneer Park Alice Springs where he spent four years as track announcer complemented by freelance work as a racing journalist. During that time, he met his future wife Varn who’d been posted to Alice Springs as a school teacher. The couple are now the proud parents of two daughters.
Craig acknowledges the talents of some special horses he’s called during his time in the Territory.
He tells us more about his regular role as track supervisor at the Fannie Bay racecourse.
Craig tells a very funny story about a race he called at the Winnellie Park greyhounds one night. He’d had a wager on one of the runners, and was puzzled when he couldn’t find his fancy anywhere in the field.
A laid back chat with a Sydney lad who just chipped away until the smallest of opportunities came up. He seized that chance with both hands.
Craig trackside at the Darwin meeting 05/09/2026.
Craig Sant has been resident caller at Fannie Bay since the retirement of Mick Stumbles in 2012.
Orange trots late 1990s. Allan Sant on Sizzors leads the field out of the straight with a lap to go. The horse in 2nd position went on to beat him narrowly. Look at the crowd!
The Sant family at the Panthers/Eels NRL Grand Final 2022. From left - Craig, Charley, Lacey and Varn.
The show must go on! A power failure wiped out the course broadcasting system at this Wyndham Cup meeting. Craig saved the day by calling the races through a police patrol car amplifier.
Craig followed in the footsteps of highly respected Mick Stumbles who was the voice of Darwin racing for almost 4 decades.
Race callers day at Fannie Bay. From left - the late Brian Blackmore, the late John Russell, journalist Dennis Booth, Terry Bailey, Craig Sant and Greg Miles.
