There were more commentators than horses at this race callers day, hosted by the Coff’s Harbour Race Club, in the mid-nineties.
We all responded to an early “muster” at the Pelican Beach Resort for a casual photo, following a pretty heavy night.
Front row from left. John Russell (Vic), John Tapp (NSW), Alan Thomas (Qld), and Ron Papps (SA). Second row from left. The late Tony Campbell (ACT),the youngster of the group Darren McAullay (WA), and Geoff Heath (Northern Rivers). In the extreme back row are Mick Stumbles (Darwin), and Milton Pettit (TAS).
The most sobering aspect of the picture, is the fact that Darren McAullay is the only one of the group still calling races. He is widely regarded as the voice of Western Australian racing.
This may well have been Tony Campbell’s last guest appearance. He died in 2006, aged 58 after a battle with cancer. He was a highly respected figure in the ACT, and a wonderful friend to Canberra racing. He called the Black Opal Stakes for twenty five years. He was tremendous company, and stole the show at a function, the night before this photo was taken.