Back row from left - John Russell, Bryan Martin, Ian Craig, the late Brian Blackmore, Kevin Thompson, Hilton Donaldson and John Tapp.
Front row- John O’Neill, Paul Ambrosoli, the late Ray Conroy, David Morrow and Darren Flindell.
This one was snapped at a Parramatta Hotel in 1994.
A large group of race callers assembled for the official launch of a new book called “London to a brick on” - a salute to Australian race calling.
The man at the back is the author, the late Steve Cairns who dreamed of writing this account from his early days in radio.
Cardiac arrest claimed Steve’s life at just 53 years of age in November 2015. He’d just returned to Brisbane to assume the role of General Manager Radio 4TAB, after nineteen years as Group Programme Director of RSN Racing and Sport in Melbourne.
In more than thirty years in the radio industry, Steve had worked as an on air presenter, a programmer and in senior management. He’d had a fascination with race calling all his life and this book became his labour of love.
Sadly two of the commentators present on the day are no longer with us.
This book will serve as a valuable chronicle of the development of race broadcasting in Australia and testimony to the dedication of its creator - the warm and wonderful Steve Cairns.