RJC recognise Tony McMahon’s contribution.

The RJC will recognise long-standing racing all-rounder Tony Mc Mahon’s contribution to Rockhampton racing at the club’s TAB seven race meeting at Callaghan Park on Tuesday.

McMahon has been part of racing in Rockhampton for decades as a trainer, race caller, racing writer, and official. A few months back he had a health scare and decided to scale back his workload including his contributions for the RJC.

As a race caller, Mc Mahon called regularly in Rocky and Mackay and one of his most memorable was in Mackay in 2010. Seven of the eight horses in the TAB race at Ooralea names were prefixed Craiglea. The call could have been a nightmare but he pulled off. It was betting favourite Craiglea Royale who beat home Craiglea Matilda, Craiglea Gal, Craiglea Edge, Craiglea Tina, Craiglea Smokie, and Craiglea Rawie to give Kennilworth horse owner-breeder Stan Johnson a monumental feat. All the attention was on McMahon and just how he would cope with calling Johnson’s horses – all racing in the same jockey colours of blue, white crossed sashes and white striped sleeves. The only difference – all seven raced with different coloured jockey caps. For those who didn’t hear the call a few years back, McMahon produced a stellar description of the QTIS 2YO Maiden broadcast throughout Australia. McMahon has called races for 54 years. He started his career at Lismore in 1970 and he still calls non-TAB races around CQ including all race meetings at Gladstone’s Ferguson Park.

RJC CEO, David Aldred.