Gippsland racing legend to retire

Long serving Gippsland harness racing caller Peter Eustace will retire this weekend, after more than half a century behind the microphone.

Peter will call greyhound racing at Warragul on Thursday afternoon before his farewell shift at Sale greyhounds on Sunday night.

He began calling races in 1966 in the state's south west, before moving to Gippsland in the early 1970's.

Peter called all three codes across Gippsland in the decades that followed, including the opening and closing races at various tracks as time went on.

He is also one of the few people to have called a triple dead heat, that achievement coming at Stony Creek races in January 1987.

Course broadcaster at Warragul and Traralgon trotting, and at Traralgon and Sale greyhounds for many years, he was also heard regularly at other venues from Cranbourne through to Buchan.

Peter's calls were relayed to Melbourne radio stations, however he also worked for a long time as a caller and announcer with 3TR, and as a breakfast announcer with the ABC in Sale.

He wrote regular newspaper columns to promote Gippsland racing, and also dabbled in training greyhounds as a hobby.

Once retired he looks forward to some overseas travel, and not so much driving along Gippsland's highways.

Kyle Galley