Tony McMahon receives Pat Duff Trophy at Australian Trainers Association Queensland Trainers Awards

From stablehand to steward, race caller to trainer, Tony McMahon has filled countless roles within the horse racing industry. His lengthy contribution has now been recognised.

Tony McMahon has achieved much in his 57 years in the horse racing industry but it’s his latest accolade he says tops it all.

The 70-year-old was awarded the Pat Duff Trophy at the Australian Trainers Association Queensland Trainers Awards night in Brisbane.

He received the award from Duff, a Queensland racing icon who is still actively training in his 80s.

McMahon said it was the greatest honour he had achieved in his career, surpassing even his treasured Rockhampton Cup win with Mamselle Corday in 2018.

“It’s a privilege,” he said.

“It’s number one as far as I’m concerned and I’ll treasure it.

Rockhampton's Tony McMahon (left) received the Pat Duff Trophy for his contribution to the racing industry from Pat Duff himself, the legendary trainer after whom the award was named.

“Racing has been my passion and it’s my life.

“I don’t think I’ve done anything so special but I’ve always been proud of myself for trying to help the younger trainers and if anyone’s in trouble they know they can come to me.”

The trophy is awarded for contribution and promotion of the industry, and for offering support to those within it, in particular young trainers.

McMahon went to the presentation night thinking he was collecting an award on behalf of fellow Rockhampton trainer Lyle Wright, who could not attend.

Tony McMahon with the Pat Duff Trophy, which he rates as the “number one” achievement in his career.

He said he got the “shock of my life” when they announced he had won the trophy, which is sponsored by FanFave.

Wright, along with Rockhampton’s Nick Walsh, were among the monthly winners in the running for the prestigious Wayne Wilson Medal, which recognises trainers who have recorded a special career milestone or improved their personal best result.

While the medal went to a Brisbane trainer, Walsh did receive another gong, taking home the Trackside Photography Special Award.

McMahon said it was a wonderful night, celebrated by about 200 people who got an insight into his incredible contribution to the industry.

Tony McMahon has been calling races for 53 years. Photo Lee Constable / Daily Mercury

He started as a stablehand in Grafton before he got his start as a race caller at the Gold Coast Turf Club, something he has continued to do for 53 years.

It was at that same club that, at age 19, he would become the youngest handicapper in Australia in 1971.

He has been a trainer for 36 years, chief steward for 10 years and had considerable success as an advocate for trainers and jockeys at racing appeals, a role he continues in for the Central Queensland region now.

McMahon said he and Duff went “way back”, the two having met when he was handicapping at the Gold Coast.

“In those days, you couldn’t just ring up and nominate your horse for a race, it had to be done with a written nomination form,” he said.

Tony McMahon with connections of Mamselle Corday, which won the Rockhampton Cup in 2018.

“I was at the Gold Coast Turf Club and the secretary and myself would drive up on the Monday to the Eagle Farm racecourse in the old offices there and the Brisbane trainers would have to bring in their forms for horses to race at Southport or the Gold Coast the following Saturday.

“I can still see Pat Duff, he was one of the first I saw.

“I remember he always looked very dapper and he was always smiling.”

McMahon said he had been overwhelmed by the well wishes that had flooded in from all over Australia, some of them from people he didn’t actually know.

“I’ve been getting texts and the phone calls haven’t stopped coming. It’s been incredible,“ he said.