Commentators

Mark developed an interest in horses from an early age assisting his father, who was a hobby trainer of harness horses or pacers in his home town of Whyalla, South Australia.

“We used to have around 10 to 12 horses in work and Mark used to assist in the breaking-in, training and track work,” Mark’s father fondly recalled.

Mark’s father also fancied a little wager on the races and most of the time the family radio was tuned into the racing station where numerous race calls were heard throughout the day. The race commentary was something that appealed to Mark as he listened to the different styles of race calls from various commentators.

While still going to school at the time, he studied the form guides regularly and practised phantom calls to himself. He started calling the harness trials in Whyalla at 15 years of age and was appointed their race caller when he turned 16.

From there, he branched out to calling at various country thoroughbred meetings before getting his break in 2001 when he was appointed to the race callers’ roster with Tabradio and Skyracing TV calling greyhounds, harness racing and gallopers.

Mark moved to Malaysia in January 2012, initially calling for the Perak and Penang Turf Clubs, and later called races at Selangor Turf Club as well.

From a young age, Devon grew up around horses, visiting the training centre and commonly going to different racecourses in Cape Town, South Africa through the influence of his father who is a racing presenter back in South Africa. However, his real passion for horse racing came in July 2008 in Durban when two horses dead heated in Africa’s biggest race and the commentary of that race inspired him to take an interest as a commentator.

Not long after finishing high school, he experienced his first live race call in 2022 in a small centre called, Fairview Racecourse. After endless hours of practice and ‘mock calls’ he was finally put to the test when three horses hit the line in a photo finish for his first live call. After a few months in Fairview, he was then appointed as the commentator for Cape Racing, calling races at Kenilworth and Durbanville racecourse in Cape Town.

Besides being a race commentator, Devon is also a capable race day presenter providing tips as well as in-depth analysis of races. He was also greatly involved in luring younger South African audience to the ‘Sport Of Kings’.