The clear and concise dulcet tones of the late Brian Markovic will forever resonate with me.
In the early 1980s, Brian called the first horse I raced, a trotter named Jenny Bear, winning her first race at Wangaratta after the mare had run six consecutive seconds.
So chuffed with the win, I presented Brian with a bottle of red wine the following Tuesday night at the Warragul trots meeting.
“Nobody has ever done this before,” said a somewhat surprised Brian.
Memories of this happy encounter came flooding back when news of Brian’s passing at the age of 70 filtered through the racing industry last Saturday morning.
Born in Williamstown, Brian grew up on the outskirts of Caulfield racecourse and plotted his pathway to the broadcast box by commencing his work life as a panel operator at 3UZ.
Brian’s first foray behind the binoculars was as a 16-year-old calling a trots race during the Royal Melbourne Show before graduating to calling at provincial gallops meetings in the Gippsland region.
For more than two decades, Brian was the voice of Moonee Valley harness racing, calling all the major races including the 1992 Inter Dominion won by Westburn Grant.
But one call stands out above all others.
Brian enjoyed every race caller’s dream when announcing his own horse winning a Group 1 as Blueagle took out the 1995 Victoria Derby.
“…..Blueagle ranged up on the outside, grabbed the lead and the Derby’s ours! Blueagle wins the Victoria Derby – God bless you!”
An aside from the broadcast box, Brian bore an uncanny resemblance to Rowan Atkinson who played the role of Mr Bean in the British sitcom An Animated Series.
Brian always blamed colleague and renowned race caller Bryan Martin for the moniker, which became a widely acknowledged nickname.
“One day Bryan decided that I looked like Mr Bean, and from that day on, it stuck,” he said.
Brian’s daughter Michelle revealed her Dad was not impressed with his alias.
“Dad didn’t really like it and didn’t find Mr Bean funny,” Michelle said.
“The only time he laughed was when he was in the Post Office one day and a little boy tugged his mothers coat and said ‘Mummy, there’s Mr Bean’.”
Several of our leading race callers paid tribute to Brian.
The current voice of harness racing Dan Mielicki recalled Brian’s reign at Moonee Valley.
“Brian proceeded me in calling harness racing at Moonee Valley, he had such a unique style and an iconic voice, and who could ever forget his call of the Hunter Cup that had Blossom Lady, Master Musician and Golden Reign,” Mielicki said.
“He was a fantastic person and a wonderful caller, and he is going to be sadly missed.”
Leading broadcaster Matt Hill said he grew up listening to Brian’s race calls on a Saturday night.
“He was a lovely man with a wicked sense of humour and I loved listening to his calls,” Hill said.
“The thing with Brian was that he was a very clear caller. In the early 90s on 3UZ when Moonee Valley was absolutely packed and with races like the Hunter Cup and the Victoria Cup, you would be glued to the radio listening to Brian.
“To hear those tones every Saturday night, for a lot of people he was like a soundtrack to your Saturday night before you went out.”
Former race caller Bryan Martin watched Brian evolve into a skilled broadcaster.
“From his days at 3UZ to 3DB and later 927, he became one of the best. He was accurate, clear and was able to capture the occasion,” Martin said.
Brian is survived by his wife Jenny along with his daughters Sarah and Michelle, son-in-law Chris and grandchildren Jiah, Koda and Cody.
The celebration of Brian Markovic’s life will be held at his favourite Mornington Racecourse on July 27 at 11am.
Bernard Saundry, on behalf of the Harness Racing Victoria board and wider industry, offers sincere condolences to Brian’s friends and family.
