Still an active member of the committee on which he has sat for 22 years, Marantelli worked his first meeting as a bookmaker at a Healesville picnic meeting, doing the country circuit for a year.

He has fond memories of his move to town where he initially worked out in the centre of Caulfield - "there would have been sixty bookmakers betting on Melbourne out there in those days," he recalled, "and another ten or so interstate bookmakers."

"The crowds were very good then," he said, adding that the betting rings on the flat at Moonee Valley and behind the Hill Stand at Flemington were also abuzz with race day activity.

"There would be around 200 bookmakers at each city meeting alone," he said, "as compared to less than 170 now licensed full stop."

Country meetings in the 1960's were also well attended, Marantelli having worked with fifty or sixty others at such tracks as Woodend, Pakenham and Mornington.

Whilst always busy, Marantelli has had time to appreciate the heroes of the sport, citing Tulloch, Kingston Town, Northerly and Sunline as the most talented four horses he has seen.

"Tulloch is the best I have seen," he said, "but the other three also stand out," adding that he had a soft spot for Sunline - "she was a magic horse - her longevity as a champion was amazing."

Hailing from a well known family of bookmakers, Marantelli is optimistic about the future of bookmaking, noting that "turnover has started to increase over the last couple of years."

Marantelli can be seen in the main rings at each of Melbourne's four metropolitan courses.

GEORGE WILKINSON
VBA Life Member George Wilkinson passed away at his home in Melbourne on September 15, aged 80.

Survived by his wife Kathleen, George registered as a bookmaker at the age of 24 in May 1947, concentrating
most of his career on doubles betting - his vocation seeing him travel the width and breadth of Victoria - in one year alone clocking up over 33,300kms!

Invited to also work on day and night harness meetings, George was a particularly busy bookmaker – sometimes working at Hamilton on a Tuesday night at Sale the following day.

In fact George missed working on only two courses in Victoria, Moonee Valley harness and Towong thoroughbreds.

Reducing his work load in 1994, George retired four years later - having completed 51 and a half years of continual bookmaking service. The VBA recognised this achievement by electing him a life member in December 1998.

One of eight children born to Boort farmers Thomas and Johanna Wilkinson, George hailed from a prolific bookmaking family - his brothers Tom (who also worked in the game for 51 years) and Cyril also licensed as was his son Tim.