Rather than hearing the familiar tones of broadcaster Craig Easey, it was legendary caller John Gilmour's voice that boomed out over the Showground Paceway and into the televisions of those watching around Australia.

Gilmour retired from calling more than a decade ago after a long and illustrious career.

Regarded as one of the greatest callers Australia has produced, he showed he had lost nothing during his time away from the binoculars as he called Feel The Need to an all-the-way win in the $8160 event.

"I was surprised actually, I thought I'd be a bit more rusty than that because I only had a few minutes notice," Gilmour said after the race.

"I came up the tower and was talking to Craig and he asked if I wanted to call one. I thought he was joking but he was deadly serious.

"I got a chance to study the colours while the horses were in the parade and doing their preliminaries, and it all came flooding back to me somehow.

"I used to call the show meetings here years and years ago so it was good to be able to come back and call another race at Dubbo, although I don't think I'll be making it a regular thing."

For Easey, it was a chance to watch one of his boyhood idols go to work.

"That was pretty good to watch," he said.

"It took me back to the days when I'd be in the car with my dad and we'd have the trots on the radio and you'd hear John Gilmour calling them.

"To be able to stand here tonight while he called a race on the biggest night of the Dubbo harness racing calendar was pretty special, and he nailed it as well.

"We've had Freddy Hastings out here calling at these big meetings a couple of times in recent years and when you watch these guys you just realise how good we've got it when it comes to our racecallers.

"I'm glad it's only a one-off though, because based on how well John did he would probably put me out of a job."