Focus on Dan Costello for special harness racing honour

As a race photographer, Dan Costello is used to dealing with the wild weather that can sometimes descend on meetings.

He describes the night he recently returned to capturing the action at the Redcliffe Harness Racing Club as “cyclonic.”

But having spent the past year in the fight of his life battling cancer, Costello would not have wanted to be anywhere else – extreme conditions and all.

The hugely popular figure was awarded the RHRC Feehely Achievement Award at Sunday night’s Queensland Harness Awards for his significant contribution to the industry.

The 66-year-old has previously held many different titles within the industry, including as the President of BOTRA.

He is now best known as the on-course snapper at Albion Park and Redcliffe, where he has been a mainstay with the camera in hand for 15 years.

Attending the ceremony with wife Gitana, Costello said he was humbled to receive the award from Redcliffe President Mark McNee.

“Yeah that was a bit of a shock - a big, big shock,” Costello said

“I wasn't involved in any of the process with it, they kept it all undercover, and to come here tonight and hear my name called out, I was thinking ‘wow, how good is that.’

“It's all down to people like Kevin and Kay Seymour, and my wife Gitana - she's been my backbone.

“She's been my nurse, she's been my chauffeur, she's been there for everything, and she was here tonight and enjoyed it as much as I did, it's been fantastic.

“The feedback you get is what keeps you going – it’s the people that come up to you afterwards and say how fantastic those photos were.”

For Costello to even be in attendance at the ceremony at Victoria Park was a miracle on its own, given the adversity he has faced the last few years.

First diagnosed with cancer in the bladder in late 2023, he was moved into palliative care in early 2025 after the cancer had spread, and was told not to expect to make it to Christmas.

With the support of well-known owners Kevin and Kay Seymour, specialist treatment on the tumours in Costello’s body began to shrink, giving him a new positive outlook on his future.

Costello said he had been overwhelmed by the support he received from the harness racing industry and beyond.

“When I first got diagnosed, the amount of texts, emails, phone calls that I got from people I hadn't heard from in years was amazing,” Costello said.

“I used to do the photography for the thoroughbreds, and there were jockeys that I’d forgotten, and club Chairmans and all that – I got all these phone calls and messages from them wishing me all the best.

“Harness racing is just like one big family and you look after each other, that's what it's all about.”

During his time out from doing what he loves, Costello has been aided by fellow photographers Toby Coutts and Ross Stevenson across the harness racing scene.

With neither of the duo available to shoot one evening, it was a Monday night meeting in early February of this year when Costello dug out his camera gear and made his return to 'The Triangle.'

Despite the testing conditions, the snapper was relishing being back doing what he loves.

“I almost gave it away my first night back,” Costello said with a laugh.

“The two guys that have been working for me quite a bit, Toby and Ross, they were off on a cruise.

“My first night back was at Redcliffe, and it was almost cyclonic - the wind and the rain, it was coming in horizontal.

“And I just thought to myself ‘What am I doing here?’

“But I have to say, I enjoyed every minute of it.”

Costello’s full-time return to the industry will be put on hold for now, after receiving news this week that he will require more chemotherapy for a recurrence of the cancer.

He will continue to tap into the support and love from the Queensland harness community as he faces this newest challenge head on.

He remains determined to be back at his spot trackside on a regular basis in the future.

“A driving passion to get back to the track again is what's keeping me going,” Costello said.

“Being away, you don't know how much you miss it, and as I said before, it's a big family.

“I've done it for so long, and have seen all the top drivers come through the pony club and mini trots all the way through to now, where they are the number one and number two in Australia, basically.

“The kids that I started to film, they're having kids now, so it's unreal.”

Fittingly, Costello received the award the same evening where Leap To Fame was crowned the Queensland Harness Horse of the Year for the fourth straight occasion.

Racing Queensland EGM – Racing David Brick paid tribute to Costello for his contribution to the industry, and for his work capturing the champion pacer’s outstanding career moments, including the famous 2023 Inter Dominion victory.

“Some of the great shots of Leap To Fame have come from Dan, so I think that's probably a feather in his cap from that point of view,” Brick said.

“In the years to come, those memories of Leap To Fame will live on through those shots.

“He's obviously had his challenges, but he's met them head on so it's great to see him here tonight.

“The award was just deserts for his efforts for the industry, and the service he's done.”