Respected racing journalist Keith Robbins has died after a brief illness, shortly before his 82nd birthday.

The racing editor of the Daily Telegraph for 35 years from the 1960s to 1980s, Robbins came out of retirement in the 1990s for a stint as the racing editor of the Sun Herald.

Affectionately known as Punchy, Robbins was fearless in his pursuit of the news in an era dominated in Sydney by trainer TJ Smith.

Robbins' son Glenn followed him into the profession and is now the proprietor of racing website, Racenet, on which Keith shared some of his memories in feature stories during his retirement.

Keith Robbins is survived by his wife Beryl, children Raellen, Glenn and Kim and a host of grandchildren and great grandchildren.