John Tapp Racing

It’s been a pleasure to welcome a sequence of popular country trainers to the podcast lately and we’re going “bush” again in our first interview for 2026.  Our guest is respected horseman Paddy Cunningham who’s currently the only trainer based at the Glen Innes racecourse in the NSW New England district. He and wife Kathy achieve consistent results with a team of just twelve horses, and are happy to travel long distances to find the right races for them. Paddy Cunningham put together a tidy record as a race rider before ongoing weight problems saw him transition to the training ranks. After two lengthy stints at Grafton and another at Caloundra, Cunningham returned to his native Glen Innes in 2016  and you’d need the army to shift him again. Paddy talks about the well appointed property he and Kathy share close to the Glen Innes track. He looks back on his early days at Ben Lomond, a unique little village situated so far above sea level that snow isn’t uncommon in the winter months. Paddy talks of his parents and siblings and the little pony that first introduced him to the sensation of speed on horseback. He looks back on the circumstances that led him to an apprenticeship with local trainer Hunter Kilner and the unforgettable thrill of his very first day of race riding at an Inverell meeting. He made a spectacular start. Paddy talks of consecutive Armidale Cup wins very early in his career.  The jockey turned trainer says he quickly tired of continual wasting and ventured to the Northern Territory in search of a complete change of environment. He found employment at the famous Wave Hill station. Paddy talks of his return to Glen Innes after a two year sabbatical and a resumption of trackwork duties for his old boss Hunter Kilner. He talks of the mare who regenerated his interest and motivated his return to race riding. The same mare would later provide his first winning ride at Royal Randwick. Paddy says he couldn’t believe his luck when another winner came along at Canterbury the very next day. Two weeks later the same horse was involved in a spectacular fall at Canterbury. Paddy was lucky to escape serious injury. He remembers a wild ride he had on a Grafton Cup day in the 1970’s. Despite doing everything wrong the horse in question was able to score an amazing win. Paddy talks about “the one that got away”. He regarded a horse called Final Say as the  best he’d ever ridden and was bitterly disappointed when the gelding went amiss. He says unstable weight eventually hastened his retirement from race riding but has never regretted his brief but exciting few years in the saddle. Paddy unhesitatingly nominated the  country jockey who inspired him the most. He looks back on the low key beginning to his training career. Surprisingly he can’t remember his first win as a solo trainer.  Cunningham talks of his training career to date- two stints at Grafton and a decade on the Sunshine Coast. His move to Caloundra coincided with daughter Kylie’s decision to become an apprentice jockey. Paddy says he often travelled to faraway Queensland destinations in search of the right races for his horses. He looks back on a return to Grafton in 2010. The winners flowed over a six year stint but he decided on yet another move when synthetic training tracks came to Grafton. He’s pretty vocal in his opposition to them. Paddy elaborates on the talents of several nice horses who helped to forge his reputation as a very serious horse trainer. He talks of Jodi Worley who rode work for the stable for close to five years before deciding to become a jockey. Paddy signed her up and the young rider got away to a spectacular start. Paddy has always been one to support the jockeys who’ve supported him. He makes mention of a few special favourites. Paddy pays tribute to best mate and devoted supporter wife Kathy whose behind-the-scenes work for Cunningham Racing has been unwavering.  He and Kathy are the proud parents of four daughters. He brings

Great to chat with a man who co-founded Hyperion Thoroughbreds, one of the very earliest racehorse syndication companies in Australia. We find out what Allan’s been doing since a crippling recession brought Hyperion’s operation to a halt in 1990.Allan takes us back to his childhood in Gravesend near Warialda when radio was a way of life to country people. He fell in love with the theatre of racing, the day he listened to the broadcast of the 1956 Melbourne Cup.He talks of school days in Inverell and his first job at the Valuer General’s Department in Sydney. A job transfer to Moree led him to a friendship with Terry Mulhall, destined to become his business partner in later years.Allan reflects on the creation of Hyperion Thoroughbreds and the concept of forming larger syndicates than those offered by predecessors.He recalls the creation of the famous black and pink silks which signalled the emerging popularity of syndication.He reflects on the tough guidelines introduced by the Corporate Affairs Commission in the 1970’s.Allan looks back on the extensive methods of communication necessary to keep hundreds of owners informed about their horses.He acknowledges some of the better horses to keep the Hyperion banner flying, beginning with the cheap Dubbo sale graduate Prince Clarendon.Allan pays a special tribute to the evergreen Targlish, almost certainly the best horse to represent the company. The remarkable gelding raced 109 times for 17 wins and 31 placings.He reflects on the ground breaking idea of purchasing a horse to race in America for Australian owners. He pays tribute to So Vague who won 5 races in the USA before being brought to Australia. He later won stakes races in Melbourne for Colin Hayes.Allan acknowledges the devotion of some special trainers who gave great service to Hyperion Thoroughbreds.He pays a special tribute to the veteran jockey who rode many winners in the Hyperion colours and frequently helped out behind the scenes.Allan reflects on the inevitable winding down of the 16 year old company when the recession started to bite. Hyperion was one of hundreds of businesses to be brought to their knees. The last of the horses were placed according to the wishes of their owners, and a great era had come to an end. It was a tough day for old mates Gainey and Mulhall.

It’s always a pleasure to talk to a dedicated bush trainer from any part of the nation. This week we go to the busy training hub at Dubbo and to one of its most respected participants. Dar (that’s his official christian name) was one of a family of jockeys from the tiny village of Carinda in the Walgett Shire. He spent more than 35 years as a respected member of the western riding ranks before having to quit following a serious kick from a nervous young horse. Dar has been training for some 14 years from a Dubbo base and has  no intention of trying any other job. Right off the top he appeases the curiosity about his first name. Dar talks about his infrequent trips to town and says it takes a pretty handy horse to warrant a  crack at the city slickers.  He made a rare appearance at Randwick on Saturday where his two runners were out of a place, Saint  Philomena and Elson Boy who had a pretty tough run. Dar says he travelled the horses to Sydney the day before in heatwave conditions. He talks about a horse called Green Run who might earn a trip to the big smoke in the near future. The horse’s regular rider is out of action following a freak mounting yard accident recently. Dar talks about his birthplace of Carinda which boasted a population of 200 during his childhood.  The Dubbo based trainer reflects on the riding activities of four brothers. Dar looks back on school days in Carinda and a move to Walgett as he reached a higher grade.This was when his association with thoroughbreds began under the tutelage of a veteran trainer. He makes the frank confession that he wasn’t licensed at the time of his first few race rides. He looks back on his first legitimate race ride and his first winner  way out west at Bourke. Dar says he wasn’t dedicated to looking after his weight early days, but mended his ways soon after. He talks of the shortage of race meetings in the west and the distances he had to travel to carve out a livelihood as a bush jockey. Dar says he rarely rode on metropolitan tracks, but recalls one exciting win at Eagle Farm in Brisbane. He says he could count his Sydney rides on one hand but reflects on a two year old race at Rosehill when he ran into a rising topliner. The 64 year old remembers his final winning ride on the spacious Warren track on a horse trained by brother Garry. Dar talks about the freakish accident that ended his riding career. The experienced horseman takes us through the Elson Boy story- the unraced horse identified on line by one of his most supportive owners. Dar admits he made a few mistakes before working the gelding out. He takes us through some exciting wins and one heartbreaking setback. Dar looks back on a horse he felt was going places before going amiss. He looks back on a great association with a western trainer who was destined to become his father-in-law. This was Dar’s cue to acknowledge the unwavering support of Jill, his wife of 39 years. He and Jill are the proud parents of daughters Brianna and Layne. Brianna has in turn presented her parents with three grandchildren- all girls. Dar speaks candidly of the sudden stroke that stopped him in his tracks just over two years ago. He hated the inactivity of his recovery but opted to do everything the doctors ordered. Dar Lunn has earned the respect of all in NSW country racing. It’s a pleasure to have him on the podcast.

Ray Thomas’ recent decision to quit his high pressure role triggered a flood of tributes for the hugely popular media identity. Ray’s many fans were pleased to learn he’ll still be appearing on Sky Thoroughbred Central programmes “This Week Next Week” and “News Central” and intends to continue his long time hosting role on the Sunday morning edition of Sky Racing Radio’s “Big Sports Breakfast”. Ray’s passion for multiple sports was evident from an early age, but horse racing  prevailed when it was time for the aspiring journalist to settle on a career path. That career has been well documented, but I’d like to add my tribute to the many he’s already received from colleagues and followers. He’s our podcast guest this week. Ray begins by revisiting his final day in the Sydney Press Room, and the touching tribute accorded him in the Newscorp office a few days later. The popular journalist talks about the effects of his sudden departure from a very busy role. Ray talks about a 2023 health scare and the i decision to take stock of his hectic lifestyle.  He talks of his late father’s career as an RAAF communications operator, a job that took him to several parts of the world. Young Raymond Grant was born during David Thomas’ Hong Kong stint in the early 1960’s.  Ray looks back on his dad’s transfer to Perth where his love of sport began. His interest in horse racing was triggered by the deeds of two notable thoroughbred mares and one freakishly talented harness horse. Ray says one particular race call had an amazing impact on him. The multimedia personality looks back on his own participation in Aussie Rules and cricket  during those early years in WA. He talks of the decision to follow his father into the air force.  Ray acknowledges his elderly mother Marlene and siblings Tony and Stacey. He talks about his own nine year career with the RAAF. Ray takes us through the progression of roles with the Melbourne Herald Sun, the Sydney based Sportsman and finally his transition to Daily Telegraph Racing Editor, an appointment that came out of the blue. Ray takes us back to some of the biggest stories he covered from the mid nineties up to his recent retirement. From a media viewpoint some of them were veritable “bombshells”. The sixty one year old takes delight in revisiting the five races he rates as the most memorable he got to cover for Newscorp. Ray talks about the heartbreaking Friday afternoon in the Newscorp office when much loved Rugby League writer Peter Frilingos suffered a fatal heart attack at his desk. The legendary journalist was enormously thrilled when appointed to the Daily Telegraph team for the 2000 Sydney Olympics. To this day he savours memories of Cathy Freeman’s dash for gold in the 400m. He was thrilled to have what he called “the best seat in the house”. Ian Thorpe’s unforgettable final leg in the 4x100m relay remains another indelible memory. (Beat American Gary Hall Jnr who’d been making some idle threats in the media) Perhaps the major sporting event Ray enjoyed the most as a working journalist was the Wimbledon men’s final of 2012 when Roger Federer won his seventh title at the All England Club. This was a bittersweet occasion for Ray whose father had passed away the previous year.  He’s currently enjoying his new found role of grandfather to eighteen months old Charlotte. That role will soon be expanded. This is a lovely stroll down memory lane with a legend of the Australian racing media.

My thanks to Luke Berger who suggested we should take a trip down memory lane with his grandfather John, who’s remembered as one of the best country trainers of his generation. The veteran was in his early 80’s when he relinquished his licence in 2014, but spent another five years helping out on the ground for grandson Luke. John had no special ambition when he began his training career in …. He simply loved horses and knew there was nothing else he wanted to do. Over the next three and a half decades John Berger became a trainer of great repute in northern NSW. John says he continues to enjoy reasonably good health. He talks of the special anniversary he and wife Val celebrated recently. John talks of his retirement from the training ranks and an enjoyable five years assisting grandson Luke. The veteran takes a keen interest in Luke’s current role as a racehorse owner’s group manager. John says he’d never been on a horse’s back at the time he walked into the stables of Glen Innes trainer Reg Madgewick in the 1950’s. He looks back on Madgewick’s talents as a horseman. John reflects on a long period away from horses and a move to Sydney with his young family in search of job opportunities. He stayed for seventeen years. The former trainer remembers his move back to the country and a sapphire mining venture with brother Tony. John recalls the acquisition of his trainer’s licence and the thrill of his first win at Bingara. The respected horseman shares his memories of the handy bush horses he got to train over more than three decades, with special mention of his all time favourite Main Supply.  John looks back on the methods he preferred to use in the training of thoroughbreds. The veteran pays tribute to the country trainers and jockeys he most admired. He looks back on the many bush race clubs he supported over the years. You rarely get to talk to horsemen of John’s generation. It was a pleasure to have him on our podcast.

Clint Lundholm stands 182 cm and weighs in at 80kgs, but continues to ride regular trackwork at Dubbo. It’s hard to believe the same bloke was a professional jockey for close to three years in which time he posted 218 wins including a handful of country Cup successes. An eighteen month stint followed in the amateur ranks before he finally followed the family tradition of training racehorses. In just thirteen years in the role, Cint has posted 1012 wins and has a NSW country trainer’s premiership on his CV. At one stage his team grew to almost fifty horses, creating an unmanageable workload. Today he rarely has more than twenty in work and is thoroughly enjoying the job.  Clint joins us on the podcast and begins by talking about his frenetic 2022/2023 season. He says the results were gratifying but the toll was high. He takes us right back to early days in Coonamble under the tutelage of his grandfather, legendary country trainer John Lundholm Snr. Clint reflects on the lessons learned from the elder Lundholm. He reflects on the stories he heard about his grandfather’s association with champion country jockey Dennis Firth. The trainer looks back on his first day as a professional jockey when he had five rides at a Nyngan meeting.Clint hasn’t forgotten the thrill of his first winning ride. He looks back on a three month loan out to Gai Waterhouse at Randwick. He recalls being gobsmacked by the enormity of the Tulloch Lodge operation. Unable to adapt to city life, Clint says he returned to the bush to finish his apprenticeship with a new boss. Lundholm understands why people are surprised to learn he was once a professional jockey. He pays tribute to the horse he regards as the best he rode in his short time in the saddle. Clint looks back on a very happy eighteen months in the amateur riding ranks. He remembers the commencement of his solo training career and his father’s decision to join the team. Clint was chuffed to join the ranks of trainers who were able to win with their very first starter. He’s not a regular in the city but is thrilled to have a couple of TAB Highway winners on the  board. Clint is adamant that Listen To the Band is the best horse he’s trained to date. He talks of the talented but injury plagued Quasimoto who’ll shortly return to work. Clint says he had a lot of fun with ten time winner Any Blinkin’ Day. The trainer speaks of former metropolitan galloper Notabadidea who won a country Cups tre le after entering his stable. He acknowledges the support he’s had from a select group of prominent western districts jockeys with a special shout out to his partner Zoe Hunt who’s been in top form of late. This is a nice chat with a …year old who was destined to forge a career in the racing game.

Racing’s best judges were predicting a big future for Braith Nock long before he ever rode in a race. How right they were! The third generation jockey won at his first ever race ride, and hasn’t stopped riding winners since. Braith made a huge statement last season when he became champion Sydney apprentice with 40 metropolitan winners. The quietly spoken twenty four year old honed his balance with several years as a bull rider, before taking up an apprenticeship under the watchful eye of Brett Cavanough.There are many other things Braith would rather be doing than recording interviews, but he kindly consented to join us this week on the podcast. He talks about his punishing recent schedule. Braith is delighted to have the support of his former master Brett Cavanough. He explains the recent addition of his trademark moustache. The young jockey takes us back to his bull riding years and the serious accident that stopped him in his tracks. Braith remembers the thrill of winning at his very first race ride. He says he enjoyed a three month stint with top Randwick trainer Peter Snowden despite a bout of homesickness. Braith looks at some of his favourite city winners including a trio of mares from the Maher stable. He looks back on a healthy number of doubles and trebles, and one spectacular four timer at Gilgandra. The young jockey speaks of the thrill of riding a Wellington Boot winner. Braith speaks of Brett Cavanough’s recently formulated training partnership with daughter Georgie. He’s thrilled to report his elder sister Dana is also apprenticed to Brett Cavanough. Braith pays tribute to his trainer/Mum Jane Clement. He says he was beginning to think he’d never ride a winner for his mother. It finally happened at Kempsey. Braith talks of his passion for fishing.

It’s a great pleasure to welcome to the podcast former jockey Alan Cowie, currently one of Australia’s best known jockey managers. If you call him Alan you’ll be lucky to get a response- if you call him Pup you’ll get an instant reaction. That’s the nickname given him by a friend in Rockhampton many years ago, a nickname he’s been unable to shake over several decades.  Alan Cowie had 760 winners and a Gold Coast premiership under his belt when he was involved in a three horse fall on the first turn  in a fillies and mares race on Magic Millions day 2002. He was in a bad way by the time he arrived at Brisbane’s Princess Alexandra Hospital where his impending paraplegia was diagnosed. Pup’s acceptance of his fate and an amazing ongoing attitude have become legendary in Queensland racing. He graciously accepted our invitation to join us on the podcast, and was happy to revisit the highs and lows of his life so far. Alan says he was always going to stay in the racing game after a long and trying rehabilitation. He talks about the demands of modern day jockey management. Alan acknowledges the talents of the three jockeys under his management at the  moment. He looks back on some of the fine riders he’s managed since commencing operations more than twenty years ago. Life in a wheelchair isn’t without its hazards. Alan talks about a freakish recent accident which left him with a broken femur.  He says regular exercise is of paramount importance in keeping ahead of his problems. He continues to play golf thanks to the wonders of technology. Pup takes us back to early days in his hometown of Rockhampton, and talks of three other jockeys in his family background. He talks of his original apprenticeship to a rural Queensland trainer who was reluctant to use up his weight claims too quickly. Alan’s famous nickname of “Pup” was bestowed upon him by an older friend in Rockhampton. He hasn’t forgotten the influence of two legendary jockeys who won multiple Rockhampton premierships between them. Pup remembers two great bush horses who got him up and running in the local riding ranks. He says a well known stipendiary steward instigated his transfer to Sydney trainer Jack Denham. Alan looks back on an exciting twelve months in the famous Denham stable at Rosehill. He has a soft spot for one consistent Denham trained horse he got to ride. Alan looks back on the eighteen months he spent at Rosehill after the termination of his apprenticeship. He enjoyed a great trot with the late Ray Guy. He finally headed home with the opportunity of a regular riding job with Brisbane trainer Colin O’Neill. An amazing twist of fate changed all of that. Alan looks back on his valuable stint with master trainer Jim Griffiths. He hasn’t forgotten the winning run he had with the Toby Edmonds trained  Chappel Dancer. He travelled with the horse to several country Cup carnivals. We set aside ample time for Alan’s review of his exciting association with Kinjite, a horse he rode in 22 races. He says Kinjite was the best horse he rode by a country mile. Alan looks back on several feature wins on Kinjite and the thrill of riding him in some famous Melbourne features. He remembers the disappointment of losing the ride to champion jockey Mick Dittman.Alan talks of sons Jarrod and Dylan. He remembers the torturous eight year wait for legal proceedings to be sorted out following his accident. It’s an entertaining chat with an inspirational human being.

Many young people born into racing families develop an affinity with horses from a very early age. Not the case with Craig Widdison. Despite the fact that his father Col had ridden and trained successfully, young Craig didn’t want to know about the sleek thoroughbreds that had dominated his early years. His original goal was to become a physical education teacher. He later became involved in roller hockey and immediately showed potential. He had enough ability to play for Australia in the junior ranks, and looked a certainty to represent his country as a senior until fate intervened. A nagging knee problem brought an end to his hockey dreams, and that’s when the racing bug finally took hold. Craig takes us through his twenty five years in racing. He  talks about the highs, and one devastating low for which he blames nobody but himself. The Wodonga trainer begins by talking about a trip to Randwick on Melbourne Cup day when The Prodigal Son ‘s chances were thwarted by a H8 track.  Craig revisits a win by the same horse on Melbourne Cup day last year.  The trainer talks about his Wodonga base and easy access to southern NSW meetings. Craig talks about father Col’s days as a jockey and trainer, and subsequent involvement in the horse transport business. He admits to having zero interest in racehorses early days, and looks back on his ambition to become a PE teacher. Craig looks back on his fascination with roller hockey and his selection for the Australian junior representative side.

It's always a pleasure to welcome a bush trainer to the podcast. Our guest this week is Stephen Lee who chips away diligently from his Ballina base season after season with consistent results. He’s currently ably assisted by son Jordan with whom he’ll soon form an official partnership. Lee has posted 850 winners since his  solo career began in 1986, and has two NRRA training premierships on his CV.  Stephen rotates his horses between a dual barn complex on Ballina racecourse, and a nearby 60 acre property which gives him access to a pristine stretch of  beach. Whenever one of the team warrants an opportunity in a metropolitan environment, he heads to Eagle Farm or Doomben just two hours away. He rarely tackles the arduous road trip to Sydney although he did venture to Randwick on November 1st with smart sprinter The Astronomer. This podcast was recorded twenty four hours before The Astronomer raced. Stephen talks of the easy access to Brisbane tracks as opposed to the marathon trip to Sydney. He acknowledges son Jordan’s entry into the NSW training ranks and says he’s looking forward to their proposed partnership. Stephen talks about the luxury of being able to give horses a complete change of environment at his beachside property. He says the new routine works wonders with highly strung horses. He talks about the large paddock set aside for retired racehorses or horses who’ve fallen on hard times. His partner Amanda would have even more if space allowed. The trainer talks about his two NRRA premierships. In winning the first one he unseated long time incumbent John Shelton. Stephen looks back on his early education under the tutelage of his late father Bruce. He says Bruce was a capable racehorse trainer but was best known as an all rounder constantly called upon to sort out other people’s troublesome horses. He talks of his father’s early association with iconic trainer Maurice McCarten. The Ballina horseman pays tribute to his elderly Mum. Stephen says his early aspirations to become a jockey were quickly negated by increasing weight. He talks of a brief flirtation with the harness racing sport. Stephen has vivid recollections of his first training win on the defunct White ParK track at Scone. He talks of a brief training stint at Coffs Harbour and a subsequent move to Ballina, a move he hasn’t regretted. Stephen pays tribute to daughter Maddison who was his valued trackwork rider for a number of years. Maddison put a lot of time into Anton En Avant, a prolific winner for the Lee stable. As a yearling Anton En Avant appeared unlikely to ever make it to the races.  He talks about the gelding’s amazing race record which included a win in the Gr 3 Chairman’s Hcp  at Doomben.  Stephen talks of former jockey Cassandra Schmidt who won a string of races on Anton En Avant. The trainer pays tribute to several handy horses who’ve flown the flag for the Ballina stable over the years - Zoukina, Lasting Kiss, Minassi, Felix Trinidad, Song Time, Bavosa, and Espiritu. Stephen tells us more about his current apprentice Siabh Wrigley who still has a number of trial rides to complete before gaining her licence to ride in races. The signs are promising. It’s a laid back chat with a top country horseman.

Jessica Owers was well established as a feature writer for several respected racing publications before being invited to tackle her first book in 2011. She knew the project would be a long and arduous one. She didn’t expect it to take all of six years. Her much admired “Peter Pan- The True Story Of Phar Lap’s Successor” was not only widely acclaimed but gave its author the incentive to follow up with a similar tribute to another iconic Australian racehorse. Just two years later she brought readers the fascinating story of 1940’s champion Shannon.  It’s taken Jessica twelve years to turn out her third book, and this one is on an entirely different theme. Encouraged by friends at the famous Magic Millions Sales organisation, the talented writer recently completed Magic Millions, The Rise, Fall and Extraordinary Rise Of An Iconic Australian Company. We welcome Jess to our podcast to tell us more about her new book and to share with us recollections of her fascinating journey in journalism thus far. The gifted writer says she was encouraged to tackle the Magic Millions story by a handful of longtime company stalwarts. She explains that most of the people involved in the Magic Millions story are still living, which greatly enhanced her research. The central characters in the Peter Pan and Shannon stories had long passed on. Jessica talks about the impression she gained during research about the late Carl Waugh, the man who first created the Magic Millions concept. She says few realised how close the fledgling company came to receivership in the 1990’s. The author talks of a meeting she had with a Gold Coast developer who owned the Magic Millions company for a couple of years before hitting his own financial crisis. Jess says she also had the pleasure of recording a voice over for the audio version of her new book. She talks of her Irish birthplace and a family relocation to Australia before her first birthday. The mother of two looks back on a return to Ireland at age 10 and a subsequent university degree attained in Scotland. Jess says she headed back to Australia with her new diploma in hand and has never considered leaving the harbour city. She steadfastly declares that her love of thoroughbreds  was triggered by the legend of Phar Lap. Jess looks back on the six year slog required to complete her first book, “Peter Pan- The Forgotten Story Of Phar Lap’s Successor.” She reflects on Peter Pan’s stellar racing career.Jessica explains why she selected 1940’s champion Shannon as the subject of her second thoroughbred biography. She gives a brief outline of Shannon’s distinguished Australian racing career and the “one-off” Inglis sale convened to sell the great horse following the death of his owner and trainer Peter Riddle. The author also looks back on the stallion’s subsequent sale to the US where he won several races before standing at Kentucky’s famous Spendthrift Farm. Jess talks about her freelance roles with several racing platforms including her current contribution to “The Straight”- a recently introduced, subscription based digital publication founded and edited by respected journalist Bren O’Brien. She talks about her Racing Writer Of the Year  nomination at the . 2023 Kennedy Awards. She didn’t win but was deeply touched by the honour. Jess talks about her own love of horse riding and pays a special tribute to Moxie’s Halo- the former racehorse who became her best equine friend. Moxie died much too soon. She talks of the trauma experienced by the whole family when her sister Sonya was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease in 2009. Her admiration for Sonya’s courage is boundless. Jessica speaks with great affection of the two shining lights in her life- son Julien and daughter Charlotte.

Mitchell Bell is one of several Sydney based jockeys who regularly ply their trade on outside tracks. His manager Shaun Flaherty makes a point of committing Mitch to race meetings no further than three hours from his Windsor home. The hard working jockey is a regular at places like Scone, Muswellbrook, Newcastle, Goulburn, Bathurst, Orange and Mudgee. Mitchell’s unwavering reliability has seen him build a strong support base among a wide range of trainers. The jockey says he’s learned to handle the tedium of constant travel. Mitchell talks about the two hip replacement surgeries he’s been forced to undergo in recent years.  He says he never knew his grandfather Billy Bell who was a successful Sydney jockey in the 60’s and 70’s. Mitchell pays tribute to his father Steve who had a jockey’s build but opted to pursue a career as a professional boxer- a career that led him to an Australian flyweight crown. Mitchell says his riding plans could have been thwarted when he was involved in a freak gymnasium accident at age 13. He looks back on his amazing recovery from serious hand injuries and early riding education at an Ingleburn riding school. The 40 year old talks about his apprenticeship to Tamworth trainer Mark Mason and an inauspicious first ride at Quirindi. He pays tribute to a former leading country jockey who became his tutor in Tamworth track gallops. Mitch hasn’t forgotten the thrill of landing his first winner. He remembers the most minor detail about his initial metropolitan win on the historic stretches of Royal Randwick. The jockey acknowledges the first notable horse he got to ride after returning to Sydney as a fully fledged rider. Mitch plays tribute to the talented Artlee who gave him success in the Wild Card and Final of the 2015 Country Championship.  He says Artlee was also the centrepiece of one of his biggest racing disappointments. Bell talks of a successful association with the Waller stable on outside tracks. He recalls a Newcastle win on Youngstar immediately before the filly went to Brisbane to win two important races. He rates another Waller trained horse as one of the best he’s ridden. Mitch looks back on a black type Hawkesbury win on Cellarman. He talks about the strong association he’s forged with Peter Snowden and a recent Newcastle treble for the stable. Mitchell speaks fondly of a strong association with legendary horseman Ron Quinton. He acknowledges the support of several other prominent stables. Mitch says he was greatly influenced by two special role models in the early part of his career. He doesn’t take for granted the luxury he enjoys in being able to maintain a weight of 53kgs. The much travelled jockey says he’s sometimes tempted by offers to ride in the city but is reluctant to inconvenience established country and provincial supporters. The 40 year old speaks fondly of wife Hollie and children Harper, Billy and Tayla. This is a nice chat with an ever reliable jockey who prefers to ‘hit the highway” in his quest for winners.

Although there wasn’t a trace of racing in Clare Lindop’s family background, the little girl from Warrnambool was hellbent on becoming a jockey from age 10. Her parents finally relented and  bought their youngest daughter a pony called Annie- the pony destined to teach her young companion the rudiments of riding. Whenever either of her parents could find the time to drive her to the St. Mary’s Pony Farm at Wangoom, little Clare would spend every available minute putting Annie through her paces. From these unpretentious beginnings, Clare Lindop forged a career that would take her to racing’s biggest stage. She quit the saddle in 2018 with 1432 winners on her CV, including 4 Gr 1’s and another 50 stakes races. Now in a full time role with Racing South Australia, Clare takes time out to revisit her stellar career for our podcast regulars. She admits to the occasional nostalgic flutter when she watches Adelaide’s feature races each year. Clare says she went to great pains to play her retirement down in 2018. She didn’t want the fuss. She does admit that she gradually weaned herself off horses by riding trackwork for quite some time. Clare reaffirms that nobody in her family had the slightest connection to horses. Her parents were not overly impressed with her persistent pleas to invest in a pony, but finally relented.  The four time Gr 1 winning jockey looks back on her initial apprenticeship to Warrnambool trainer Frank Byrne. She recalls her first race ride at Warrnambool and her first winning ride at Dunkeld. Clare vividly recalls her first metropolitan win on Mondilibi at Moonee Valley. She talks about a transfer of her indentures to Jack Barling at Hamilton in 1997. The retired jockey looks back on her life changing relocation to Adelaide in 1999 and the beginning of a long time association with trainer Byron Cozamanis. Clare recalls the thrill of her first Adelaide metro win on Odysseus at Cheltenham. She remembers with affection her first metro win as a fully fledged jockey at the famous Victoria Park track. The horse was one of her all time favourites. Clare looks back on the occasion of her first Adelaide stakes win for great supporter Leon McDonald.   She looks back on an amazing sequence of wins- four timers at three consecutive race meetings. Clare remembers with great clarity the unforgettable experience of her first Melbourne Cup ride. The former top lightweight is proud of her three Adelaide jockeys premierships. She remembers her first Gr 1 win- an all the way victory in the 2006 Adelaide Cup.. Lindop takes us back to her second Melbourne Cup appearance in 2007. Not surprisingly Clare takes great pleasure in looking back on her association with outstanding 2YO filly Augusta Proud. She takes us back to her Magic Millions win in 2008. Now to the horse who took the talented rider to racing’s biggest stage with a Victoria Derby win at odds of $101. She takes us through the Rebel Raider story. Like most Adelaide based jockeys Clare wanted to win a Goodwood Hcp. Her turn came in 2011 when Robert Smerdon chased her services for Lone Rock in the famous sprint. She got the job done. Clare managed to fit in two separate trips to the UK in 2009 and again in 2011. She looks back on a great experience and the four winners she landed on some famous tracks. She talks of the multiple injuries sustained in a fall at Morphettville in 2014. Clare looks back on a business meeting with leading jockey manager Damian Wilton who is now her husband of seven years. This is a reminiscent chat with one of Australia’s most successful female jockeys.

Young trainer Cameron Crockett completely dominated the recent Dubbo Cup programme with three wins and one dead heat on the ten race programme- easily his best day since going solo as a trainer in 2011. To say he was born to be a trainer is probably a misnomer, because he showed little interest in horses until mid teens. Today he’s adamant that training racehorses is all he wants to do. Cameron begins our podcast by reviewing his red letter day at Dubbo. Ashley Morgan was the jockey to ride all of Cameron’s winners on the day. He pays tribute to the Welsh born horseman. The trainer is understandably chuffed with his current strike rate. He talks of his relocation from Mudgee to Scone in 2019. Cameron speaks glowingly of his current location at the former Clovelly Vet Centre in the heart of Scone. He looks back on early days when he learned the art of breaking-in from his father Max, a noted yearling educator.  Cameron looks back on his dad’s role as full time breaker at the famous Gooree Stud. Max’s assistant was another legendary horseman in Harry Meyer. Young Crockett looks back on a broken femur sustained when a yearling reared over and landed on top of him. By the time he was ready to return to work he’d lost the passion for the horse breaking business, and immediately changed direction. He acknowledges the horse to set him on the road as a trainer. Are You Sure was a quirky gelding who was shunned by other horsemen at the time. Cameron saw something in the horse and won 9 races with him. The trainer runs through a number of the horses who shaped his early training career with special mention of Ori On Fire.  Cameron recalls a rare word of praise from his father following a flurry of winners on western tracks. He’s never forgotten the moment. He looks back on his continued success in the TAB Highway series. Predictably Cam spends extra time in acknowledging the deeds of Commando Hunt, the horse he says is the best to come through his hands so far. The successful Scone trainer talks of his own particular slant on  the training business. Cameron talks of the five special kids shared by he and wife Elizabeth. His mother Cheryl also gets an honourable mention.  The trainer pays tribute to several jockeys who’ve contributed to his success in the training ranks. He makes special mention of Brooke Stower who’s currently absent from the riding ranks and working on a Queensland cattle station.

“I’ll just wake up one day and say to myself that’ll do me,” was the reply given by Greg Ryan when quizzed about a likely retirement date on a podcast posted on October 27th 2020.  He was then 54 years old and still riding in races. The winners were flowing and so were the opportunities from a wide range of prominent stables. That fateful day was to arrive just six weeks later. Greg was booked for six rides at a Mudgee meeting on Friday December 4th, including three for Sydney trainer Bjorn Baker. As he drove away from his Dubbo home for the 126km trip to Mudgee, not even wife Pauline knew this was to be her husband’s final day as a professional jockey. The punter’s favourite had to settle for a fourth and a third on his first two mounts, but was quietly chuffed when he came from well back to win a 1200m maiden on Without Shame for longtime supporter Sue Grills. His final three rides all finished out of a place, and still he hadn’t breathed a word to anybody about his impending retirement. The fact that he hadn’t taken a ride beyond the Mudgee meeting should have aroused suspicion. Perhaps people thought he’d been suspended or was simply taking a short break.  Inevitably it wasn’t long before participants and punters alike were all asking the same question- where the hell is Greg Ryan?” Greg Ryan had retired, that’s where the hell he was!- no bells and whistles, no fuss, no elaborate farewells. Despite self confessed withdrawal symptoms, the jockey with the second largest win tally in Australian racing history has stayed retired. He’s about 12 kilograms heavier than he was in riding days, but quietly chuffed that he still doesn’t carry an ounce of fat on that wiry frame- the direct result of an ongoing work schedule, and regular activity.  Greg had begun assisting son Isaac in his growing Dubbo tree services business, even before calling time on his riding career. He continues to work full time with Isaac and valued staff member Andrew Cook, although he’s currently threatening to scale back, as his 60th birthday approaches. I’ve had several emails in the last six months about Greg Ryan’s current whereabouts and lifestyle. I recall the earthy way in which he shared his story in that 2020 podcast, and I’d love to give it another run. If you missed it last time I know you’ll enjoy the reminiscences of a former automotive mechanic who rode 4,035 winners and 5,825 place getters in a career that was very late getting started. During the podcast Greg makes loving reference to grandmother Betsy who was still going strong at age 94.The remarkable veteran, a classic example of the stoic and hard working women of her generation, had turned 98 shortly before her recent passing. For Greg Ryan fans this is a comprehensive summary of the career of a legendary country jockey.

Plagued with chronic hoof issues in his early life, Carioca won only three of his first nine starts and spent long periods on the sidelines. As his foot problems slowly improved Carioca began his path to greatness. He won another 17 races including a Sydney Cup and an AJC Metropolitan. Many fascinating stories surrounded the great horse on his climb to the top. If you appreciate a champion from any generation you’ll enjoy the story of Carioca. At the peak of his powers he was one of  Australia’s favourite racehorses.

It’s always a pleasure to welcome a member of the country training ranks to the podcast. This week it’s Sally Taylor from the busy Coffs Harbour training hub, home to more than 100 horses. Sally’s training career began with a bang in 2016 when she won the time honoured Grafton Cup with former Victorian galloper Rednav. She bases her training technique on giving horses a change of environment as often as possible. The thirty two year old joins us on the podcast to look back on her journey from pony club to the show ring and later to a six months stint with dual Melbourne Cup winning trainer Sheila Laxon in Victoria. The decision to train in her own right was encouraged by Peter Wood, owner of the Coffs Harbour Telstra shop in which Sally was working a decade ago. The lifetime horse lover talks of the benefits of keeping her team numbers under control.  Sally acknowledges three recent wins by Mission To Win.  She speaks of regular trips to nearby Boambee Beach where her horses enjoy working on “nature’s racecourse.” Sally has been riding from an early age and still handles 10-12 horses in trackwork six days a week. She talks about two nearby properties where she’s able to give her horses frequent changes of routine. Sally talks of childhood days at Corindi Beach and early tuition from her father Brian, owner and part time trainer. The thirty two year old remembers her six months with successful trainers John Symons and Sheila Laxon at Seymour. The talented trainer remembers her stint with expat Victorian Jim Jarvis who’d relocated to Coffs. She wonders how she ever found the time to complete an online course in vet nursing. Sally acknowledges the support of Peter Wood who encouraged her to train in her own right. She was working at the time in Peter’s Coffs Harbour Telstra shop.  She looks back on Peter’s acquisition of the unsound Rednav, formerly a member of the Greg Eurell team in Melbourne. Sally takes us through Rednav’s progression to the Grafton Cup and the thrill of winning one of country racing’s most coveted prizes. Almost as thrilling as the Grafton Cup win was Rednav’s success at Doomben sixteen days later, her first metropolitan win as a trainer. She pays tribute to another great favourite Zanardee’s Lane whose owner is a member of the Sally Taylor Racing team. Sally looks back on Coffs Harbour Cup day 2024 when her only two runners scored impressive wins. She acknowledges a few other horses who’ve helped to get her training career off the ground. Taylor talks of Brett Dodson, fellow Coffs Harbour trainer and her partner of seven years. Sally pays special tribute to the staff members who contribute to the smooth running of Sally Taylor Racing. She talks about the online nursing degree she’s currently undertaking.  It’s a laid back chat with a young horse devotee who’s made a rapid impact in the NSW country training ranks.

Ron Dufficy’s reputation as an astute judge of racehorses evolved very early in his apprenticeship to Bart Cummings. It wasn’t long before Randwick trainers like Tommy Smith were chasing the young jockey to ride some high profile horses in trackwork. “Duff” rode Kingston Town on a few occasions, and partnered Red Anchor in many gallops. When a nagging shoulder injury forced him out of the saddle in 1988, Ron was left unsure about his future career direction. It was Ray Warren who encouraged him to do a regular Saturday morning spot on 2KY, and the rest is history. Ron kicked off by tipping the Doncaster winner Lygon Arms at 40/1, and has been a favourite with punters ever since. The 63 year old took time out from his busy work schedule last week to join me on the podcast. He talks about a normal working week in the life of a racing form analyst. Ron looks back on the days when punters had nowhere near the amount of information they enjoy in the modern era. He summarises his radio commitments for the week and talks about the Sunday morning TV programme he co-hosts with good friends Greg Radley and Corey Brown. The former jockey pays tribute to his long time mentor Graham McNeice who passed away exactly twelve months ago. Ron looks at the newspaper facet of his media career..He talks about his early education at James Cook High School at Kogarah. Despite some encouraging work in the class room, he decided to quit school at age fourteen..Ron remembers his grandfather Ron and father Maurice who were both involved in off course betting, still rife in the 1960’s. He was taking phone bets for his father from age seven. He looks back on his first taste of stable life with Canterbury trainer Dennis Maynard. Ron reminisces about the early days of his apprenticeship to Bart Cummings. He’s never forgotten the thrill of his first winning ride at Nowra in 1979. Strangely enough memories of his first city win are slightly blurred. Ron remembers the disruption at Leilani Lodge when the Bart Cummings trained Lloyd Boy returned a positive swab after winning the Carlyon Cup in Melbourne. Cummings incurred a three months ban, and Mal Barnes was appointed as caretaker trainer. “Duff” talks about the transfer of his indentures to Barnes when Bart Cummings returned to training. He has nothing but praise for Barnes who was already a recognised tutor of apprentice jockeys. Ron remembers his best ever day as a professional jockey- a winning treble at Rosehill with two close seconds on the same programme. He remembers a Gr 1 ride in Perth on the Mal Barnes trained Tsar Royal. Ron looks back on a thrilling Black Opal win on the curiously named Beans for Mal Barnes and owner John Singleton. He and a fellow apprentice actually floated the filly to Canberra.  Overnight rain dimmed Ron’s confidence in the filly’s chances, and he advised “Singo” to reduce his bet. The advertising guru was delighted nevertheless, when Beans scored an easy win.  Ron looks back on the reputation he developed as an astute judge of trackwork and race form. The former jockey talks of a long association with Tommy Smith and pays tribute to two high profile horses he got to ride in trackwork. He remembers a stakes winner he rode for Smith in 1986. He was surprised when given the ride. Ron looks back on his stint as a jockey manager, and the shock decision by stewards to stand him down for what they perceived as a conflict of interest. Ron Dufficy is one of the great success stories in the Australian racing media. He shares that story with us on this week’s podcast.

I’ve all but lost count of the number of requests we’ve received for an interview with Kevin Moses. The most recent enquiry came from a regular podcast listener at a Sydney RSL Club. He was surprised to learn we’d spoken to the former jockey/trainer as far back as January 2020. At the time Kevin was training only one horse, and actually relinquished his licence a year later. The time is right to dust off that 2020 interview and give it another run on our regular podcast.  Kevin’s riding career brought 2300 winners including 22 Gr 1’s. He drifted into training initially to fill in time, but politely reeled off 364 wins including the Gr 1 Sydney Cup. Obviously one or two answers are now dated but in the main the interview could have been recorded yesterday. Kevin begins by recalling his entry into stable life. He says he was keen to continue riding trackwork after launching his training career. Kevin looks back on the shock positive swab that turned his training operation upside down in 2015.  He looks back on his very first training win with Comhere in 2002. He couldn’t believe it had happened on a metropolitan track. The horse had been sent to him by Gold Coast trainer Alan Bailey. Kevin says he learned many aspects of the training craft from Neville Begg with whom he spent his entire apprenticeship. He looks back on some of the horses to establish him among the Sydney training ranks. He makes special mention of No Wine No Song, the horse to provide him with a Gr 1 success.  Kevin acknowledges the assistance he received from son Shane who rode work most mornings alongside his father. He acknowledges the tremendous support of wife Jenny as a trackwork rider, stable foreperson and office administrator. Kevin speaks affectionately of daughter Tanya, son Darren and an increasing number of grandchildren. The top all round horseman makes the amazing confession that he was terrified of horses when he first joined the Begg stable. He looks back on two brief working stints before he became an apprentice jockey. Kevin talks about his experience as a boxer in a “paperweight” division. He says he took forever to get going in the Sydney riding ranks, and pays tribute to the two men who helped get him on his feet. Kevin has never forgotten his first city treble. The triple premiership winner remembers a Doncaster win on Authentic Heir for Tommy Smith in 1976. Moses didn’t know he was on Dark Eclipse in the 1980 Golden Slipper until the “eleventh hour”. In his heart he thought the filly had a great chance. The former jockey/trainer treasures the memory of his one and only ride on champion Emancipation. He was sent to Melbourne by Neville Begg to ride the grey mare in the Edward Manifold when Ron Quinton elected to ride Dalmacia in the Epsom. Both jockeys had reason to smile. Kev reflects on his great association with Lord Hybrow trained by expat Kiwi Neville McBurney. He was thrilled to win the 1994 Stradbroke Hcp on foolproof racehorse All Our Mob. Kevin remembers lightly framed mare Palace Revolt who had a curious record- 44 starts for just two wins. One of those wins was the Gr 1 Sydney Cup on a “bottomless” track. He devotes plenty of time to reminiscing about the remarkable horse Stylish Century.  He won a Victoria Derby and Queen Elizabeth Stakes on the gallant little stallion as well as going very close in a W.S Cox Plate.  Moses reflects on his four memorable seasons in Ireland riding for highly respected trainer Ted Curtin. He shares a humorous story about a ride in the famous Ascot Gold Cup when he was offered tuition during the race by the legendary Willie Carson. He speaks openly about the infamous “Jockey Tapes Scandal” of 1996 when he was one of three jockeys to be given hefty disqualifications. Kevin looks back on the three consecutive Sydney jockey’s titles that brought him a total of 301 winners and one dead heat. He reveals the names of the three jockeys he admired most. One of them had an amazing talent unrelat

Jack Bruce quickly made his mark after joining the Queensland training ranks in 2022. The NZ born 35 year old didn’t even contemplate applying for a trainer’s licence until he felt good and ready for the task at hand. Despite being the holder of two notable University degrees, Jack made up his mind early in life that horse training was his ultimate goal. He had early experience at Windsor Park Stud before gaining selection for the Godolphin Flying Start programme. He worked under a succession of leading trainers in his early years- Mike De Kock, John O’Shea, Bjorn Baker, Chris Waller and Maher/Eustace all contributed to his education. He started with only seven horses at Deagon on Brisbane’s outskirts but quickly made a statement. Today he’s working over 60 horses from stables at Deagon and on the Sunny Coast. Jack joins us on the podcast to talk about his exciting journey from the University of Canterbury in Christchurch to the professional training scene in Brisbane. He talks about the benefits of his University studies in managing a big racing operation. Jack talks about the routine he follows in running a dual stable operation. The trainer acknowledges the contribution of partner Lauren who plays a significant role  behind the scenes. Jack takes us back to childhood days in Hamilton (NZ) where his parents owned a lifestyle farm. He talks of his father’s connection to harness horses. He explains that his University studies were completed over two phases. Jack talks of work experience at the famous Windsor Park Stud. He talks about some of the stallions who were in residence during his time on the property. He talks about the thrill of gaining entry to the Godolphin Flying Start initiative which provided two years of invaluable experience. His first assignment was in Dubai with a legendary trainer. During his stay in Dubai, Jack met a young South African jockey whose career had begun in England. Later he got the opportunity to go to Dubai as a resident work rider for De Kock. It wouldn’t be the last time he crossed paths with Jean Van Overmeire.  Jack looks back on his first posting back home- a rewarding stint with John O’Shea who’d just taken over as Godolphin’s head trainer. He looks back on a four year working stint as Racing Manager for Bjorn Baker at Warwick Farm. Jack reflects on an invaluable twelve months with the Chris Waller operation. He assisted Waller’s Racing Manager Charlie Duckworth.   Then came a massive step up when appointed Manager of Ciaron Maher’s 60 horse Warwick Farm barn. Jack was gobsmacked. When he felt fully prepared to launch his own brand, Jack settled on Queensland as the most suitable venue. He talks about his low key start at Deagon. The trainer talks about his reason for launching a second stable on the Sunny Coast. Jack gives a special mention to the horse who provided his first win as a solo trainer.  He talks of a resolve to source tried horses from other stables. One of the earliest acquisitions, a horse called Axe gave him a stakes win at Toowoomba. Jack acknowledges several other “second hand” horses who’ve helped get his career up and running. He talks of three very successful seasons since becoming a trainer in Queensland. Jack pays tribute to the jockeys who’ve helped him to 185 wins in just three years.

Mack Griffith has long been regarded as one of the most astute country based trainers in the state. He learned the trade from his late father John before taking out his own licence  on the occasion of his 18th  birthday. Mack joined an elite group when he won with his very first starter Acacia Ridge at Quirindi and has maintained an excellent strike rate ever since. He took a long break from racehorse training to manage Gooree Stud’s spelling and pre-training division at Mudgee, a role he filled for close to a decade. When Gooree ceased operations in 2020, Mack decided to stay in the district and is currently training a 15 horse team at the Mudgee racecourse. The 55 year old joins us on the podcast to look back on his life in racing. He begins by explaining the origins of his unusual christian name.  Mack talks of his 25 acre farm on the outskirts of Mudgee where his horses spend a lot of time. He talks of a recent trip to the Mackay Cup carnival with two members of his 15 horse team Aimpoint and Amicus Curiae. Neither won but both covered expenses with minor placings. Mack takes us right back to the early 70’s when his father landed a new job on a northern territory cattle station. It wasn’t long before John Griffith was training a handful of gallopers. Griffith Snr was thrilled to win the 1974 Darwin Cup with Chatelle.Just a few months after Chatelle’s win Darwin was devastated by the ravages of Cyclone Tracey. As the city got back on its feet, the Darwin Turf Club launched a huge drive to regenerate racing at Fannie Bay.  Trainers were encouraged to return to the top end, and John Griffith was one of the first to respond. Mack looks back on his time in Darwin. The trainer reflects on his dad’s later move to northern Queensland where he built a strong reputation as a trainer. Fast forward to the mid 1980’s and Mack looks back on a valuable six months with Brian Mayfield- Smith around the time he deposed Tommy Smith as Sydney’s premier trainer. He remembers his father’s passing in 1995, and the twenty horse team he and brother Luke inherited. Many of the stable clients opted to support the young horsemen. Mack hasn’t forgotten the thrill of winning with his very first runner at Quirindi. He had to endure the pressure of a protest. The trainer looks back on his first city win at Canterbury and the pressure of yet another protest. Griffith lights up as he talks about one of his all time favourites Dancing Sun. The genuine stallion won a string of country Cups and took his young trainer to Moonee Valley on Cox Plate day 1996. He acknowledges the consistency of family horse Mach ‘N’ Me.Outback Club gets an honourable mention from the trainer. Mach talks of prolific winner Binalong Road. He recalls a win in a Country Championship Qualifier at Bathurst with Hugh Bowman on board. The trainer looks back on a seven win streak with Pera Pera in the Gooree Stud colours.  Mach sings the praises of current star Compelling Truth, already the winner of $578,000. He has a high opinion of the horse. He remembers the fateful night when he met a charming American girl in a Scone pub. After a whirlwind romance the pair were married in Las Vegas. They are now the proud parents of two daughters and a son. Mack goes back to 2012 when he spotted an advertisement calling for expressions of interest in the role of spelling and pre-training manager at the famous Gooree Stud. He was destined to spend a decade in the job.  He tells the story of Gooree’s state of the art training track which once brought James Cummings to the property with twenty horses during a wet spell in Sydney. Mack says the magnificent Gooree property is currently unused as its fate is determined. He pays tribute to some of his favourite “go-to” jockeys. It’s a laid back chat with a highly respected bush trainer who’s crammed a lot into his fifty five years.

David McColm’s handling of media commitments after the 2024 Kosciuszko won him many friends. It was well documented that his talented horse Far Too Easy had endured several setbacks over the previous couple of years and public interest was high. All David wanted to do in post race interviews was deflect the credit to others. The enormity of the moment triggered unbridled emotion in the former apprentice jockey who’s now approaching forty years as a professional horse trainer. I’ve been looking forward to having David McColm on the podcast, and we’ve finally pinned him down for a chat. He says stable star Far Too Easy will return to the stable next month after the longest break of his career. David looks back on two uncharacteristically disappointing runs during the Brisbane carnival. The trainer takes us back to the 2020 Gold Coast Yearling Sale and the input of his teenage son Archie. David says the journey with Far Too Easy has been better for the presence of close friends in the ownership.  He says ongoing foot issues with Far Too Easy have tested his resolve. Dave looks back on the gelding’s first two wins with the late Chris Caserta in the saddle. Only eight months later the young jockey lost his life in a freak accident. He reflects on the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas when Craig Williams rode the horse for the first time. David recalls Far Too Easy’s impressive win in the Country Championship Qualifier at Grafton. He looks back on the horror of the 2022 flood which impacted Far Too Easy and ten other horses. Racing NSW assisted with the remainder of the gelding’s Country Championship preparation. The trainer remembers the Championship Final on a very heavy track with J. Mac in the saddle.  David looks back on the first of Far Too Easy’s three Kosciuszko attempts and the worrying skin rash that impeded his preparation. He reflects on the horse’s first clash with arch rival Front Page. McColm talks about another Kosciuszko in 2023. This time he had to settle for third as Front Page prevailed again. The trainer says he carefully planned Far Too Easy’s path to the next edition of the Kosciuszko. The horse raced only three times in between.  David was buoyed by Craig Williams’ decision to fly to the Gold Coast for a barrier trial eleven days before the big race. He reviews the race and the emotional aftermath. The experienced horseman takes us back to his days as an apprentice jockey with Reg Powell at Werris Creek and pays tribute to a later tutor at Ipswich. He hasn’t forgotten the thrill of his first win as a professional jockey. David acknowledges some special horses to help him along the way. He talks of son Archie’s official transition to stable apprentice, and gives a shout out to younger brother Max. Mrs. Judy McColm plays a huge part in the operation of the stable, and receives the recognition she deserves. He makes special mention of his older family from a previous marriage. Dave looks back on a serious illness that halted his career for a couple of years. He pays tribute to a handful of jockeys who’ve rendered great service over the years. The trainer talks of his recent relocation to the Gold Coast. This is a laid back chat with a bush horseman who was able to guide Far Too Easy through some turbulent times to win a $2 million dollar race at Royal Randwick.

Darryl McLellan’s recent retirement announcement caught a few racing mates by surprise. It was well known that the 54 year old was still enjoying his riding and happy to travel big mileage if the mounts were there. He aggravated an old shoulder problem in an accident at Port Macquarie last December which sidelined him for five months. After just 22 rides on the comeback trail he knew the troublesome shoulder was destined to bring the curtain down on his very successful career. “Digger” is still dealing with the frustration of having to stop before he was ready, but kindly consented to join us on the podcast. The veteran jockey says he’s having fresh scans currently to determine the long range future of a shoulder he injured initially in 2009. He takes us back to a Sunday meeting at Port Macquarie in late December when a fall from a “bucking bronco” aggravated a fifteen year old injury. Darryl reflects on his very first job as an apprentice spray painter. Workmates constantly encouraged him to consider a future as a jockey. He looks back on his time with top Muswellbrook trainer Pat Farrell who enjoyed a reputation as a master tutor of junior riders. Darryl says he hadn’t ridden a horse when his apprenticeship began, but was riding in barrier trials after four months. He remembers his first race ride at Quirindi and his first winning ride at Kembla Grange.   He acknowledges the first better than average horse he got to ride. McLellan looks back on the thrill of winning the 1992/93 Sydney apprentices premiership. He says his nickname “Digger” evolved during his spray painting apprenticeship and has never left him.  Darryl talks of the tremendous advantage he had over most jockeys by being able to ride at the limit weight. That ability brought him the ride on Magic Of Money in the 1995 Galaxy, his first Gr 1 success. He remembers his ride on the same horse in the Doomben $10,000. He thought he was on a winner approaching the hometurn. In the same year he was thrilled when Bart Cummings got him to ride a horse at a Saturday Newcastle meeting. How could he have known what Saintly was to achieve over the next 18 months. “Digger’s” ability to ride light got him on Iron Horse in a very strong Epsom of 1996. He ran third to a couple of talented horses. He looks back on an approach by John Hawkes seeking his services for Lease in the Doncaster. Take Sunline out and he wins the famous Gr 1 event. The veteran hasn’t forgotten his 2000 Newcastle Cup win on Silent Impact. He says he’s never seen a bigger crowd at the Broadmeadow Racecourse.“Digger” values the bragging rights he derived when he won the 2001 Warwick Stakes on Lonhro. It was his one and only ride on the great horse.  He looks back on his Chairman’s Hcp/Sydney Cup double on the Neville McBurney trained Henderson Bay. Darryl fondly remembers an association with the hugely talented Court Command. One of several wins was the 2006 Golden Rose before the race was elevated to Gr 1 status. He remembers the barrier trial fall at Newcastle which was the catalyst for his longtime shoulder issues. He resumed about 8 months later only to be involved in another fall on the same track, aggravating the old injury. “Digger” talks about a five year hiatus and the sudden urge to resurrect his riding career. He reflects on the five years since his return to the riding ranks. Opportunities haven’t been as plentiful, but he’s enjoyed every moment.

Queensland has long been regarded as a nursery for budding champion jockeys. Prime examples are George Moore and Neville Sellwood who both rode English Derby winners in addition to their stellar Australian careers. Dalby born Garnet Bougoure also left his mark in England with victories in a 1000 Guineas, St. Leger and Epsom Oaks. Graham Cook’s only overseas experience was a successful stint in Singapore where he notched a Gr 1 win. At home in Queensland he compiled a stellar record. We’re delighted to have his company on this week’s podcast, and I’m pleased to say the 82 year old has forgotten nothing. Graham takes us back to the day in 1993 when he realised it was game over.  He rekindles memories of his father Frank, a capable jockey whose career embraced two separate phases. Although only five years old at the time, Graham has vivid memories of Frank Cook’s Doomben Cup win on Forge in 1948. He watched the race from an unlikely vantage point. The former star jockey talks of his father’s premature passing. He remembers his hard working mother Margaret who died in 1993. Graham reflects on his apprenticeship to his uncle Bert Cook. He’s never forgotten the August day in 1959 when he made his race riding debut and earned the ire of his master. Graham remembers his first win on Countwood, a horse destined to play a pivotal role in his early career. He looks back on the three horse race he won on Countwood beating a couple of star jockeys. Graham acknowledges a handful of jockeys he greatly admired in his formative years. He remembers two important wins on the talented Maybe Lad. The veteran looks back on his second Queensland Guineas win on Lord Kearsey from the Jim Atkins stable. He pays tribute to the legendary Toowoomba trainer. He acknowledges another four wins in the Guineas making it a total of six- his best result in Queensland feature races.  Graham remembers a Gr 1 win on Zephyr Zip for another Brisbane training legend. Fittingly he pays tribute to the gallant Mode, the pony sized mare who gave him victory in two famous Queensland races. “Cookie” hasn’t forgotten his Gr 1 rampage during the 1974/75 Brisbane winter carnival- three elite level wins for champion trainer Jim Griffiths. He looks back on the Doomben $10,000/Stradbroke double with Spedito. The champion jockey relates the circumstances under which he was persuaded to fly to Sydney to ride Leonotis in the 1978 Epsom. His confidence was dimmed by a bad barrier but Leonotis was awesome on the day. He looks back on another Stradbroke success on Dancing Poet for Bill Calder who later gained prominence as the trainer of Chief de Beers. Graham takes us through his winning record in some of Brisbane’s most historic races.   He fondly remembers winning several races on the consistent galloper Ima Shadow for trainer Tom Dawson. Ima Shadow won an amazing total of 31 races. Graham looks back on his four Brisbane jockey’s premierships, and some special days when he dominated the programme. He remembers a lightning trip to Singapore to ride a top fancy in the Gold Cup. He won the feature and later returned for a three year stint. “Cookie” talks of the inevitable accidents during his thirty four year career.  He pays tribute to Janelle, his wife and best friend.  It was an absolute delight to catch up with one of the best riders of his generation. Many memories here for those who were around in “Cookie’s time.

Early in life Lindsay Hatch was totally focused on becoming a jockey and was able to make that happen, albeit for a very short time. Apprenticed to his father Geoff, young Lindsay lasted only 3 years before his weight got out of control but it’s fair to say he left his mark with more than 80 wins, including 30 in Brisbane and a Gold Coast apprentices premiership. He later learned the training craft from some of Australia’s most successful horsemen before settling into a full time solo career at Toowoomba- a career that has so far brought him two Toowoomba premierships. The Lindsay Hatch story makes for a very interesting podcast, and we’re delighted to present it this week. Lindsay begins by singing the praises of his talented mare Wanda Rox who scored a dashing win at EF on Sat July 19th. It was her fourth win at headquarters. Lindsay talks about his dual operation in Queensland with stables at Toowoomba and Townsville. He outlines the reason for the establishment of a northern base. He acknowledges the professionalism of his Townsville stable manager Martin Haley. Lindsay says the toughest part of the job is the endless travelling between coastal racing venues.  He talks of his 40 horse team at Toowoomba. Lindsay remembers childhood days at Blackall and a subsequent move to Ayr in sugar cane country. He looks back on his low key job with top trainer Bruce McLachlan in Brisbane. All he wanted to do was become a jockey.At this point his father Geoff made the important decision to apprentice his son. Lindsay looks back on a fleeting riding career before rapidly increasing weight brought an end to his dream. His three years in the saddle were not without rewards. He looks back on the freakish stroke of luck that would change his life. With the help of a friend, Lindsay became a trackwork rider for Tommy Smith who was a regular in Brisbane at carnival time. That association was destined to last for several years. He remembers one outstanding horse he got to ride in trackwork. Lindsay talks of a move back to Brisbane and a job with talented trainer Kelso Wood. He looks back on a trip to the famous Cairns Amateurs with a few mates. He intended to stay for a week, but was still there three years later. During that time his training career had a low key start. On returning to Brisbane Lindsay would meet the lady destined to become his wife and the mother of his two children. Tracey wasn’t from a racing background but quickly learned the ropes. Lindsay brings us up to date with the current activities of son Thomas and daughter Jade. The trainer looks back on a fateful decision he made in 2010. Unhappy with the Toowoomba Turf Club’s decision to install a synthetic track, he applied for a job with John Sadler in Melbourne. He landed that job and loved every  minute of the experience.  Lindsay takes us back to the second phase of his Victorian experience- a stint with Team Snowden during which time he worked with some classy horses. He recalls his return to Queensland and a whole new career experience courtesy of old friend Tony Gollan. The talented trainer acknowledges some of the horses who’ve helped shape his career. Lindsay recalls the thrill of his recent win in the Battle Of The Bush Final with Peshwa ridden by his former apprentice Angela Jones. He pays tribute to the young lady who’s on the brink of history as the current season draws to a close. He speaks highly of Angela’s partner Kyle Wilson-Taylor who spent part of his apprenticeship with the Hatch stable. Lindsay looks back on the two lowest points of his fifty year involvement in racing. He talks of the shock bowel cancer diagnosis he was handed by doctors in 2017, and the twelve months disqualification he incurred when one of his horses returned a swab positive to cobalt in 2024. The disqualification was eventually replaced by a hefty fine.  It’s a laid back chat with a true blue Queenslander who wouldn’t swap his lot in life for “quids”.

Racing Victoria has always placed enormous importance on the education and welfare of the state’s junior jockeys. No stone is left unturned in developing the talents of promising young riders, at the same time closely monitoring any potential mental health issues that may arise. The governing body chose carefully a few years ago in selecting Darren Gauci and Alf Matthews to head up their jockey coaching initiative. Alf brought the curtain down on his riding career as far back as 1999 and has spent the ensuing 26 years working in apprentice jockey tuition and mainstream racing media. Adelaide born Alf Matthews has crammed a heck of a lot into his 69 years, and his story makes for an absorbing podcast. Great to have him on board this week.  Alf begins by talking about the high number of female apprentices coming through the system. He agrees the girls will comprise a high percentage of Australia’s jockey ranks  in the years ahead.  He talks of the benefits of Racing Victoria’s “mechanical horse” in schooling budding riders. Alf takes us through a day at  the races  with young riders in his group. He takes us back to his final race ride in 1998 when Craig Williams on Prime Address robbed him of victory in the Eclipse Stakes. Alf looks back on his very happy apprenticeship with optician turned horse trainer John Riggs at Morphettville. He’s never forgotten his first day at the races in 1972. He thought he had only one ride but finished up with a couple. He met an English riding legend during the day. Jockeys who win their first race on a metropolitan track are few and far between. Alf was one of them. He looks back on an early association with Bart Cummings and the opportunity to ride a classy 3 year old for the maestro.  Alf still can’t believe his luck in winning his first Gr 1 at home in the Adelaide Cup of 1975. He only had to wait a couple of months for his second Gr 1, this time down the historic Flemington straight six.  Alf says he was chuffed to win the Blue Diamond Stakes for legendary trainer Colin Hayes. He looks back on a transfer of his indentures to Randwick trainer “Skeeter” Bentley in 1976.  Not long after Alf arrived in Sydney Bart Cummings came looking for him to ride one of his runners in the time honoured Epsom Hcp. It was a roughly run Epsom, but Alf missed the trouble to land outsider La Neige a narrow winner.  He looks back on his association with classy mare Maybe Mahal in the 1977/1978 season. At his second ride on the bonny mare Alf got her home in the Craven A Stakes, his second win in that high profile Derby day sprint. He has fond memories of the mare. Alf looks back on a memorable Adelaide carnival in 1986 when he landed the winners of both the Oaks and SA Derby. He looks back on another Oaks win on the grey filly Pindi.  The former jockey was elated to win the famous Oakleigh Plate on Khaptingly for his great supporter David Hall. Alf says he  brought his Gr 1 tally to an even 10 on Minegold in the Australasian Oaks for old friend Leon Macdonald. He pays tribute to one of his favourites Blue Boss. He won seven races on the old warhorse including four at stakes level. Alf looks back on three overseas stints. He was all set to spend a season in Hong Kong but an Adelaide fall saw his contract cancelled. He pays tribute to one Adelaide rider who had a marked impact on his early career. Alf reviews his long association with Racing Victoria. The former outstanding jockey looks back on his 15 years with the Skychannel organisation and several other TV and radio experiences. Alf pays tribute to daughters April and Krystal and the three grandsons the girls have brought into the world. He acknowledges the undying support of wife Kellie. I can still see young Alf Matthews charging along the fence on La Neige to snatch victory in the last stride of the 1976 Epsom. It was one of an amazing tally of 1603 career winners. Those Victorian apprentices are indeed fortunate to have a former rider of such gr

Many punters have noted the absence of Luke Currie from the Melbourne riding ranks in recent weeks. The popular jockey has simply taken advantage of the off-season period to attend to a nagging knee issue he’s been dealing with for quite some time. He’s making great progress and hopes to return to the saddle in just a few weeks. Luke Currie has had a presence among Victoria’s top bracket of riders for close to three decades posting more than 1500 winners with 13 Gr 1’s prominent on his CV. He’s been on our podcast shortlist for a long time and we’ve been able to make it happen during his current layoff. Luke begins by tendering a full report on his troublesome knee. He says the timing of his hiatus wasn’t ideal. He’d been riding winners everywhere. The jockey looks back on his Tasmanian upbringing and an early apprenticeship to his father Ricky. He looks back on a couple of winners in his home state. The system was such that any Tasmanian wins would have had an effect on his Victorian claim. He had to relocate as soon as possible.  Luke looks back on his time with trainer and former champion jockey Pat Hyland. He talks of a transfer to Robbie Griffiths in the latter stages of his apprenticeship, and the golden opportunity he was given by his new boss. The high profile jockey looks back on a six race association with champion mare Makybe Diva. Luke remembers his first Gr 1 success on hardy gelding Roman Arch in the famous Toorak Hcp. He pays tribute to mentor, confidant and friend the late Deane Lester. He reminisces about two C.F Orr victories on Suavito and Manuel. The jockey pays a heartfelt tribute to brilliant mare Sunlight  who provided him with ten wins including two Gr 1’s. He recalls her fighting effort to beat some star colts in the Coolmore Stud Stakes.  Luke marvels at the mind boggling money generated by Sunlight and her relatives in the sale ring. Currie will always have a soft spot for Hey Doc. He rode the sprinter-miler 27 times for 8 wins including 4 Gr 1’s. He reviews his two memorable Blue Diamond wins on Lyre and Artorius. Luke says he was thrilled to win the 2021 Newmarket for old friend Matthew Ellerton. He agrees his McKinnon Stakes win on Arcadia Queen was perhaps the easiest elite level win he’s ever been involved with. Luke looks back on his Hong Kong experience at the height of the covid pandemic. He won at his first race ride, but everything went “belly up” from there. He says there was one memorable development during his time in Hong Kong when invited to fly home to ride Mr. Brightside in the All Star Mile at Moonee Valley. The story had a happy ending. Luke pays tribute to his girls- wife Sophia and daughters Mia and Miley.  This is a laid back chat with a Melbourne jockey whose reputation for hard work and reliability precedes him wherever he goes.

A remarkable riding career came to an end at Doomben in July 2019 when Jeff Lloyd donned the silks for the final time. Imagine how many sets of colours this man had worn in a career embracing 41 years, 5500 winners, 94 Gr 1’s and countless stakes races. He was 50 years old when he arrived in Brisbane in  2012 but soon demonstrated the skills that had built his image as a world class jockey. Not even a 14 month absence recovering from the effects of a stroke could force his retirement until he was good and ready. The continued success of his sons Zac and Jaden has  triggered several requests for a podcast. We’ve been into the archives and regenerated an interview recorded with Jeff Lloyd almost 6 years ago. Let’s give it another gallop. He began by looking back on cherished memories from his final day at Doomben. The former ace jockey reflects on his English origins. He says there was no actual racing background in his family other than his father’s love of a punt. Jeff recalls watching racing on television at every opportunity and the hero worship he developed of legendary jockey Lester Piggott. He says Piggott had more impact on his life than any other jockey.He recalls riding with Piggott many years later in South African Invitational events. Jeff outlines the reason for his family’s move from Great Britain to South Africa. He’s never forgotten his enrolment with the famous South African Jockey’s Academy where strident discipline applied.  Lloyd recalls his initial apprenticeship to respected trainer Brian  De Villiers who gave him unexpected support. Like most jockeys Jeff vividly recalls his first winning ride. The former champion jockey talks about the development of his trademark style. Jeff picked up a special nickname early in his career which sticks to this day- a nickname inspired by his English roots. He reviews the  countless highlights of his South African career. Jeff says he competed in South Africa against some of the world’s best jockeys.  Lloyd still regards a 7 time Gr 1 winner called Wolf Power as the best horse he’s ridden. The big grey was a specialist miler in  South Africa. He looks back on a stunning day at the Kenilworth track shortly before his relocation to Australia. His haul of wins included three of the country’s top Gr 1 races. Jeff talks of his participation in the famous 2000m race the J&B Met. He won it five times. He talks of several trips to other countries including Mauritius. He was lukewarm about a short term contract but finished up riding more winners there than any other jockey before or since. When his stellar South African career came to a close he was given  two unforgettable sendoffs. Jeff Lloyd farewells at Scottsville and Turffontein were emotional experiences. Jeff looks back on the worrying aspect of living in Durban in the early 2000’s. He and wife Nickola lived in a housing estate which offered round the clock security. He says dining out wasn’t a pleasant prospect. When Jeff decided to try his luck in Australia, brother-in-law and fellow jockey Glyn Schofield opted to do the same.  The former star jockey pays tribute to the horse who got him up and running in his adopted country.  He’s never forgotten a Randwick treble on New Year’s Day 2008. Jeff says he was well aware Sydney racing people were talking about his unorthodox style. He simply let the results do the talking. He recalls his surprise when he learned that the Aussie horses were not as “hyped up” as their South African counterparts. Lloyd was overwhelmed when a wide range of Sydney trainers started to seek his services. Even Jack Denham jumped on  the bandwagon. He looks back on  a career defining win on Kiwi 3YO Nom De Jeu In the 2008 Australian Derby.  Then came a contract to ride in Hong Kong. Initially it was to be a three month arrangement but things changed. Jeff was delighted to win the Gr 1 HK Mile on the remarkable Able One, an unsound nine year old at the time.  When the decision was made

It’s doubtful that Queensland has ever produced a more versatile racing all rounder than Rockhampton based Tony McMahon who was forced to reduce his workload significantly following a freak stable accident in 2022. After 50 frantically busy years working in multiple roles within the racing industry, the 72 year old walked away from several commitments including his favourite pursuit of horse training. His many supporters were delighted to hear that the veteran will continue in the role of resident race caller for several regional race clubs. This man’s story is ready made for a racing podcast and we’re delighted he agreed to join this one. Tony begins our chat by looking back on the simple accident that would leave him with a badly damaged shoulder. He has three race horses still in work with other trainers. Tony identifies five tracks where he’ll continue to work as resident commentator.        The veteran takes us back to early days when he’d hitch a ride from the Gold Coast to Brisbane most Saturdays to meet an uncle at the metropolitan race meeting. Tony remembers the days when he’d practice race calling onto a tape recorder and get top caller Vince Curry to review his work. He recalls his disdain of the schoolroom and his first job with a Gold Coast bank.  He reflects on the night when he got a work colleague to listen to one of his phantom race calls. The exercise indirectly guided him towards a race calling career.   Tony hasn’t forgotten his audition call for the Lismore Turf Club whose course commentator was nearing retirement. He landed the job at just 17 years of age. He immediately quit his job at the ES&A Bank despite the misgivings of his parents.  He recalls jumping at an opportunity to call some harness racing for Brisbane radio.   Tony looks back on a surprise opportunity in the early 1970’s to act as race caller and handicapper for the Gold Coast Turf Club. A short time into the dual role he developed blood clots on his vocal chords. He was devastated to learn that his race calling days were over, at least in the short term. He was thrilled when another door opened almost immediately- the dual role of assistant handicapper and cadet steward with the NRRA. Tony talks of his next adventure. This time he landed the job of handicapper for the Newcastle Racing and Registration Board. He became the youngest handicapper to be appointed in NSW. He looks back on subsequent roles with the Wyong Race Club and the Newcastle Herald. It was around this time his voice returned and he was soon back behind the binoculars. He remembers another change of direction in 1978 when the NRRA appointed him chief steward for race meetings in their northern sector. This made him the youngest chairman of stewards ever appointed in northern NSW and possibly the nation. Finally Tony’s long time desire to train in his own right got the better of him. He acquired stables on the Gold Coast and kicked off with some ‘hand-me-down’ horses from Newcastle trainer Jim Johnstone. He joined an  elite group of trainers to score with his very first starter. Tony pays tribute to the horses who launched his career and helped him to establish a reputation as a serious horse trainer. He makes special mention of Konedobu, the frustrating horse who provided his first Brisbane city win and became his one and only Sydney runner.  The versatile racing identity pays a special tribute to former ace jockey Tony Erhart. He looks back on a decision to set up shop as a trainer in faraway Rockhampton. It also brought him closer to his future wife Jean who’s been a tower of strength in subsequent years.  Once again a new door opened for Tony not long after arriving in Rocky. He walked straight into the roles of Callaghan Park race caller and racing writer for the Rockhampton Morning Bulletin. He held both jobs for many years.  He expresses gratitude for two journalistic awards to come his way. Trainer McMahon pays tribute to three special horses who kep

Our regular podcast has catered principally for racing fans since its introduction seven years ago. This week we break the mould by presenting an interview with Royce Simmons OAM who reached dizzy heights in his footballing career as both player and coach. From the time of his Alzheimer’s diagnosis in 2022, Royce hasn’t left a stone unturned in keeping himself fit enough to pursue every avenue in raising money for dementia research. His results have been inspiring. The celebrated hooker played in 238 games for Penrith between 1980-1991, ten  for the NSW Blues and another ten in the green and gold of Australia. Every time I run into Royce at a sporting function I’m reminded of the fact that he should be a guest on our podcast. I issued an invitation at a recent Panthers charity luncheon and he graciously accepted.  Royce talks about his current state of health and the success of the “Royce’s Big Walk” initiative which has raised thousands of dollars for dementia research. He talks about his recent hosting role at a Saturday afternoon Panthers initiative called “Royce’s Race Day”. Members and guests got to enjoy the best in food and drinks, good fellowship and the opportunity to chat with one of Penrith’s favourite sons.  Royce talks of his love of a dabble but doesn’t rate himself as a successful punter. The Penrith Hall Of Famer talks of early life in the Lachlan Valley township of Canowindra where he developed a liking for the Rugby Union code. Royce talks of his hard working parents and his siblings - two sisters and one brother. He reflects on a move to nearby Gooloogong when his father George purchased the local butcher shop. He brings up the subject of Cocky Raider, a champion pacer of the late 60’s and early 70’s who was trained in the town by Jack McWilliam. Royce was just ten or eleven years of age but hasn’t forgotten the impact Cocky Raider had on the 500 residents of Gooloogong.  Royce looks back on his subsequent move to the big smoke and trial games for St George and South Sydney.  He hasn’t forgotten an unexpected approach from the Penrith Club generated by a recommendation from Parramatta star Barry Rushworth. To make it all come together Royce had to play two trial games in twenty four hours. Many have forgotten that Simmons played lock forward in his first year with Penrith.  The former champion hooker talks of the radical changes in the scrum feed. He looks back on his unforgettable debut for the NSW Blues in 1984.  Royce says he lost the job to Benny Elias in 1985, but returned the following year to get “Man Of The Match” in Game 1. His form in the 1986 State Of Origin series earned him a spot in the Kangaroo squad to play three tests against NZ. He was the first Penrith product to play for Australia. Later in 1986 Royce toured with the Kangaroo side in a six test series against Papua New Guinea, Great Britain and France. He didn’t get a break that year. Royce talks about his seven years as captain of the Penrith side, a role he took very seriously. He looks back on Penrith’s clash with a very strong Canberra side in the Winfield Cup Grand Final of 1990.  Perhaps Royce Simmons is best remembered for his two try contribution to Penrith’s first ever premiership win in 1991. It was his final appearance as a player, and one he’ll never forget. Royce takes us through the circumstances under which his “double” eventuated. The OAM inductee takes us through his coaching days which began with the St Mary’s first grade side but soon escalated to loftier heights. On returning to Australia Royce was invited to take over the role of Panthers coach from the departing Phil Gould. Royce looks back on seven happy years as assistant coach of the Wests Tigers under the leadership of Tim Sheens. The former Penrith legend was gobsmacked when an offer came for him to coach the famous St Helen’s Club in England. It didn’t work out quite as well as Royce had hoped. He pays tribute to his wonderful family - wife Liane, c

Donna was at Albury airport waiting to board a Melbourne bound flight when we tracked her down last Friday. She found herself a quiet corner and was happy to join us on the podcast. The experienced horsewoman was literally thrust into the training business when her husband Brett died suddenly in 2008. Before commencing her solo career Donna opted for a year with the huge Darley operation, and has never regretted the decision. Today she trains a 25 horse team from the Albury racecourse precinct, and maintains a very good strike rate. Donna talks about a good recent run of winners with special mention of the promising One Hard Lady. She takes us back to childhood days on the family farm where she was riding ponies from a tender age. Donna talks of her father Graham Hulm who schooled her in the art of horse breaking.  She recalls learning the finer points of thoroughbred management from respected local trainer Ron Stubbs. It was at the Stubbs Albury stable where Donna met her future husband Brett Scott. She talks of Brett’s achievements as a jockey in the southern districts and his transition into the training ranks. Donna and Brett became the proud parents of Brett Jnr and Danielle. She pays tribute to the kids and talks of the four grandchildren who’ve come along in recent years. She looks back on the trauma created by Brett’s passing and the small team of horses she inherited.  Donna will never forget the magical first win just two months after her husband’s passing. Before getting too serious about a solo training career she opted for a stint with a major Sydney stable. She landed a job with the huge Darley operation and Danielle went with her.  Donna talks of Danielle’s brief stint as a jockey. She speaks highly of Danielle’s partner Blaike McDougall, a jockey of great talent and a NSW premiership winner in 2020/2021. Donna acknowledges the support of longtime stable foreperson Madi Connell and apprentices Amy O’Driscoll and Robert Wilcox. The trainer makes special mention of Lord Von Costa, a family favourite who had a few trainers during his racing career. She got him very late but managed to win a stakes race at Flemington.  Donna had a lot of time for a mare called Bennelong Dancer who made her presence felt in two editions of the Country Championship. She pays a special tribute to one of her all time favourites Our Last Cash.   Donna was thrilled to win a race at Caulfield with Takissacod. She talks about another favourite Villasaurus - the horse to break her TAB Highway “duck”.  The trainer makes mention of Bautista, another of her Country Championship Final runners. Donna talks about an early phobia she had regarding Sydney tracks. She talks of the family farm Hazel Park named after a very special grandmother. Donna talks of the trusty stable truck that gives her total independence in getting horses to the races.

Anthony Cavallo’s year long absence from the western districts riding ranks continues to arouse the curiosity of his many friends and TAB followers. A veteran of almost forty years in the saddle, Cavallo sustained multiple injuries in what appeared to be a simple fall at Wellington. Two fractured vertebrae in the upper back required a spinal fusion and the insertion of a metal plate. That plate is to be removed at the end of June, after which the veteran will determine the course of his future. Enquiries have been numerous about a likely return to the saddle for one of country racing’s most respected jockeys. “Choco” joins the podcast with his own version of events. He expresses his gratitude for the many messages of encouragement he’s received. Anthony says he’d love to keep riding but intends to accept the judge’s decision. He looks back on the Wellington fall and says he had absolutely no warning. The jockey summarises an endless list of injuries. He reflects on many race falls but says none of his injuries have been below the waist. Cavallo looks back on one other nasty spill on the very same racetrack. He looks back on the way in which his apprenticeship was arranged by his father and an uncle. He pays tribute to his master Ray Guy. Anthony speaks freely about the nickname he was given by a co-worker soon after he joined the guy stable. He still gets that nickname from the majority of racing people. Like most jockeys he has vivid recollections of his first winning ride 39 years ago. He looks back on his one and only ride on multiple Gr 1 winner Potrero, the horse he rates the best he’s ridden in a race. Tony hasn’t forgotten a stakes win at Randwick on a 140/1 pop called Reign of Honour. He got to ride the same filly in a Gr 1 two weeks later. He looks back on the day at Warwick Farm when he won a Gr 3 race under the most unusual of circumstances. Cavallo looks back on a feature country win which came out of the blue when Glen Boss had to forfeit the ride. The veteran spent almost 8 years out of Australia  during his long riding career. He reflects on stints in Singapore/Malaysia, Macau and Abu Dabi. He goes back to 2016 when he was still riding a power of trackwork at Randwick, but spending Saturdays at country meetings. Finally it made good sense to base himself in the central west. The jockey talks about his first country retreat at Cudgegong Waters near Mudgee. He loved the lifestyle. He continued his usual practice of riding regular trackwork. He formed a successful partnership with dubbo horseman Kody Nestor. Tony says he also got to Orange trackwork once a week for trainers like Alison Smith, Peter Cornish and Cindy Monaghan. He also rode work for Bob Howe on an abandoned picnic racecourse. He talks of his recent move into Mudgee township where he lives with partner Amanda. Anthony rarely rides in the city these days but has been able to win four editions of the TAB Highway. He looks back on those four wins. With his all important medical assessment due in a month, he’s already contemplating the possibility of having to quit the saddle. He says he’d love to have some contact with horses going forward. It’s a laid back chat with the little fellow of Italian descent who was besotted with thoroughbreds from the moment he walked into Ray Guy’s Rosehill stables.

The way James McDonald is reeling off Gr 1 wins it seems certain he’ll need only two more full seasons to seriously threaten Damien Oliver’s record of 129 Australian wins at the elite level. Until that happens we can continue to appreciate the distinguished record “Ollie” left behind when he retired from race riding seventeen months ago. Those 129 Gr 1’s were the highlights of a magnificent career tally of 3189. Throw in 14 Scobie Breasley medals, 10 Melbourne jockey’s premierships and an induction into the Racing Australia Hall of Fame at age 36, and you’ve got one hell of a record. Damien’s Melbourne Cup win on Media Puzzle in 2002 came just days after the death of his jockey brother Jason who’d suffered multiple injuries in a Perth barrier trial fall. The story of the tragedy behind Media Puzzle’s win made news around the world and remains a part of Australian racing folklore. A podcast seemed the best way to identify and document the many facets of the fascinating life of one of our best ever jockeys. “Ollie” was happy to oblige and we caught him in reminiscent mood.  He begins by admitting he still gets an occasional withdrawal symptom when the big races roll around. Damien talks of his final day in the saddle- a four race international jockey’s series in Saudi Arabia. He looks back on his final Melbourne Cup carnival. Three wins over the week consolidated his all time record of 88 wins for the four day carnival. The former ace jockey looks back on his final day of riding in Australia. From seven rides at Perth’s Ascot track he won the last three races to the delight of 10,000 racegoers. It was an emotional day for the WA born horseman. He talks about the death of his father Ray in a Kalgoorlie race fall in 1975. He was just three years old. Damien reflects on his original apprenticeship to step father Lindsay Rudland, and the unforgettable thrill of his very first winning ride at Bunbury. He recalls the manner in which negotiations played out for his transfer to the Freedman stable in Melbourne. He says the experience was intimidating in the beginning. The multiple premiership winner reflects on the first of his 129 Gr 1 victories. He was just 18 years old at the time.  He agrees that Mannerism’s Caulfield Cup win in 1992 was the one to propel him onto the big stage. Damien is happy to admit his first Melbourne Cup appearance finished in a disaster. He’s still in disbelief that he was able to win 18 Gr 1’s before completing his apprenticeship. Damien reflects on the first of his three Melbourne Cup wins on Doriemus in 1995. He pays special tribute to the top class stayer. He was happy to revisit the incredible Media Puzzle story of 2002. The death of brother Jason following a freak accident in a Perth barrier trial and the reason for his decision to ride the Irish stayer in the Melbourne Cup. He remembers the race, the emotion, the aftermath and the release of a movie called The Cup nine years later. He recalls the circumstances leading up to his engagement for Fiorente in the 2013 Melbourne Cup. He’d never ridden the horse in a race but played a major part in the stallion’s preparation leading up to the big race. Damien talks of three second placings in the famous event. He reflects on some favourite moments from his Gr 1 journey beginning with his first Cox Plate success on Dane Ripper in 1997. Damien remembers his second Cox Plate win on the great West Aussie Northerly. He had to survive a double protest. The champion jockey has won some major races several times over. He looks back on multiple victories in races like the Victoria Oaks, the Victoria Derby, and the 1000 Guineas.  Damien talks of several great sprinters he got to ride with special mention of the powerful grey Schillaci. Oliver won 5 races on the brilliant Testa Rossa including 3 Gr 1’s. He reflects on one famous defeat at the hands of Redoute’s Choice in the 1999 Caulfield Guineas. Damien says the last elite horse he rode was the multiple Gr

Luke Marlow’s love affair with thoroughbreds can be traced to the days when he had photos of the champion mare Makybe Diva  prominently displayed on his bedroom walls. Around this time his parents were managing the Merlo Downs Stud at Minden about 63 kms west of Brisbane. Luke’s life changed forever a couple of years later when Jeff Marlow took out a trainer’s licence and quickly enlisted his son as principal trackwork rider.  By the time the teenager had ridden a few fast gallops and provided a guest call of a race at Yepoon in 2008, the die was cast. Just three years later the young Queenslander won the fourth edition of a Sky Racing Scholarship and was off and running in the career he’d dreamed about.  Now approaching his 32nd birthday, Luke Marlow is recognised as one of the most versatile performers in the Australian racing media. He joins us on the podcast to reflect on a whirlwind fourteen years since arriving in Sydney. He begins by confirming a very important recent development in his personal life.  Luke talks about the never-ending variety in his working life. He lives by the roster. He talks of the changing face of country racing in NSW where undreamed of prize money levels regularly attract the patronage of major Sydney stables. Official barrier trials are almost as frequent as TAB race meetings. Luke is frequently called upon to describe the trials for Sky Thoroughbred Central. He talks of his hosting role on the popular Saturday morning radio programme Racing HQ.  Luke’s talks of the change in his situation when Sky’s Number 2 caller Mitch Manners accepted a full time role with the Gold Coast Turf Club in 2023. He immediately became understudy to the station’s chief caller Darren Flindell. In this capacity he’s had the opportunity to call five editions of the Provincial Championship Final. The easy going Queenslander talks of early life in his home state with special mention of happy days at the Merlo Downs Thoroughbred Stud. He recalls his introduction to the task of riding trackwork for his father Jeff. Luke recounts the entertaining story of the day he was invited to call a race on the public address system at a Yepoon meeting in 2008. The winner was trained by his dad and owned by his grandmother. He still regards the occasion as one of the greatest thrills of his life. He pays tribute to Tony McMahon, the man who gave him the opportunity to call the race that helped shape his destiny. Luke takes us back to 2011 when he “made the cut” for the fourth Sky Young Race Caller’s Scholarship. He looks back on a week of auditions culminating in a nerve wracking race call at Wyong.  He was in disbelief when the judges voted in his favour. Seven years after settling into his new job, Marlow was stunned to receive a phone call from the Singapore Turf Club who’d been left short of a race caller when Tom Wood relocated to Hong Kong. Luke agonised over the decision he had to make. He looks back on an exciting two years in the famous city-state with special emphasis on his meeting with the lovely Kiwi jockey now destined to become his wife. Luke talks about the ravages of Covid 19 and the soul destroying lockdown endured by all Singaporians. He and Alysha made the decision to return to Sydney.  He pays tribute to Alysha’s work ethic and acknowledges her emergence as one of Sydney’s most in demand jockeys. Luke explains how he manages to control his emotions when calling races in which his fiancee is competing. He talks about the legendary NZ racing family from which Alysha descends. It’s a laid back chat with a young Queenslander whose career  path was never in doubt. All he needed was an ounce of luck to make the dream come true.

Golf has long been the most popular pastime of professional jockeys. Some have attained a very high level in the sport, others are happy to “puddle” around once or twice a week with a few mates. Highly respected southern districts jockey Richard Bensley has come up with a recreation far removed from conventional sports. Thanks to the influence of his late father Bryson, Richard is a master exponent of the ancient art of carriage driving. He frequently jumps into a sparkling old world buggy drawn by a high stepping Hackney and competes at the highest level. He’s also ridden more than 900 winners in a successful 25 year career mostly on southern district tracks. Richard Bensley is a podcast guest with a difference. He talks firstly about a promising mare he’s been riding just lately for Goulburn trainer Patrick Murphy. He acknowledges the talents of former jockey Pat Murphy. Richard talks about the equine skills of his late father Bryson, his father-in-law Rick Jones and late mother Joanne who was also a noted horsewoman.  The successful jockey talks about his Goulburn property and the large number of horse drawn vehicles tucked away in a shed. One of those vehicles is a century old hearse.  He talks about the never ending work involved in maintaining leather harness and brass fittings. Richard talks about the English bred Hackney, the horse most commonly used in carriage driving around the world. The breed is diminishing but the jockey does his bit to help save the species. He pays tribute to wife Melissa, son Mitchell and daughter Chelsea. Richard remembers the occasion when breeder Peter Stewart told Bryson that his son’s feet were too big for him to even consider becoming a jockey.  He recalls a chance conversation his father had with trainer Ken Callaughan who’d only just moved to the new Goulburn training complex. That conversation changed Richard’s life. The jockey hasn’t forgotten Callaughan’s all round horsemanship skills. He remembers his hometrack debut on a Callaughan runner in 2000, and the thrill of his first win at Cootamundra. Richard says it took him a long time to ride a city winner. He acknowledges his successful association with trainer Nick Olive for whom he rode more than one hundred winners. Richard looks back on some of the nice horses he got to ride for the Olive stable. The jockey looks back with delight on a Black Opal Stakes win for old friend trainer Gratz Vella. He takes us through his win on You’re Canny. Richard expresses his appreciation of the staunch support he had from the Vella stable. He looks back on a winning association with Loved Up, a talented mare from the Brett Cavanough yard.  Richard remembers a black type win on Loved Up in the Scone Guineas and the unlikely circumstances that brought him a second stakes win on the same day. The forty two year old speaks highly of The Monstar, another talented horse from the Brett Cavanough stable. He got to ride the sprinter in a couple of high quality races in Melbourne. Richard names a handful of outstanding country jockeys for whom he’s had high regard throughout his career. He looks back on a second placing in a Rosehill TAB Highway destined to be promoted by default. Richard confirms that retirement is not yet on the radar. That applies to race riding and carriage driving.

Brilliant apprentice Mollie Fitzgerald was shattered recently when a sudden bout of appendicitis interrupted her march towards a possible NSW jockey’s premiership win in just her second season of race riding. The twenty two year old daughter of former successful jockey Malcolm Fitzgerald, had ridden 123 winners in just twenty one months leading up to her recent setback. Only a handful of wins separated Mollie, Aaron Bullock and Jean Van Overmeire at the time of her diagnosis.  Her amazing win rate on northern rivers tracks attracted the attention of the Neasham/Alexander stable who invited her to join the team last October. After five weeks on the sidelines Mollie returned to trackwork duties on Thursday May 1st, and is champing at the bit to resume her premiership chase. She talks about her general malaise leading up to the discovery of appendicitis.  Mollie says she hasn’t given up on catching  Bullock and Van Overmeire but realises she now has a tough task. She talks of the fairy tale start to her riding career.  Mollie has only heard about her father’s riding days but is well aware of his talents and constant battle with weight. She’s grateful to have his guidance and wise counsel in the early stages of her career. The apprentice brings us up to date with the progress of her two siblings, sister Lacey and brother Cameron. Mollie talks of her early involvement with the Bellingen Pony Club. She looks back on a move to Camden Haven when her father was a jockey mentor for Racing NSW. Mollie remembers Malcolm’s switch of direction when Racing NSW developed a rehoming property on Oxley Island near Taree. While awaiting new ownership the former racehorses had to be exercised on a nearby beach. This was where young Fitzgerald was first bitten by the thoroughbred bug. She talks about her first job in a racing stable which she juggled with her schooling. Mollie looks back on a pleasing result in the Higher School Certificate. The young jockey says she put horses aside for a full year while gaining work experience in a local real estate business. Finally an apprenticeship opportunity came up with Taree trainer Tony Ball. Mollie jumped at the chance and the rest is history. She talks about the magical day at Bowraville when her first winner came along. Before the day was over, she’d won another race. Mollie says her dad became her regular chauffeur to many northern meetings. He was the perfect sounding board on the return journey to Taree. She’s adamant a couple of troublesome wisdom teeth prevented her winning fifty races in her first season. Mollie acknowledges the great support of Grafton trainer John Shelton who made her the regular rider of Cassia Lane. She won three straight on the genuine mare including the 2024 Inverell Cup. She won the feature sprint on the same day. She looks back on a special day at Inverell last year when she was one of five female jockeys to make a clean sweep of the programme. It was another all girls affair at Moree on Sept 1st last year. She was thrilled to win two races including the Moree Cup. Mollie talks about her day of days so far- four wins and a second from seven rides at an Armidale meeting. She relives the thrill of winning the Rising Stars Apprentices Series this season. Mollie talks about the offer from Anabel Neasham and the nice horses she’s already ridden for the stable. Highlight was a treble at Kembla in January. One of the winners has become her stable favourite. Great to catch up with an intelligent young lady who’s been the talk of racing in the last year or so. It was only a matter of time before she was approached by a Sydney stable. You won’t see her in town for a while yet, but she’s certain to be a favourite with provincial punters while her claim lasts.

For many decades the NSW Riverina has produced an endless list of outstanding trainers and jockeys. One of the latest recruits to hit the headlines on the big stage is young jockey Tyler Schiller who reeled off a couple of Gr 1 wins during the recent Championships. One man to leave his mark as a jockey and trainer is Dave Heywood who retired in 2020 after six decades in the racing industry. As a jockey he rode exclusively in the Riverina and Victoria. Surprisingly he never once got to ride on a Sydney track but he trained numerous winners in the harbour city. Dave Heywood earned the respect of all sections of the industry during 12 years in the saddle and another 48 years as a trainer. The rising 80 year old is in reminiscent mood as he joins us on the podcast. Dave says he’s blessed with good health. Right off the top he answers the commonly asked question about his relationship if any to ace jockey Nick Heywood. Dave says his primary sporting interests these days revolve around the dart board and the pool room. Few realise Dave was Victorian born. He explains how the family got to settle in the Riverina. The veteran horseman remembers riding trackwork at age 11 for legendary trainer Bert Honeychurch who became his master. Dave hasn’t forgotten his very first day as a professional jockey. He greeted the judge twice. He talks about the horses involved. He still remembers the thrill of riding a winner first up on the historic Flemington course. Dave looks back on the transfer of his indentures to top Melbourne trainer Brian Courtney. He realises how lucky he was to pick up a ride in the Melbourne Cup at just 15 years of age. He talks of the horse he rode for an iconic trainer and takes us through the running of the Centenary Melbourne Cup of 1960. One of the runners was Dave’s favourite horse. He looks back on his association with the man who took Phar Lap to America in 1932. Dave got to ride the talented Webster in an unsuitable race at Werribee. Although unplaced he still regards the horse as the best he ever rode in a race. He acknowledges several other talented horses he got to ride during his time in Melbourne. One of them was owned by a Hollywood movie legend. Dave was back in the Riverina in 1969. His weight was on the rise but he managed to ride for another few years with great success. He’s especially proud of a winning sequence over two days at Benalla. He explains that he was actually talked into applying for a trainer’s licence. Dave looks back on his “Indies trilogy”- Prince Of Indies, Pride Of Indies and King Of Indies, three talented horses who won more than 60 races between them. He pays tribute to his late brother-in-law Russ Milne who owned the Indies trio. He also loved a punt whenever his horses were racing. Dave is adamant the unsound Shadameneo was the best horse he trained. The former outstanding horseman pays tribute to the indestructible Green Ridge, veteran of 200 race starts. He looks back on prolific winners like Vain Alert, Hillston Exchange, Man Of Peace and Living On A Prayer. This is a long overdue chat with a great competitor and a gentleman of Riverina racing.

When Michael Beattie became Deputy Chairman of Stewards for the Hunter And North Western Racing Association in 1985 he wasn’t made welcome by all of his new colleagues. In fact one senior member of staff was clearly unhappy about the appointment of the bloke he called  “the brash young steward from Grafton”. Beattie’s lifelong tendency to call a spade a spade has earned him a reputation as a tough, hard operator- some have branded him a “bully”. Others have testified to his fairness and his insistence on listening to every shred of available evidence  Few have ever left a Beattie inquiry without knowing exactly where they stood. The sixty six year old has swapped stewarding for racing administration on a couple of occasions over more than fifty years in the industry. This is a podcast with a straight shooter who tells his life story with candour, humour and a touch of showmanship. Michael talks about his good fortune in landing back in his beloved hometown of Grafton as CEO of the Clarence River Jockey Club.  He talks of the dozen Grafton Cups he’s overseen since returning to the northern rivers. He’s a great admirer of the 2022 Cup winner Arapaho. Michael talks of early days in Grafton when his favourite entertainment was the Friday night ABC television coverage of the Harold Park trots. He couldn’t wait for Fridays to come. He revisits the 1971 Miracle Mile win by freakish Western Australian pacer Mount Eden. The performance made a lasting impression on the budding racing aficionado. He takes us back to the heady days when he’d climb a Jacaranda tree outside the Grafton racecourse to watch the horses come down the straight. Finally his father Les agreed to take him to the races as a paying customer. Michael’s a good storyteller and regales us with some entertaining yarns- like the one about his offer to a prominent trainer who always seemed to be short on helpers. He’s always been able to open doors. At just fourteen years of age in 1973, he put a proposal to the four race clubs who used the Grafton racecourse. We’re talking about 37 race meetings a year. Next thing young Beattie was writing all of the racebook form for those four clubs.  Michael tells the story of a winner on Ramornie day 1973 owned by a respected Doctor who wanted him to strap the horse no matter what. You’ll enjoy the rest of the story. He takes us through the rigorous procedure he had to follow in quest of a job with NSW Government Railways. It was worth the trouble. The former international steward looks back on his appointment as a cadet with the Northern Rivers Racing Association (NRRA), and an introduction to the tough task of handicapping. Michael’s desire to spread his wings saw him apply for an important new job in 1985. He was 26 when appointed Deputy Chairman of Stewards with the Hunter and North Western Racing Association. He remains grateful for the enormous experience he gained over fourteen years. His first stint as a racing administrator came in 1999 when he successfully applied for the CEO’s role with the Gosford Race Club. He gained invaluable experience over almost seven years. Michael reflects on a conversation with trainer Joe Janiak who’d indicated he might set rising sprint star Takeover Target for the 2004 Pacesetter Stakes. That conversation took a few twists and turns. Michael looks back on Gosford Committee meetings when he persuaded board members to consider purchasing more real estate around the racecourse. He remains gratified that there’s now sufficient space for Racing NSW to develop a huge training complex in the future. He reflects on the surprise phone call from former high profile steward John Schreck advising him of an upcoming position with the Macau jockey Club. Michael took the job but opted out of his contract less than a year later. The reason for his change of mind is perfectly understandable. It was back to Sydney and a new role as Chairman Of Stewards for Harness Racing NSW at precisely the time the

Racing has seen few more distinguished careers than the one enjoyed by Ron Quinton over six rewarding decades. His stellar riding career spanned almost thirty years. His successful training career is now in its thirty second year and counting. Ron’s an inductee of the Australian Racing Hall Of Fame and the recipient of a Medal Of The Order Of Australia, fitting acknowledgements of his contribution to Australian racing.  I’ve conducted interviews with Ron Quinton many times over sixty years and there was a comprehensive podcast in 2018, but several recent email requests for an updated version have got us on the job. It’s a pleasure to revisit the career of an iconic Australian horseman. His passion for the game is unwavering. His recall of horses, horsemen and events will take you on a nostalgic journey. Ron admits he’s a disciplined trainer who never takes his eye off the ball. The seventy seven year old acknowledges the support of long time client Ray Gall who’s rarely without a horse or two in the stable. Ron remembers the first yearling Ray gave him to train. That filly was Mamzelle Pedrille who remains the trainer’s all time favourite. Ron pays tribute to his first Gr 1 winner.  His magic moment came on the opening day of the famous Melbourne Cup carnival in the year 2000. He looks back on another unforgettable day at Flemington when he won the historic Victoria Oaks with Bulla Borghese- his second Gr 1 as a trainer. Ron has had a commanding presence in the history of the Coolmore Classic run at Rosehill during the Golden Slipper carnival. He won it twice as a jockey and four times as trainer. He looks back on his quartet of training wins beginning with classy mare Ofcourseican. He remembers Peeping, Daysee Doom and Dixie Blossoms who all won the high profile race. The veteran horseman looks back on his association with the respected owner Millie Fox. He was recommended for the job by Brian Mayfield-Smith who’d decided to explore the possibility of becoming a conservationist in South Africa. Ron looks back on the best of the 95 winners he trained in four years for the universally popular Mrs.Millie Fox. He pays tribute to the lengthy list of talented junior riders who spent all or part of their apprenticeships under his wing. Ron looks back on his twenty years as stable jockey for legendary trainer Neville Begg. He speaks of Begg’s affinity with fillies and mares. He goes back to childhood days at Mendooran in the Central West and early days in the saddle. Ron pays tribute to his master and mentor Theo Green. He looks back on a rewarding apprenticeship and the wonderful opportunities afforded him by leading stables.  Ron takes us on a nostalgic journey as he revisits his association with horses like Analie, Bletchingly, Emancipation, Dalmacia, Marscay, Sir Dapper, Rory’s Jester, Marauding, Kingston Town, and Baguette- a true galaxy of stars. The former great jockey was involved in twelve race falls during three decades in the saddle. When it comes to injury he regards himself as one of the lucky ones. From the outset of his riding career Ron harboured an ambition to ride overseas. He looks back on three memorable stints with champion Irish trainer John Oxx.  Ron talks of the devastating loss in 2017 of Margaret, his wife of 45 years. His horses helped him through a difficult time. He talks of children Shawn, Trent and Annabel and of his four grandchildren. Ron looks at his future direction.  This is a wonderful trip down memory lane with a giant of Australian racing.

There’s no busier jockey in northern NSW than Wauchope based Luke Rolls. The expat Kiwi drives huge mileage to honour commitments at northern rivers and tablelands tracks. Born and reared in Fielding on New Zealand’s North Island, Luke was initially apprenticed to Bruce Marsh at Foxton. He transferred to a Victorian stable in the early 2000’s and his subsequent journey has produced an impressive tally of more than 760 winners. Luke begins our chat by talking about his move to the NSW mid north coast with Cassie Schmidt, the lady destined to become his wife. He says hard work was the only way to go in the first few years. The jockey takes us through a normal day in his life. Few jockeys ride more trackwork than Luke Rolls. Luke says he has to keep an eye on the clock when he has commitments at a faraway meeting. The constant travelling is the toughest part of his job. He acknowledges the ongoing support of a special group of northern trainers. Luke takes us back to early days on the farm at Fielding NZ. Horse racing wasn’t on his radar. He admits he was more intent on becoming an All Black than a professional jockey. Luke looks back on his initial apprenticeship to top trainer Bruce Marsh. He’d never been on a horse. He looks back on his first race ride. He finished second but says the horse should have won. Luke hasn’t forgotten his first winning ride. It turned out to be his one and only NZ winner. He talks of a transfer to a Victorian stable when Bruce Marsh landed a contract to train in Singapore. The jockey remembers a happy 18 months with Terry O’Sullivan at Stawell and the handful of winners he rode on country tracks. Luke admits he suddenly lost interest in racing after the Victorian stint. He went to Sydney with mates and landed a job as a welder. He looks back on a return to NZ and a job with Affco Abbatoirs. That job generated an opportunity to work in rural Queensland which didn’t work out. Next step was another meatworks job on the Gold Coast. Finally the lure of the thoroughbred prompted him to give riding another crack. A newspaper advertisement led him to a job with a Gold Coast trainer. Luke was thrilled to win a race at Ballina soon after returning to race riding. He talks of a tremendous winning run on the Gold Coast which yielded a local apprentices premiership. Luke remembers a growing interest in his services from Brisbane stables. He’s never forgotten his first trip to the metropolitan winner’s circle. In fact it happened twice on the day. He talks of the jockey who became a formidable rival on the Gold Coast and of the day he rode the first four winners on the programme. Luke looks back on his only ride in a Gr 1 race. He was flown to Sydney by Queensland owners to handle a lightweight in The Galaxy of 2009. For one thrilling moment at the 200m he thought the race was in his keeping. He talks of an Eagle Farm win on a horse destined to win a Gr 1 down the track. Luke acknowledges the successful riding career of wife Cassie despite a torturous battle with weight. When she opted to relocate from the Gold Coast to her native Wauchope he elected to go with her. Cassie’s “dream job” came along soon after. He says nobody was surprised when Cassie decided on a training career. Her first win came not long after gaining her licence and Luke Rolls was the jockey. Luke talks of his marriage to Cassie and the successful trainer/jockey combination they’ve developed. It’s a nice chat with a Kiwi born jockey who preferred motor bikes to horses in his early days at Fielding.

We’re approaching the fifth anniversary of one of the most unique race days ever seen in Sydney. Drastic covid protocols saw only jockeys, trainers and a handful of stable staff in attendance to watch the running of the Derby, Doncaster, T.J Smith and Sires Produce Stakes on day 1 of The Championships.. The day belonged to that pizza eating, beer swilling, arrogant mare Nettoyer who came from near last to win the Doncaster for trainer Wendy Roche and jockey James Innes Jnr. Jimmy joins us on the podcast to reminisce about an experience he still describes as surreal. James talks about his recent move to Canberra and a whole new phase in his career. It’s not the first time he’s had a Canberra connection. He says the eerie emptiness of Randwick on Doncaster day 2020 didn’t detract from the thrill of winning his first Gr 1. James credits a well known Sydney trainer for getting him the ride on Nettoyer. He confirms the many stories that were doing the rounds about the mare’s vile temperament. The jockey says it took him forever to get her to the mile starting point. A friend who worked on the barriers saved the day. James takes us through the running of the 2020 Doncaster. He says the mare went from a bolter’s chance at the 800m to a realistic chance on top of the rise. He says he tried hard to control his emotions on returning to scale, but lost it completely. The jockey relates a humorous story about father James and mother Julie who watched the race at home. James Jnr pays a heartfelt tribute to his dad who rode many winners before his retirement in 2007. He talks about several trainers who contributed to his education along the way. James reflects on a serious fall at Bathurst which put him out for an extended period. He says it took a long time to get over the accident. He regards a stint with Keith Dryden during his apprenticeship as a life changer.   James looks back on a bout of depression during his time with the Godolphin operation. He was on the brink of quitting the saddle when he received a timely phone call from Gerald Ryan. He acknowledges the best horses he got to ride for the Ryan stable. One of them remains his all time favourite. The jockey has vivid memories of a stakes win for Waterhouse/Bott at Rosehill. He was pleasantly surprised. James talks affectionately of his young sons Carter and Asher who live in Victoria with their mother Aimee. He says Canberra is the perfect base for his regular day trips to country venues.  Innes says he’s not as light as he used to be, but lighter than many of his fellow jockeys. James acknowledges the talents of partner Teaghan Martin who’s had her share of injury in recent times. It’s an enjoyable chat with a personable young man who’s very good at what he does.

The famous Hoysted racing dynasty had its origins in Victoria early in the twentieth century and has produced generations of successful horse trainers. The most celebrated was Fred Hoysted who won 17 Melbourne premierships from his Mentone base. Like most of his predecessors 33 year old Matthew Hoysted began his journey in Wangaratta, before working under the wing of some top Melbourne horsemen. In 2014 he decided on a move to Queensland when a job came up with Tony Gollan after which he spent eight years in partnership with recently retired Steve O’Dea. Matt went solo just over a year ago, and is already making his presence felt in the Brisbane training ranks. He begins the podcast by talking about his on course stabling at Eagle Farm and the close proximity of his home. Matt talks about the success he enjoyed on Saturday March 15th- a quinella in the last race at Eagle Farm and a Gold Coast double which included a win with Hearts Are Better in the 3YO Jewel. He looks back on eighteen rewarding months with Tony Gollan whose star was rising rapidly. Matt says the offer he received from Steve O’Dea was too good to refuse. He spent four years as O’Dea’s assistant trainer before being promoted to training partner. He formed an association with Jamie Walter’s Proven Thoroughbreds during his time with Steve O’Dea and was delighted when Walter agreed to continue that support following O’Dea’s retirement. One of the best horses Hoysted got to co-train with O’Dea was Scallopini  who won 13 races and was placed 14 times. He acknowledges the talents of the genuine galloper. Matt says he and Steve O’Dea were usually on the same wavelength when it  came to planning the campaigns of horses in their care. He pays a fitting tribute to Uncommon James, the best horse he got to co-train with O’Dea. He looks back on the gelding’s Oakleigh Plate win in 2023 as an almost surreal experience.  Matt says he wasn’t surprised when Steve announced his retirement from the Brisbane training ranks. The young trainer looks back on early days with the O’Dea stable where he met the girl destined to become his wife and the mother of his two young daughters. He talks about Caitlin’s pride and joy Pickabee, a daughter of Jet Spur with whom she won five races. Coincidentally, Pickabee would become the dam of Uncommon James. Matt looks back on his formative years in Wangaratta and early tuition from his father Greg. He also spent some time with another training relative Roger Hoysted. He puts the spotlight on grandfather Ron (call me Mick) who trained a Gr 1 sprinter in the 1980’s. Another member of the clan to get a mention is Hal Hoysted winner of 25 premierships in north eastern Victoria. Matt relates the stories he’s heard from family members about Fred “Father” Hoysted, winner of 17 Melbourne premierships between 1933 and 1958.  He talks of the racing blood on the distaff side of his family. His mother Ronda is the daughter of John Hickmott and sister to Robert and Michael- all successful trainers.  Matt takes us back to the early years of his racing education and valuable time spent at Flemington and Macedon Lodge.  He talks of his association with some high profile horses during his time under the Lloyd Williams banner. He treasures the memory of five years with the late Michael Moroney at Flemington. Matt adds his personal tribute to the many already circulated for the great New Zealand born horseman. For punters listening to the podcast, Matt pointers a couple of promising horses currently in the stable. It’s a laid back chat with a young man who has the right pedigree and the right temperament to make it to the top in a very demanding profession.

When Rod Quinn won on Merlin Mustang at Rosehill in 2013 he had no idea it was fated to be his last ride in a race. When he and wife Alannah departed on a European holiday, Rod fully intended to resume riding on returning to Australia. Why that didn’t happen is a story in itself. Rod takes us through a stellar career that began at Nyngan in the far west of NSW destined to take him to the top of his profession. Rod begins by reminiscing about that final ride at Rosehill in 2013. He explains why he was known as R.M Quinn throughout his forty year career. Rod talks about his weight gain during the European holiday with wife Alannah. He’d had the problem many times before but on this occasion he couldn’t face the horrors of the sauna. He remembers the moment when he informed the family of his decision to call time on his riding career. The former outstanding jockey talks about the home sauna just outside the back door of his Chipping Norton home. He says most people expected him to gain weight rapidly after retirement. That’s not the way it turned out. Rod says he received a timely phone call from Maurice Logue on behalf of Racing NSW soon after his retirement. He takes us through a normal day at the races in his role as mentor of apprentices. He takes us back to early days at Nyngan in western NSW. He remembers grandfather Cy and father Kevin Quinn who had both been jockeys.  Rod talks about his master Ray Burton and fondly recalls his first winning ride way out west at Enngonia. He looks back on a difficult situation involving his father’s role as a stipendiary steward at western districts meetings. Rod was not allowed to ride at meetings where Kevin Quinn was the sole steward officiating. The 65 year old says the problem was solved when his master decided to move his team of horses to Warwick Farm. That move turned out to be a life changer for the talented apprentice. Rod looks back on the huge grey mare who launched his metropolitan career and his near miss in a Sydney apprentice’s premiership. The former jockey remembers his decision to concentrate on outside Saturday meetings. He soon earned the nickname ‘King of Kembla’. Rod still can’t believe he rode his first Gr 1 winner at just 48kgs. That luxury didn’t last long. He looks back on a twenty year association with Ingham’s Crown Lodge empire. He was never the number one stable jockey, but that suited the quiet man of Sydney racing. Rodney remembers three stakes wins on the quirky Viscount. He clearly remembers a freakish incident towards the finish of the 2001 Champagne Stakes that could have ended in disaster. He looks back on a quartet of wins on Align for trainer John Hawkes, and an agonisingly close second in a Golden Slipper. Rod says his George Ryder win on Lord Essex wasn’t a complete surprise, but his Mercedes Classic victory on Curata Storm was the least expected win of his career. He looks back on the thrill of winning 6 races on champion Lonhro and the disappointment of losing the ride after having been booked for a stakes race. Rod has fond memories of a BMW win on Grand Zulu for the late Gwenda Markwell. He humbly regards it as perhaps his best Gr 1 ride. He still marvels at the bizarre circumstances that led him to a winning ride in a Sydney Cup for the Waller stable. Rod looks back on his final Gr 1 win in 2011. He talks about a horse who would have risen to much greater heights had he not had an aversion to eating. Rod says the best thing about retirement is the fact that many niggling aches and pains have disappeared. He proudly summarises his new role as a grandfather of four.  It’s a lovely trip down memory lane with one of the best riders of his generation.

We’ve had a number of syndication company founders on the podcast over recent years, all sharing stories about their childhood passion for racing. James Moss is no different. His interest in the sport was  ignited by trips to the track with his father and grandfather. Further motivated by the deeds of champion mare Sunline, James was completely “hooked” by the time he reached early twenties. Family and friends were not surprised when he launched Tricolours Racing and Syndications in 2016. We talk to James about his subsequent journey. He responds  to a high compliment afforded him by one of the company’s trainers. He talks of a return to equities trading once the company was up and running. James talks of the family who’ve supported him every step of the way. The syndicator remembers his late father Jack whose love of the Roosters NRL team inspired the company name and racing colours. James remembers early days at the track and his fascination with the mighty Kiwi mare Sunline. He pays tribute to a  couple of his favourite jockeys from the era. James agrees the choice of his second favourite horse might raise an eyebrow or two. The forty six year old talks about his career in the field of equities trading. He acknowledges the input of his business partner Paul King and communications and administration assistant Maryanne Sayers. James remembers the purchase of his very first yearling, an Uncle Mo filly for $50,000 at the 2017 Karaka Sales. Trainer John Sargent was there with him. The Tricolours founder summarises the purchase and subsequent deeds of the company’s best performers to date. James says he doesn’t set out to buy fillies but agrees it probably looks that way.  He talks about recent winners Manuscript, The Novelist and The Playwright two geldings and one filly all sired by Written By. James elaborates on the potential of promising two year olds Autumn Blonde and Artistic Venture. He talks about his determination to buy at the right price. Syndication has become a very important component in the burgeoning Australian racing industry. Great to chat with one of its most professional operators.

Zac Lloyd’s day of days at Rosehill on February 22nd was soured by a five meeting suspension incurred on the third of his five winners on the programme. This remarkable quintet came just nine months after his previous best, a four win haul at Randwick. The Zac Lloyd story is well documented. He’s the son of former champion jockey Jeff Lloyd who today acts as his son’s manager and adviser. Zac’s career began modestly with a win at Dalby in 2020. Just over four years later the 21 year old is sitting on 385 winners, two apprentice’s titles and a couple of Gr 1’s. Young Zac begins by looking back on his bittersweet day at Rosehill recently. He talks of his first ever race ride on the exciting three year old Broadsiding. The young jockey fully realises he won’t be riding the colt on a regular basis. Zac talks of brother Jaden who rode a Gold Coast winner on the same day. He talks about a glut of suspensions he’s had since relocating to Sydney, and emphasises his resolve to keep out of trouble. He says he was just four years old when his dad Jeff Lloyd decided to try his luck in Australia. He was just beginning to realise that his father was a very famous jockey. Zac clearly remembers another move when his father landed a Hong Kong contract. The young jockey looks back on the family’s relocation back to Australia and the decision to settle on the Gold Coast. He’s delighted to have Jeff Lloyd as his official manager. His father watches every move he makes in races. Zac says he regularly communicates with his mother Nicola, herself a member of a successful South African racing family. He talks about his initial apprenticeship to the Edmonds stable on the Gold Coast. His father was still riding trackwork at the time. The twenty one year old won’t forget his first day at the races in November 2020. He got his first taste of the highs and lows of racing. Zac looks back on a brief transfer of his indentures to a Brisbane stable. He confirms that Darren Beadman played a role in his  apprenticeship to the Godolphin racing machine in Sydney. Zac talks about his first Sydney apprentice’s title and a ding dong battle with good mate Dylan Gibbons. He was grateful to win a second junior title, a feat achieved with no allowance. Zac highlights some of the best horses he’s ridden in the world famous royal blue silks of the Godolphin operation. The young jockey’s capability to ride at a featherweight earned him the Stradbroke ride on Stefi Magnetica last year. He looks back on the dream run that carried him to victory, and to his first Gr 1 success. Zac looks back on his first Sydney Gr 1- the Flight Stakes on star filly Lady Shenandoah.  He talks about his current trackwork routine. Zac talks of his close friendship with fellow jockey and first cousin Chad Schofield. He talks about the luxury provided by his ability to ride so light, and the contrast of styles between himself and father Jeff. Zac looks at future aspirations and his appreciation of being a part of the vibrant Australian racing industry.

Allan Kehoe has had some handy horses through his hands in twelve years as a professional trainer, but until recently a horse with that elusive X factor had never walked into his Wyong stables. Fate played a hand just over a year ago when a colt he was chasing at the Inglis Classic Sale was suddenly withdrawn by the vendor. That vendor knew of Allan’s interest and called him unexpectedly a few days later.  That phone call triggered a deal which saw the Wyong horseman actually take out a three year lease on the son of freshman sire Sandbar. That colt now bearing the curious name of Shaggy is unbeaten in three starts, culminating in a dashing defeat of some hot opposition at Randwick on Feb 15th. Shaggy has lifted the profile of his hard working trainer literally overnight. I joined the media scrum last week in getting Allan to join me on the podcast just 48 hours after the talented horseman had “ bitten the dust” in a nasty spill on his private training track. He explains how the tumble happened and describes the extent of his injuries. Allan says Shaggy spent a few quiet days after the Randwick win in a spacious paddock on his Gorokan property near Wyong. He takes us back to last year’s Inglis Classic Sale where he made a close inspection of the Sandbar colt, and expressed his interest to the vendor. Allan talks of the sire Sandbar who’s had a flying start to his stud career thanks to the emergence of a very talented two year old in his first crop. The trainer has opted to run Shaggy in the Skyline Stakes on March 1st which leaves a three week corridor into the Golden Slipper. Allan explains how the youngster was given his curious name. He looks back on two brilliant wins at Coffs Harbour and on the Sunny Coast, and says he was quietly confident going into the Pierro Plate. The versatile horseman explains the reason why Aaron Bullock had to be replaced last minute by Adam Hyeronimus. Allan describes the facilities at his disposal on a twenty five acre property a stone’s throw from Wyong racecourse where he also has 10 permanent boxes. He talks about his personal involvement in trackwork and explains that other Wyong trainers sometimes use his services. The 41 year old talks about the breaking-in and pre-training arm of his business.  He talks about his siblings and early life in Newcastle, Scone and Narromine. He looks back with gratitude on his first job and the opportunity to work with a great horseman. Allan says his four years with the late John Lundholm at Coonamble provided a great learning curve in his life. He looks back on time spent with other top horsemen in his formative years. Kehoe says his brief stint as a picnic jockey provided some of the happiest years of his racing life. Allan is proud to be a father of four. He and first wife Kelly are the parents of daughter Mikayla and son Beau who follow his progress as a trainer. He and partner Kim have a pigeon pair Mia and Jack. 14 year old Mia is displaying definite signs of considering a future as a jockey Allan looks back on the thrill of saddling up his first winner as a solo trainer in 2012, and pays tribute to some of the horses who’ve subsequently shaped his career. He mentions a couple who are currently in work.  Allan’s been around for a long time and his reputation in the industry is a sound one. Shaggy has propelled him into new found prominence on the eve of the autumn carnival.

We’ve had several emails lately enquiring about Jim Byrne’s future plans. He was missing in action for the latter half of 2024 and has been relatively quiet since returning to the saddle. We haven’t had Jim on the podcast for close to five years. The time is right to catch up with one of Queensland’s best ever jockeys. Jim begins by talking about Michael Cahill’s recent farewell meeting on the Gold Coast, but makes it clear he’s not yet ready to follow suit. He talks of his departure from the riding ranks in late 2023, a break he was badly needing. Jim says he was relatively injury free for the first half of his long riding career. He says most of his troubles began in 2019 when he was dislodged from a young horse after a track gallop.  He says he was unaware of the extent of the damage. It was two weeks later when he virtually lost the use of his right arm during a two year old race at Eagle Farm. Jim admits to being a very bad patient during long injury layoffs. The champion jockey recalls the wonderful trot he was enjoying in late 2019 when involved in a freakish fall after passing the post at Doomben. More surgery followed. He was barely back in the saddle when he came down with a golden staph infection in one elbow. He also needed minor surgery when one of the screws holding a knee plate suddenly slipped out of alignment. Jim finally got on a trouble free run and the winners were flowing again. He was lucky enough to form an association with the brilliant Rothfire. His five wins on the horse included the Gr 1 J.J Atkins. Around the same time Byrne teamed up with the brilliant Apache Chase. One of his six wins on the horse came in the Gr 1 Kingsford Smith Cup. The jockey was especially thrilled to win the feature race for longtime supporter Desleigh Forster. The veteran jockey talks of his apprenticeship to the highly respected Pat Duff whose recent passing saddened the Queensland racing industry. Jim hasn’t forgotten the name of his first winner at Beaudesert but the trainer’s name has slipped his memory. He talks of his first ever metropolitan win on the Noel Doyle trained White Hope. Jim has no doubt a win in the Gr 3 Lightning Hcp at Eagle Farm was the one to bring him under notice as an emerging talent. He delights in reflecting on his 13 rides on the Newcastle trained Adam, the first of them resulting in a narrow defeat in the Doomben $10,000. He looks back on his homestretch duel with Michael Pelling on Laurie’s Lottery. He even threw in a protest. The jockey pays tribute to Adam’s trainer Ray Brock. Jim then looks back on his first Gr 1 win- a thrilling Stradbroke victory on Adam. He remembers a Sydney Gr 2 win on the genuine stallion and several placings in elite company. Jim looks back on a brief association with brilliant grey filly Gold Edition. The daughter of Lion Hunter gave the jockey two wins at Flemington during Melbourne Cup week in 2006.  He looks back on a surprise “pick up” ride in 2008 which gave him an unexpected win in the time honoured Queensland Derby. Jim was often a “go-to” jockey for interstate trainers taking horses to the Brisbane winter carnival. He remembers with affection a brief but exciting partnership with Redzel which produced an all the way win in the Doomben $10,000. He talks of a Ramornie Hcp win at Grafton for the Snowden stable.  Jim has fond memories of a Gr 2 Hill Stakes win on Desert War for the Waterhouse stable. The ace rider reflects on his association with the dynamic sprinter General Nediym. He says the horse was probably past his best, but still very effective at the top level. Jim has been quietly planning his life after racing for several years. He and wife Rhamie are developing a very workable saddlery shop in the basement of their Brisbane home. Rhamie is emerging as a Group 1 seamstress. The veteran jockey pays a much deserved tribute to his wife of 30 years.  Jim brings us up to date with the  current progress of his four kids, Corey, Georgia, Madison a

Angela Jones has ridden another two winners since our podcast was recorded on Friday Feb 7th. She won the last at Doomben on Master Showman for Stuart Kendrick and scored on Wanganeen for Tony Gollan at Caloundra on Sunday. That makes it 65 in the state and 38 in town for the current season. Angela’s backstory makes for an interesting podcast. She grew up on a sprawling cattle farm 300 kms south west of Mackay where she and four sisters were schooled at home. She could ride a horse at age 3, but had no idea a racing industry existed, until she went to boarding school. Angela begins by confirming that she and partner Kyle Wilson-Taylor talk of little else but racing. She acknowledges how lucky she is to have no weight issues. Angela explains that she rode with no allowance towards the end of her apprenticeship. She was pleasantly surprised when race rides kept coming her way. The twenty three year old takes us back to childhood days on the farm. She says a 20,000 acre spread isn’t all that uncommon in rural Queensland. She remembers early times on horseback including long days with her dad out on the muster. Angela talks more of father Jason, mum Julie and her four sisters. The young jockey explains that Julie and all four sisters live in Toowoomba nowadays. She takes us back to boarding school days in Charters Towers. She chose that particular school only because it provided accommodation for one of her horses. Angela remembers a day at  Charters Towers races where Racing Queensland had installed an information booth. That booth was manned by former champion jockey Shane Scriven. Angela bombarded him with questions about the racing game. She looks back on a happy apprenticeship to Lindsay Hatch and an exciting first day as a professional jockey. She takes us through her Dalby treble. Angela says Lindsay Hatch restricted her to non TAB meetings early days. The trainer didn’t put a race ride her way for quite some time. She looks back on her transition to the provincial circuit and finally a transfer to top Brisbane trainer Tony Gollan. Angela hasn’t forgotten her first meeting with future partner Kyle Wilson-Taylor. The young jockey explains that Tony Gollan arranged extra tuition from retired jockey Robbie Fradd whose stellar international career is well documented. Angela takes us through the horses who’ve impacted her career thus far with special mention of the talented Zarastro. She says wins in the Ipswich and Caloundra Cups have been career highlights. Angela outlines the ambitions she harbours going forward. This is an insight into the life of a very grounded country girl who followed a dream and hasn’t wasted an opportunity.

At the time this podcast was recorded on Thursday January 30th, Jamie Mott had ridden 71 Victorian winners for the current season, with only Blake Shinn ahead of him on the premiership ladder. A few hours later he booted home two winners at the Pakenham twilight meeting taking him to 73. On Friday evening he was at the Moonee Valley night meeting where after three early placings he won the final race on Excess for great supporter Julius Sandhu. His seven rides at Sandown on Saturday yielded a win on Russian Meteor and one placegetter. Winner tally was now 75. Jamie talks about his current run of success for a wide range of stables. He talks about the never ending task of keeping his weight where it needs to be. The in- form jockey speaks glowingly of My Gladiola and Royal Insignia, two young horses who could provide him with stakes success over the autumn carnival. He also reflects on the Blue Diamond that slipped through his fingers in 2022. Jamie pays tribute to Royal Insignia’s dam Yau Chin who had to be euthanised the day before his Manfred Stakes win. The jockey talks of his family background and agrees he was destined to be a jockey. Jamie talks of his early apprenticeship to his late grandmother Janet and a transfer to the Flemington stables of Leon Corstens. He’s still embarrassed about his very first race ride at Cranbourne on a Corstens trained mare.  Jamie hasn’t forgotten about his first win on a horse trained by his grandmother. He led all the way. He looks back on a short stint with Danny O’Brien during which time he received a suspension. He was stunned when his weight suddenly soared to 62kgs. Disillusioned, he quit his apprenticeship and returned home to Geelong. When the bug bit again, Jamie based himself at Cranbourne and began riding work for a wide range of trainers. His weight came down and he was able to return to race riding. He talks about another setback in 2009 when he failed a jockey’s room drug test. Outed for six months he made up his mind to keep his weight in check. Jamie looks back on the freak winning run he enjoyed on the comeback trail- something like 24 winners in the first month. Lady luck hadn’t quite finished with young Mott. He went through a trifecta of trauma all in the space of a week- a race fall, a trackwork fall and an unexpected assault at a Melbourne nightclub. Doctors sidelined him for many months. Jamie’s life took a turn for the better when he returned to trackwork next time around. He was a massive 71kgs when he linked up with the late Russell Cameron at Flemington- a man destined to become his mentor, his best mate and his salvation. The jockey endorses the sentiments of Victorian participants who were deeply saddened  by Russell Cameron’s premature passing. Jamie talks of his good fortune in meeting his future wife at the Cameron stables. Carol Ann was a member of the team and it wasn’t long before she and Jamie became partners. He looks back on the fairytale wedding he and Carol Ann were able to enjoy in a 13th century Irish village. He talks of the wonderful family life he and Carol Ann share with their sons Henry (7) and Charlie (4). Jamie looks back on his brief but successful stint as a jumps jockey. He had the time of his life.  The 178cm jockey talks of the bizarre fall in 2019 which left him with two broken legs. He was off the scene for six long months. Jamie was hungry for winners when he returned to the saddle and he didn’t have to wait long. At his very first ride back he stormed home on Rock the Ring to win a maiden at Sale, and the winners continued to flow. Jamie’s maiden Gr 1 win was on Callsign Mav in the Rupert Clarke Stakes for Danny O’Brien. He says he was worried on the turn. The jockey talks about his second win at the elite level. A lucky late ride paved the way for a thrilling win in the Champion’s Sprint at Flemington on expat Kiwi mare Roch ‘N’ Horse who made a habit of upsetting high profile opposition. This is a laid back interview w

The legendary jockey’s sudden retirement announcement in December caught the NZ racing industry by surprise.  Opie says he’d been contemplating retirement for six months but it took a simple experience on Xmas Day to convince him the time was right. The champion jockey was out jogging on Xmas morning, wearing his mandatory heavy sweat gear when he was suddenly conscious of passers by in high spirits, out enjoying life on such a special day. Opie was unplaced on 3 rides at Ellerslie on Boxing Day. Driving home to Matamata after the races he made the massive decision to call time on his stellar 30 year career. He says the withdrawal symptoms have been manageable so far. Opie says he was a little hesitant as he sat down to type out his retirement announcement for release on social media. The jockey says weight issues have plagued him for many years. He explains just how tough it’s been over time. He reminds us that he walked away from racing more than twenty years ago when wasting got the better of him. He spent eighteen months out of the industry during which time he gave the rugby code some serious attention. Kiwis and Australians alike have been curious about the champion jockey’s unusual christian name. He puts forward a simple explanation. Opie talks about an apprenticeship to his godfather Steve Autridge, at the time head trainer for the Te Akau machine. He says Autridge has been an important influence in his life. He talks about the TeAkau training operation at Matamata, and the  breathtaking environment of Te Akau Stud in the Waikato, where it all begins for the David Ellis homebreds. Opie was happy to wander down memory lane. He’s never forgotten his very first day as a professional jockey. His first winning ride in 1995 left an indelible memory.   The brilliant jockey announced his arrival in a big way. He was only 17 when he won his first Gr 1, the 1998 Auckland Cup on Jezabeel. Opie wasn’t retained on Jezabeel in the Melbourne Cup of the same year but was lucky enough to get on a wonderful NZ staying filly during the same carnival. He won the historic Victoria Oaks on Grand Archway. Shortly before that Melbourne carnival he made a quick trip to NSW as a favour to a young Kiwi friend who was just getting started as a trainer in Sydney. He happened to ride the trainer’s first Australian winner in an obscure maiden at Wyong. Opie looks back on some stunning NZ career statistics. He makes no secret of the fact that the brilliant sprinting mare Imperatriz was his all time favourite. He talks about the brilliant mare’s best performances. Second only to Imperatriz on Bosson’s list of favourites is the dynamic Melody Belle. He looks back on 6 Gr 1 wins on the wonderful mare. He was delighted to partner Melody Belle in her only Australian Gr 1 victory. He speaks with great admiration of another top tier Te Akau mare, the talented Avantage. He rode her in eight of sixteen wins which included five Gr 1’s.  Opie looks back on his association with several other exciting horses he got to ride in the famous tangerine and royal blue Te Akau colours. He makes special mention of the lightly raced Te Akau Shark. He says we never saw the best of this exciting Rip Van Winkle gelding. The 99 time Gr 1 winning rider devotes extra time to his memories of Mongolian Khan, the top class stayer who gave him victory in two of Australia’s most famous races.  Opie came back to ride him in three Sydney races the following autumn, but says he wasn’t the same horse. The jockey pays a warm tribute to Mongolian Khan’s trainer Murray Baker. The newly inducted retiree speaks of his three children. He and first wife Samantha Spratt are the parents of 19 year old Cody who shares his father’s love of hunting and fishing.  Opie talks of the two younger children he shares with second wife Emily- Max who’s six,  and daughter Honour who’s nearing three years of age. The Auckland Racing Club acknowledged Opie’s impact on NZ racing when they released a

Received a couple of emails lately requesting information on two former elite racehorses. My correspondents are two younger racing enthusiasts curious about the deeds of Battle Heights and Manikato- the former a dour New Zealand stayer, the latter a dynamic Australian sprinter of the late 70’s and early 80’s. By coincidence both horses were ridden many times in races by Gary Willetts, an expatriate Kiwi jockey who settled in Australia in late 1975 destined for undreamed of success. Who better to reflect on the talents of both horses? My emailers are probably unaware of a 2021 podcast we posted with Gary Willetts right at the height of the covid lockdowns. In this interview the former champion jockey comprehensively reviews the careers of Battle Heights, Manikato and several other wonderful horses he got to ride.  Let’s give it another run this week. Gary admits he didn’t want to come to Australia to ride Battle Heights in 1974. He says the NZ jockey’s premiership was his primary focus. The former ace jockey talks of his move into the hotel business after a career ending race fall. He looks back on the injury toll from that fateful fall at Yarra Glen. Gary takes us back to childhood days in Auckland when he frequently attended race meetings with his parents. He reflects on work experience in the stables of leading trainer Fred Smith who later indentured him. Gary looks back on his first winner Silver Lad who started at massive odds. He remembers his chance meeting at the races with the young lady from Matamata destined to become his wife. The Willetts are closing in on 60 years of marriage. The former ace jockey has never forgotten the horse who changed his life. He takes us through the remarkable career of iron gelding Battle Heights. Gary was stable jockey for Bon Hoysted when a precocious, chestnut son of Manihi arrived in the stables. He remembers Manikato’s quirky early habits and takes us through the highlights of the powerhouse sprinter’s amazing career. He reflects on the training genius of  Bob Hoysted who took over the training of Manikato following the sudden death of his brother Bon. Willetts pays tribute to several other topliners he got to ride beginning with Rose Of Kingston who in 1982 became the first filly in 38 years to win the AJC Derby. This was my first interview with Gary Willetts in many years. It was a delight to catch up with a true gentleman of the turf, and the rider of some of the best horses of his era.

Following in the footsteps of jockeys like Jeff Lloyd, Robbie Fradd and Larry Cassidy, Vlad Duric has chosen Brisbane as home base for the latter years of his riding career. Vlad arrived in Queensland early last year after a wonderfully successful six years in Singapore where he won four local jockey’s premierships and a host of feature races. A Doomben treble got him away to a flying start and the winners have continued to flow. The veteran rider says his passion for race riding hasn’t diminished. Vlad talks about the great support he’s received from Brisbane trainers since arriving in Queensland. He talks about a quartet of stakes wins to come his way including the Gr 2 Victory Stakes on talented galloper Antino. Vlad says he decided on a brief stint in his native Victoria last August  to coincide with the beginning of daughter Sage’s riding career. The jockey was surprised and delighted to pick up rides from old friends. To ride a couple of Gippsland winners was a bonus. Vlad acknowledges the talents of his 22 year old daughter, and brings us up to date on the career direction taken by Sage’s sisters Lily and Audrey. He pays tribute to his wife Storm, herself a former jockey who rode ten winners in a brief career. Vlad reveals the European origins of his first and second names and reflects on the support he was given by hard working parents Steve And Elina when he opted for a riding career.  He looks back on his apprenticeship to Cranbourne trainer Alan Williams and the enduring friendship he formed with Alan’s son Craig. The forty seven year old looks back on the milestone achievements of his early career- first winner, first city winner and initial Gr 1 success. Vlad fondly remembers Gr 1 winner Bon Hoffa as the first high quality horse he got to ride. He sings the praises of Bon Hoffa’s trainer Wendy Kelly. Appropriately Vlad Duric pays a lengthy tribute to Master O’Reilly, a horse he rode in 30 races and the horse to take him to racing’s biggest stage with a Caulfield Cup win in 2007. There are some interesting sidelights to the Master O’Reilly story, especially the drama in the barriers before the running of the Caulfield Cup.   Vlad remembers his first trip to Singapore in 2009 and the flying start he gained on brilliant three year old Gingerbread Man. He won 51 races in his first season.    He looks back on a return to Victoria and his association with the very talented horse Mourinho. He won the Gr 1 Underwood Stakes on Mourinho plus three other Gr 2 races.   Vlad comprehensively covers his return to Singapore and a six year stay that brought him  four jockeys premierships and many feature races. He looks back on the outstanding horses and horsemen who made it all possible.   There were a handful of health related low points in the latter stages of his time in Singapore. He says he was stopped in his tracks on three occasions.   Vlad Duric has been a popular and well respected jockey for more than three decades. He shares his story with us in a most entertaining way.

When Luke Nolen’s in full swing it’s difficult to get him to sit still long enough to conduct an interview. Currently he’s on the sidelines indefinitely following a freakish fall at Geelong early in December. Although frustrated and in some discomfort, the champion jockey gave us all the time we needed to get a podcast “in the can”. What a career it’s been for the Victorian born horseman whose riding record is one of Australian racing’s most enviable. Almost 2000 wins, 40 Gr 1’s, three Melbourne jockey’s premierships and two Scobie Breasley medals. There was an awful lot to talk about. Luke begins by taking us through the horror Geelong fall which was attributable to a broken stirrup leather. He talks of surgery already completed and what lies ahead.  Luke reflects on early days when his dad Tal took the family all over Australia looking for suitable job opportunities. The jockey talks of school days and an aversion to study. He pays tribute to Tal, to his late mother Margaret and brother Shaun. Luke looks back on a move back to Victoria when Tal was able to arrange an apprenticeship with master mentor Gerald Egan. Like most apprentices he hasn’t forgotten the buzz around his very first win at Albury in 1998. Luke talks of the reputation he quickly earned as an unflappable young rider. He remembers two nicknames he picked up in his youth, and the circumstances behind their creation. He looks back on time spent with former champion trainer Brian Mayfield-Smith at Flemington. Luke was thrilled beyond belief to win his first Gr 1 race for the maestro Bart Cummings. He clearly remembered the first ride he ever had for Peter Moody. The jockey talks of his enduring relationship with Moody and gives the reasons that partnership has stood the test of time. By his own admission Luke says he never tires of talking about Black Caviar.    He won 22 of 25 on the champion mare. He agrees Jarrod Noske and Ben Melham who rode her in the other three wins will have something to tell their grandchildren. Luke says Black Caviar was an uncomplicated race mare. He pinpoints the best of her 25 wins. Looks back on her near defeat at Royal Ascot in 2012. He says she was battling niggling muscle issues on the day. He talks of Black Caviar’s tendency to “come back underneath him” in the closing stages. He also heaps praise on runner up Moonlight Cloud who went within a head of destroying the great mare’s iconic record. Luke talks of the champion’s debilitating fight with laminitis and subsequent euthanisation. To add to the tragedy Black Caviar’s Snitzel colt also died. The star jockey highlights a few personal favourites from the long list of outstanding horses he’s ridden beginning with Typhoon Tracey. He looks back on Peter Moody’s decision to walk away from racing following his suspension on cobalt charges. Luke acknowledges the deeds of elite gallops I Wish I Win, and El Segundo. He pays tribute to Alicia his wife of 17 years, and children Dane and Kailey.  Luke says he’s grateful to have three Melbourne jockey’s premierships and two Scobie Breasley medals on his CV. We close the podcast by referring to a quote from Gerard Whateley’s 2012 biography on Black Caviar. Gerard goes behind the public persona in identifying the real Luke Nolen.

There was one common thread among the hundreds of tributes paid to Ross Stitt after his recent retirement. Unequivocally, friends and fellow horsemen agreed that the 83 year old had been an ornament to his profession as a man and a professional horse trainer. I’d like to add my sentiments by plucking from the archives an interview we recorded with Ross almost six years ago. He was in reminiscent mood on the day, and took us on a nostalgic journey through his life with horses. Ross began by reflecting on childhood days on the family dairy farm in the Manning Valley. He was milking the cows from age 9 before going to school. He says showjumping was his first equine passion, and it appears he was pretty adept at the sport. Ross recalls that his first thoroughbred idol was the legendary broodmare Dark Jewel. He formed the attachment simply because he had a show jumper called “Jewel” at the time. It’s not widely known that Ross Stitt could easily have pursued a career in harness racing. His earliest tutor was trots trainer Ned Coleman. He says he was very close to acquiring his licence to drive in races. Ross says he was 24 years old when he bought his first galloper Bold Pirate from an Inglis Mixed Sale. He initially gave the maiden performer to a local trainer, but later took over the training himself. He remembers ex Sydney gallopers Gold Optic and Royal Kirk as the horses to get him up and running on north coast tracks. The retired trainer rates Critic’s Pride as his first headline horse. That’s no surprise when you consider Critic’s Pride won a whopping 29 races for his up and coming trainer. Ross Stitt had the amazing ability to keep horses up for lengthy periods and to keep them winning. Half brothers Our Ambition and Gilded Blue are two prime examples. They won 48 races between them. He acknowledges the support of owner Ron Shaw, a former accountant who settled in nearby Old Bar following his retirement. He and Ross enjoyed a great association. Ross talks about his infatuation with Sir Dapper, a brilliant racehorse who later became a successful sire. The trainer won multiple races in the late 90’s and early 2000’s with Dapper Spirit, Just Dapper and Chilli Dapper. He pays a heartfelt tribute to former record breaking jockey Robert Thompson who retired just under three years after our podcast was recorded. Thompson rode more winners for the Stitt stable than any other rider.   Ross looks back on his pleasing record in NSW Country Cups. Surprisingly it took him 35 years to win a Kempsey Cup.   The veteran trainer was fairly emphatic in declaring Precise Timing to be the best horse he ever trained. An inveterate trier, Precise Timing won a total of 18 races including the 2006 Launceston Cup. Ross explains what prompted him to venture all the way to Tasmania.   He delights in telling the story of Heavenly Glow, the $10,000 Gold Coast purchase destined to win two Gr 1 races. When he realised the filly was good enough to run at the elite level, Ross had no hesitation in sending her to a Sydney trainer.   Ross tells the story of Youthful Jack, the unfashionably bred gelding who would win 18 races and $1.15 million in prize money. He placed him with other trainers at varying stages with great results- Rex Lipp at Toowoomba, Allan Denham in Sydney and Adam Trinder in Tasmania. Ross himself won 7 races with Youthful Jack including the Grafton Ramornie Hcp.   The recently retired trainer pays tribute to some of the talented riders with whom he was associated over the years.   This podcast has been in the archives for quite some time but remains relevant  by way of our tribute to a country training marvel.

It came as a surprise recently to learn that I hadn’t interviewed Scott Seamer since 2003 when he flew from Ballina to be a guest on Sky’s Inside Racing programme. At the time of the interview the former northern rivers jockey had posted an amazing 15 Gr wins in two years following on from a Queensland Oaks victory on Ethereal in 2001. A few months later Scott landed the coveted Caulfield and Melbourne double on the same wonderful staying mare. Since quitting the saddle in 2011 the former ace jockey has joined the ranks of Australia’s commercial breeders. I was delighted he was able to find the time to join us on our regular racing podcast and equally delighted  to find him in reminiscent mood.  Scott was thrilled to see Ethereal’s trainer Sheila Laxon win her second Melbourne Cup with Knight’s Choice in November. He talks about the transformation of his Fernleigh property from a macadamia farm to commercial breeding enterprise. Scott says his first duty as a breeder was to find the right foundation mare. He’s now breeding from four of her daughters. He talks of his breeding share in a high profile Queensland stallion. The multiple Gr 1 winning jockey previews his four horse draft being prepared for the Inglis Classic Sale in February. Scott remembers his unhappy departure from race riding at Doomben in late 2011. He takes us back to his first time on a racecourse in the late 1970’s. He tagged along with his mother and stepfather to a Bowraville meeting, and was instantly hooked. Scott looks back on a stablehand’s job with Coffs Harbour trainer John Hennessy, and the offer of an apprenticeship from Grafton trainer Ron Gosling. Very clear in his memory is the occasion of his first race ride at Lismore. He tipped the scales at 32 kgs. Scott talks of his thrilling first win at Casino and the transition to a metropolitan win at Eagle Farm in 1987. He pays tribute to Protester,  the genuine bush galloper who gave him an amazing twenty wins. The former ace jockey looks back on his relocation from the northern rivers to Glen Innes. He enjoyed a very successful five years from his tablelands base, and forged an association with a champion country trainer. Scott talks of his decision to give Brisbane racing a serious shot. He was encouraged to make the move by outstanding jockey manager Trevor Lansky who brought him unexpected opportunities.  Seamer talks of Ethereal’s outstanding win in the Queensland Oaks. She came with the barnstorming finish destined to become her trademark. He admits to chasing the ride on the bonny mare when she resumed in NZ in the spring of 2001. He offered to pay his own way across the ditch. Scott recalls his tense battle with Sky Heights in the Caulfield Cup, and the wet weather leading up to the Melbourne Cup. He takes us through Ethereal’s brilliant Cup win. He talks about a McKinnon Stakes win on Derby day. Thanks to his new NZ connections Scott was able to land some plum rides over the 2001 Auckland summer carnival. He looks back on a memorable Derby/Oaks double at Ellerslie.  The former jockey started the new year with a bang winning the Magic Millions on Lovely Jubly. He recalls the race. Scott remembers a successful autumn carnival in Melbourne highlighted by wins in the C.F Orr and Australian Guineas. The former talented horseman still shakes his head when he thinks about a four win haul on Golden Slipper day 2002- two Gr 2’s and two Gr 1’s. He remembers the wins by Ethereal and Calaway Gal. Seamer’s dazzling autumn win sequence earned him a short term contract in Hong Kong. He later wished that invitation hadn’t arrived. He fractured two vertebrae in a nasty fall and was out of action for several months. Up to this point in time, Scott had been treated very kindly by the racing media. That changed when he was beaten on Bel Esprit in the Manikato Stakes. He handled it philosophically. He says he felt the need to make a statement when the 2003 autumn carnival got under way in Sydney. He ma

I’d lost count of the number of country racing fans who’d requested a podcast with retired jockey Graham Power. Whenever the subject of top Riverina jockeys had come up over the years, Graham’s name was always on the list. A phone call to check his availability and some quick research followed, and we were good to go. Great to present a podcast with a horseman who never rode a winner as an apprentice, but sure as hell made up for it later. Graham begins by looking back on his final day as a jockey at Wagga in 2000. He says he was delighted to ride a winner on a very emotional day. Graham talks about the way in which he handled the withdrawal symptoms. He talks about his current involvement with the famous St. Vincents De Paul charity organisation in Wagga. The former ace jockey refutes the theory that he’s a native of the Riverina.  Graham talks about his childhood in Tamworth. He says there was no racing in his family background, but reveals that his grandfather Tom worked as a street sweeper in the 1920’s using horse and dray. He remembers his first job on the ground in a Newcastle stable before a return to Tamworth and a short lived first apprenticeship. Injuries sustained in a race fall saw him walk away from racing and find a job at the local abbatoirs. Graham recalls the chance conversation at a Tamworth race meeting that led to the renewal of his jockey’s licence. He looks back on his friendship with trainer Bede Delaney whose move to Gundagai would change his life.   Power reflects on the deeds of one of the best horses he rode for the Delaney stable, prolific winner Aurilandy.  He talks of Aurilandy’s two wins down the famous Flemington straight and the opportunity to ride the horse in the famous Epsom Hcp. Nothing went right at his only Gr 1 ride. Graham talks about his move to Wagga. He acknowledges some of the handy horses he got to ride over the next few years.  Graham looks back on a Cootamundra Cup win on a future Melbourne Cup winner. He thought very little of the horse at the time. He remembers with affection wins in the Albury and Wagga Cups. Graham remembers the Richard Freyer trained Prince Tone, a talented horse provided he didn’t have to travel too far to race meetings. He pays tribute to several other bush Cup winners. Graham delights in telling the story about his two rides on champion Kingston Town. The former outstanding rider looks back on some special race days when he rode multiple winners on the programme. He reels off some of the many jobs he’s had away from racing. He talks of some of his favourite Riverina trainers and delights in the fact that he rode the first winner ever trained by Gary Portelli, now entrenched in the top bracket of Sydney’s trainers. Graham pays tribute to a select group of his favourite country jockeys. He looks back on some serious race falls including one in which he appeared to suffer no injuries.  By the time he got home the situation had changed dramatically. The 79 year old talks of past involvement in racing administration and a current “on call” role for Racing NSW. The versatile veteran talks back on his experience driving harness horses and a stint as a newspaper columnist. He looks back on one of his proudest moments as a jockey-the occasion of his 1000th win on SDRA tracks. Graham looks back on his two marriages and a double tragedy in his life. He pays tribute to daughter Tracey, and sons Steven and Ben. A nostalgic  trip down memory lane with a man dubbed “the George Moore of Riverina racing” in his era by Sky Thoroughbred Central host Graeme White.

We catch up with Wagga based trainer Gary Colvin who added to his metropolitan record when Cambar scored a tradesmanlike win in the TAB Highway on Nov. 30th. Gary’s hoping Cambar will emulate the deeds of stable favourite Another One who won a Championship Final  in 2022 after having finished second the year before. Gary begins our podcast by talking about Cambar’s two early wins at Wagga when ridden by stable apprentice Holly Durnan. He looks back on his purchase of the little colt at the Inglis Premier Sale in Melbourne. He got a second opinion from Warwick Farm trainer Greg Hickman who’d trained the colt’s sire Pierata. Gary says Cambar has been a thorough professional from the day he was broken in. The trainer retained a part ownership of the horse while the remaining shares were snapped up by old friends. He says one of the quartet is a first time participant. Gary looks back on childhood days growing up with his six siblings on the family farm at Tullibigeal. He says his father was never without a horse or two on the property. He pays tribute to uncles John and Noel Colvin, both very successful jockeys. Gary says he was 17 when he joined three of his siblings in Wagga. He pleased his parents greatly when he registered for an apprenticeship in joinery. He talks of his progress in the old world trade. He talks of his passion for Australian Rules Football, and reflects on his involvement with the Wagga Tigers and the Collingully side. He plays down reports that he was a very accomplished player. Gary remembers his short stint in a coaching role. He looks back on Fred Colvin’s move to Wagga and a renewal of his trainer’s licence. He assisted his father for eleven years while training a small team of his own. When Fred retired in 1997, he was ready to train in his own right. Gary hasn’t forgotten the mare who provided the first win of his full time training career. He acknowledges the special horses to get him up and running as a commercial trainer with special mention of Baltra and Lock the Key. The accomplished trainer takes us through the circumstances leading up to his purchase of Another One at an Inglis Classic Sale. He’s never forgotten the instant he first saw the chestnut colt.  Gary talks of Another One’s pedigree and the 15 strong syndicate who got together to race the horse. The trainer recalls setting the talented horse for a maiden 2YO at Wagga. He and the owners were stunned when a Randwick trained youngster from the John O’Shea yard turned up for the same race. He takes us through Another One’s progression to his first tilt at the Country Championship. Gary followed a similar path the following year and the gelding again made the final at Randwick. This time he prevailed in the highly prized event.  He pays tribute to Another One’s regular rider Nick Heywood who wages a fearsome battle with weight to stay in the saddle. Gary talks of Another One’s Kosciuszko failure and his most recent wins in the Riverina. The trainer speaks highly of Danny Beasley who rode the horse to victories in the Canberra National Sprint and the Wodonga Cup. Danny recently joined the Wagga training ranks and is situated right next door to the Colvin stables. Gary talks of wife Karen’s picture framing business in Wagga, and his willingness to lend a hand in the early days of the operation. He says his assistance was not needed.  Gary talks of daughter Gabby who’s currently a highly regarded member of the Melbourne Women’s AFL side. Her dad’s pretty chuffed. He makes mention of sons Brodie and Matthew. One prefers the thrill of trying to back a winner- the other enjoys being around the horses. Good to catch up with yet another talented member of the country training ranks.

Good to catch up with a young jockey who’s forged a prominent spot among the powerful Sydney riding ranks in recent years. The Waterhouse/Bott duo supply regular rides to Adam Hyeronimus  in recognition of his unrelenting work ethic. He currently has 4 Gr 1 winners on his CV along with numerous stakes wins. We were able to pin Adam down last week for a lengthy chat about the early days of his apprenticeship and the road he’s since travelled.  He begins by referencing the wonderful support he receives from Tulloch Lodge. Adam says he’s no natural lightweight and needs to watch his diet at all times. It’s well known that Adam descends from a family of jockeys on both sides of his pedigree. He pays tribute to those who’ve preceded him.  Adam makes special mention of his maternal grandfather the late Reg Paine, a former legend on western districts tracks. He also acknowledges the deeds of uncles Neil and Rodney Paine, both talented riders in their own right. He explains that two of his cousins are married to high profile jockeys. The popular jockey looks back on early days at Cowra when he gained expert riding tuition from a local trainer. He talks about a succession of trainers with whom he spent parts of his apprenticeship. Adam clearly recalls his first ever race ride at Bathurst in 2008. He looks back on his time with Grafton trainer John Shelton who supplied his first winning ride. Adam takes no credit for the win. With Shelton’s support Hyeronimus decided to finish his apprenticeship in Sydney. He had a short time with Jason Coyle before transferring to Gai Waterhouse. He says it was a long time before Gai found him a job. Adam received an immense thrill when he was able to win the inaugural Kosciuszko for his old boss John Shelton. He talks affectionately of the veteran bush gelding Belflyer. He’d been having back problems before he was dislodged from a horse at Randwick on Everest day 2019. The harmless tumble exacerbated his problems to the extent that he was sidelined for 3 months. Adam recalls how close he went to opening his Gr 1 account on outsider Prince Fawaz in the Rosehill Guineas. He gave Castelvecchio a big fright. He says he didn’t have to wait long to get the Gr 1 monkey off his back. Just one week later he led all the way to win the Vinery Stud Stakes for Waterhouse/Bott on Shout The Bar. Many people in racing address Adam by the nickname of “Hippo”. He explains how and when his well known sobriquet originated. The jockey looks back on the lowest point in his career- the prolonged investigation into his betting activities which would see him banned for two years and four months. He talks of the impact it had on his life and the time he spent in outside employment. Adam says his weight soared during the long layoff. He talks of his change in attitude after such a major disruption to his livelihood. Hyeronimus was chuffed to win his second Gr 1 on the gutsy filly Tropical Squall for his greatest supporters. The talented jockey was grateful to receive a top Gr 1 ride from the Godolphin organisation in the Spring Champion Stakes. He rode Tom Kitten perfectly to win the important three year old race.  Adam was thrilled to win another Gr 1 on the genuine filly Tropical Squall. He talks of his short but successful association with the imposing colt Storm Boy who’s now in training with Aidan O’Brien at Ballydoyle. A Magic Millions win was a huge thrill for the jockey. Adam talks of his near miss on Lady Of Camelot in the Blue Diamond Stakes. He thought he was home. A good chat with a young horseman whose future looks assured in the fiercely competitive Sydney jockey’s room.

We’ve had several requests for a podcast with former jockey and popular Sky Thoroughbred Central presenter Bernadette Cooper. The enquirers were unaware Bernie had already been one of our podcast guests, as far back as April of 2019.  Another email in the past week has settled the issue. We’re going to pluck the five and a half year old podcast from the archives and give it another run.  One of Bernie’s roles at the time was to interview winning jockeys immediately after major races had been run at the major Sydney carnivals. She conducted those interviews on horseback as Billy Slater did so smoothly at the recent Melbourne Cup carnival. The popular host was disappointed when contractual arrangements between Racing NSW and Channel 7 precluded her from being the first to interview Hugh Bowman after Winx’s swansong victory in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.  She talks of the emotions shown by winning riders after the Gr 1 races- some more expressive than others. Bernie looks back on her final riding stint in Macau where she was involved in the worst fall of her entire career. She talks of a winning treble on her first day back in the saddle, and the shock she received when stewards accused her of not allowing another horse to run on its merits.  The former jockey talks of her return to Australia and a whole new life beginning with a job behind the front desk at the Star Casino. Then came her lucky break in racing media, and she’s never looked back. A few little things have changed since the original podcast. For instance Bernie’s daughter Stella is now 17, still studying ballet but heavily involved in the furthering of her education. It’s always good to pluck a past gem from the archives. Bernadette Cooper is one of the warmest personalities in Australian racing media. She was at her best in this 2019 podcast.

Given the choice Peter Morgan would rather be spending time with his horses than standing around with a mobile phone. He very kindly made an exception for us last week, and we’ve been able to capture some of his recollections of a life with horses. Peter talks firstly about his talented galloper Burrandana whose first up win at Gundagai recently proved he’s on track for a TAB Highway mission. The veteran trainer talks of Burrandana’s troublesome feet. Peter says he actually bred the horse. He looks back on Burrandana’s form line with special mention of the Wagga win that was taken off him. A substance used on another horse in the stable showed up in Burrandana’s post race swab. Pete says a very hefty fine ensued. The trainer talks of Burrandana’s five TAB Highway attempts. He hasn’t been able to win one yet, but he’s knocking on the door. Peter speaks of Burrandana’s owners, long time clients David Lloyd and Geoff Miller. He mentions another recent winner from the stable in Unique Prince who’s due back in work following a break. Peter looks back on early days in Melbourne under the tutelage of his grandfather Frank Kernaghan. He says Frank was a skilful trainer who was rarely without a handy horse. He had one very talented hurdler. He says one piece of advice offered by his grandfather has remained with him over half a century. Peter was apprenticed to Frank Kernaghan and had a short stint as a jockey. He rates his talents in the saddle. He talks of the legendary jockeys he got to know in the 1960’s. He says one of them took an interest in his progress. During his apprenticeship at Flemington Peter got to know some famous trainers. He makes mention of a couple. Peter says he eventually borrowed boxes from his grandfather to get his own training career under way. He runs through a list of horses who helped to get him up and running as a professional trainer. Peter moved to Albury in 1974 and brought with him a promising apprentice jockey. The trainer acknowledges other talented jockeys who’ve given him good service since moving to the Riverina. Peter says the art of horse training has changed dramatically in recent times. He talks of the accessibility of racetracks from his Wagga base. Peter mentions some of the trainers he’s most admired. In naming the best horse he’s seen in six decades, the veteran plumps unequivocally for Tobin Bronze. We share a few memories of the great horse. The laconic trainer doesn’t waste words in taking us back over his journey in racing.

We had our podcast interview with Keith Ballard safely “in the can” before he reported for duty at Saturday’s Julia Creek Cup fixture at Mount Isa. It’s now history that the legendary jockey went out a winner on the final ride of his 55 year career. Keith was winless in the first four races, but turned it around in the last when he went straight to the lead on Metal Bar and romped home by more than five lengths in the Julia Creek Cup. The fairy tale was enhanced by the fact that Keith’s wife Denise trains the winner. Two days earlier we caught up with the 71 year old to reminisce a little about his remarkable career. He began by revealing that Denise had been trying to get him to retire for quite some time. He talks about a recent Cloncurry win on Capiteel for his trainer wife and acknowledges the support of trainer Tanya Parry. Keith talks about Denise’s former riding career in an era when female jockeys were battling for recognition. He says Denise isn’t too tough on him when his judgement is astray. The veteran says he was humbled in the extreme when the Ballards of Mount Isa were inducted into the Racing Queensland Hall Of Fame in 2021. Keith talks about the likelihood of withdrawal symptoms in the months ahead. The evergreen horseman says his nerve has remained intact.  He gives a few reasons for his longevity as a professional jockey. The Longreach born horseman says he was initially inspired by the riding success of his uncle Jim Ballard.  Keith pays tribute to his stoic and hard working mother, and speaks of his six brothers. He recalls his very first race ride, and an unforgettable first win on the very same horse.  Keith says he’s been relatively lucky when it comes to race falls, but he looks back on one bad buster at age 62- the worst fall in his long career. That fall occurred at remote McKinlay best known as the venue for many scenes in the famous Crocodile Dundee movies. Keith remembers some of the best horses he’s ridden over more than half a century. His number one vote goes to Mr Ziesel, big by stature and big on ability. He pays tribute to the consistent Kerr Street. He won nine races on the horse in one season including the 1983 Darwin Cup. Keith remembers King Wells. He won 17 races on the former Victorian. The veteran says his career wouldn’t have been complete without a Birdsville Cup win. He ticked that one off the bucket list in 2009. Keith talks about Sahara Canadian. He won 11 races on the grey, including one at faraway Ballina. He talks about another prolific winner in Be Somebody. He once drove 1000km to ride the horse at Darwin even though he knew the gelding couldn’t win. Keith pays tribute to a handful of jockeys for whom he had special admiration. He makes special mention of a talented bush trainer. Keith pays a heartfelt tribute to son Dan, a very talented jockey whose career has been terminated by weight problems. Ballard says his failure to ride a metropolitan winner doesn’t faze him too much. He talks about a handful of other jockeys who rode into advanced years. It was a great pleasure to talk to a genuine Queensland racing icon.

It was mid October when I invited Ray Hadley to be special guest on the occasion of our 500th podcast episode. Never once during the conversation did the legendary broadcaster so much as hint that he was contemplating calling time on his 2GB morning programme. We made arrangements to record the interview on the afternoon of Thursday November 5th. Like many of his listeners and colleagues I was stunned, when less than an hour into his programme on Thursday Ray made the shock announcement that December 13th is to be his final day in the 2GB studios. Television news crews were setting up in the building long before he finished his on air shift at midday. The broadcaster was inevitably “swamped” by media outlets for several hours. I wouldn’t have been one bit surprised had he requested a postponement of our podcast interview, but I should have known better. True to his word Ray was ready to go when I called him as arranged at 4.30pm. I reminded him  that nobody had seen this coming. He admitted it was a surreal experience to be announcing his own retirement from mainstream radio. I asked Ray to identify the likely reasons he was able to win 160 consecutive surveys. He nominated one particular story where his on air comments contributed to a better outcome. Ray made no secret of the fact that he won’t be lost to media, but says the days of 3.30am wake up calls are over.  He takes us back to childhood days as the son of hard working parents Morris and Elsie Hadley. Ray looks back on the massive impact of his father’s death at just 46 years of age. He shares some funny stories from his eight years with Steers Auctions at Parramatta. He believes his experience as an auctioneer helped to develop his commentary skills.  Ray says he was chuffed beyond belief in the early 80’s when offered the role of Harold Park course broadcaster following the retirement of Ray Conroy.  He takes us back to the days immediately after the Super League war when 2UE lost its Rugby League broadcast rights. 2UE’s Continuous Call team made history when it continued to win the ratings without broadcasting the game.  Ray pays a special tribute to the man they called “The Starmaker.” 2UE Programme Director the late John Brennan was lauded in the industry for his unique ability to spot potential talent from a mile off.  Ray Hadley’s career took a life changing turn in 2002 when John Singleton purchased 2GB. He initially poached Ray from 2UE to call Rugby League, but changed his mind soon after. The broadcaster was stunned when “Singo” asked him to take over the morning programme in opposition to 2UE’s John Laws. Ray shares the full story. The multiple award winning broadcaster says he has no regrets about missing the opportunity to call 100 State Of Origins. Ray was privileged to be a member of the commentary team for seven Olympic Games. He says Cathy Freeman’s unforgettable win in the 400m at the Sydney Olympics remains his fondest memory. He was agreeable to looking back on what he describes as the lowest point in his long career- the 2019 bullying allegations from a small group of staff members. He looks back with candour on a very unhappy time in his life. Ray talks with great affection of his children and grandchildren. Today he’s the quintessential doting grandfather. It’s a massive coincidence that Ray’s retirement announcement came just a few hours before this podcast was recorded. No wonder he was in the mood to reminisce. Great to have him on our 500th podcast episode.

The story of the Freedman era is one of racing’s all time best - four enthusiastic young brothers who made an amazing journey from the family stud farm at Yass to the establishment of a Victorian based training powerhouse. Lee held sway as trainer with Anthony, Richard and Michael handling crucial roles in the background. Together they had an enormous impact on Australian racing for three decades. Lee won seven Melbourne trainer’s premierships and was runner up six times. Today the boys are all training under their own banners with Lee opting for a much quieter life on the Gold Coast. The former leader of the FBI was very gracious with his time on this week’s podcast. He begins by berating his talents as a golfer. Lee talks about his current 31 horse team, a fraction of the number he trained in the busiest days of the FBI. He talks of the wide choice of race meetings he has from his Gold Coast base. Lee takes us back to early days at Hardwicke Stud near Yass, where he and his siblings gained sound education under the supervision of father Tony. He delights in telling the story of his first win as a trainer with a quirky but very talented grey called Sitting Bull. It was hard to keep news of the horse’s talent under wraps.  Lee says his training career actually began at Warwick Farm. He looks back on a relocation to Flemington and a mare called Sauna - the daughter of Loosen Up who put the Freedmans on the map. Lee hasn’t forgotten the thrill of a maiden Gr 1 win. He reflects on the rapid rise of the FBI and the simple theory he had about stress management. We needed to get started on Lee’s reminiscences of the many wonderful horses to come through the Freedman operation. Who better to begin with than the incomparable Makybe Diva. She arrived in the Freedman camp having won 8 races for David Hall including her first Melbourne Cup. Lee recalls his expectations.  He reflects on his first win with the mighty mare, the 2004 Melbourne Cup. The trainer recalls the mare’s dominance in the autumn and spring of 2005, and the memorable comments he made in a TV interview after her third Cup win- comments which have passed into folklore. Lee gives his view on why she was such an athlete. The great trainer looks back on wonderful journeys with crowd favourites Subzero and Doriemus, two more Melbourne Cup winners. It’s not hard to tell Super Impose was one of Lee’s great favourites. He shares some special memories. Lee puts into words his  enormous admiration for Naturalism.  The list of good horses to pass through the Freedman’s hands is seemingly endless. He sings the praises of Mahogany and Schillaci. The Golden Slipper was a mighty race for the Freedmans in the 1990’s. Lee talks about their four consecutive wins in the famous two year old race. Durbridge is another marvellous horse to get the thumbs up from his former trainer. The legendary trainer will surprise some when he says his greatest racetrack thrill came outside Australia. He looks back on his Royal Ascot journey with Miss Andretti. Lee used some of Australia’s greatest jockeys during the golden years of the Freedman reign. He’s prepared to single one of them out for special praise.  He speaks with pride of daughters Emma and Georgia. Lee pays tribute to his greatest ever supporter, late mother Del who passed just two years ago. He pays tribute to Anthony, Richard and Michael who have each forged great individual careers. A podcast with Lee Freedman is long overdue. We’re delighted to finally get it done.

A hat trick of recent country wins by improving gelding My Last Hooray rekindled memories of Frank Cleary’s glory days in Australian racing. The popular trainer wound down his training operation following two health scares in 2020, and has been training only a handful of horses in recent times. He even hinted that he may walk away from a business that took him to racing’s biggest stage. On learning that My Last Hooray isn’t the only horse on his books, we decided to investigate the immediate future of the Queanbeyan based trainer. He certainly doesn’t confirm likely retirement. Frank talks about two unraced young horses currently in his care. He reflects on the chest pains that sent him to hospital in 2020, and a second ailment that followed closely on his heart scare. Frank talks of the racing involvement in his family background. It’s well known that a young Frank Cleary showed great promise as a rugby league player in pivotal positions. He says he actually started in the Aussie Rules code. Switching to league in the late 60’s he quickly gained a spot in the Queanbeyan Blues Under 18’s side. He looks back on two encounters with a touring British test side. Frank says several niggling injuries eventually finished his football career and sent him in the direction of a new livelihood. You won’t believe some of the things he did for a living in his pre horse training days.   He says his life changed dramatically the day he attended an Inglis Tried Stock sale and came away with a $1400 unraced gelding. That horse shaped Frank’s destiny. The trainer says he had to wait a long time for his first Gr 1 win but it happened to be in one of the oldest classics on the AJC calendar. Select Prince was by Imperial prince as was another Cleary favourite Friend’s Venture. Frank says he was an amazing horse. The trainer thought someone was “pulling his leg” when he got a phone call from a man purporting to be an American owner asking him to train a horse. Frank remembers the late Ken T. Jones who continued to support his stable for several years. He remembers the unsound horse who motivated Jones’ original phone call. Cleary has never forgotten a day at the Gold Coast Sale when Ken Jones had to be talked into buying a Zoffany colt who was destined to become one of Australia’s best two year olds of 1992. Frank remembers Clan O’Sullivan’s impressive early form and his defeat in the 1992 Golden Slipper when he got no favours. Fast forward some six years and Frank recalls the purchase of a Danehill colt who would atone for Clan O’Sullivan’s Slipper defeat. Frank takes us back to the events of Slipper day 1999 when the hot pre post favourite was a late scratching from the famous two year old race. He pays tribute to jockey Mark de Montfort. He looks at a few other good money spinners to carry the Ken Jones colours. Frank looks back on a bold move he instigated in the late 1990’s. He decided to give training a try in the big smoke when stables became available in a new block at Rosehill. His neighbour was a young Kiwi trainer who was testing the water in Sydney. The veteran trainer says there were no stars in the stable during his Sydney stint, but a few handy horses kept him ticking over. He talks of a flying visit to Melbourne with a horse called Shot Of Comfort. It was a good result for the stable and for owner Dominic Beirne.  Frank was chuffed to win his only hometown Cup with Bomber Command in 2009. He reflects with delight with his all time top training effort- six wins  on the Forbes Cup programme in 1994. The trainer pays a heartfelt tribute to his wife Sue. Frank gives a shout out to his four sons with special mention of Joe who’s rapidly gaining recognition as a trainer in his own right. It’s a lovely trip down memory lane with one of the real characters of the Australian training ranks.

With the Sydney jockey’s room virtually a closed shop, other talented riders are obliged to carve themselves a niche in one of several strong NSW regional centres. With no shortage of race meetings, these jockeys are able to pursue a healthy livelihood, sneaking to town from time to time when an opportunity arises. One such jockey is Billy Owen who’s services are in regular demand in the Southern Districts. Bill’s first stint as a professional rider was halted by weight problems in 2013. He spent the next five years on the amateur circuit winning more than a hundred races. He was thrilled in 2018 when his weight stabilised, allowing him to return to the pro ranks. Bill talks about his current run of success. He speaks highly of My Last Hooray whose three recent wins have impressed the jockey. The gelding is the only horse in the stable of former multiple Gr 1 winning trainer Frank Cleary. The jockey talks of Asgarda, the mare he partnered in the Kosciuszko. Bill’s location between Canberra and Queanbeyan enables him to ride trackwork at both venues. The 32 year old takes us back to his early days growing up on the family farm near Gundagai. He says he was in the saddle at age 3. He talks of his favourite equine activities and a brief stint at the rodeo. Bill says he loved every minute of his Rugby League involvement with the Gundagai Tigers. His “jockey’s frame” came against him.  With the blessing of his parents, Billy gained an apprenticeship with Nick Olive. The jockey clearly recalls his first winning ride on the Olive trained Chirurgo Dame in 2010.  He talks of a long and happy association with the Canberra trainer. Bill was on the team during Nick’s association with classy mare Single Gaze. He never rode Single Gaze in a race, but was her regular partner in trials and trackwork.  He says the stable staff were wildly excited when Single Gaze ran second in a Caulfield Cup and progressed to the Melbourne Cup of 2017. Billy talks of Voice Commander, the horse he rates as the best he’s ridden in a race. He looks back on the decision to quit the professional ranks when his weight got out of control. Bill has fond memories of his five years on the picnic circuit and a win in the famous Bong Bong Cup. The jockey has never forgotten the morning he became aware that a return to the professional ranks was a possibility. Bill says he took a much more professional approach on the comeback trail. He’s never forgotten Nick Olive’s gesture in finding the right horse to re-launch his career. Towards the end of 2018 Billy was tickled pink when Sydney trainer John O’Shea sought his services for a horse called Dawn Raid. He fondly remembers his first Saturday metro win on Junglized for trainer Brad Widdup. Bill hasn’t forgotten his first metropolitan double- a brace of wins at Warwick Farm for John O’Shea and Gerald Ryan.   He talks of the two jockeys he most admired as he was coming through the ranks. Bill pays tribute to partner Kia, daughter of prominent trainer Doug Gorrel. His regular riding weight of 57kgs is achievable only by adherence to a strict regime. Bill acknowledges the support of a handful of southern trainers. It’s a laid back chat with a very popular southern districts jockey.

I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting Lacey Morrison but I’ve been long aware of her notable  achievements. This resilient 40 year old has had a diversified career in the racing industry as a jockey, a trainer and a two year stint as a member of the Darling Downs steward’s panel. Lacey’s comeback from injury in 2021 has far exceeded her expectations. In the recently concluded 2023/2024 season she rode 101 winners to finish fourth on the Queensland jockey’s premiership ladder. She also happens to be the doting mother of nine year old Buddy. Lacey Morrison says she’s happiest when busy. The jockey talks about her good start to the new season and a recent Cluden Park treble. Lacey says she was elated to top the century of winners last season. She looks back on a quartet of wins at Townsville late in the season and her all time top score of five at a Cairns meeting. The Cairns Amateur Cup is actually a prestigious professional event run in September. Lacey talks about her recent win on Cashin’ Chex. The busy jockey talks about life in Tolga on the tablelands south west of Cairns.  She takes us through the racing circuit she supports week to week. Lacey says it takes the offer of a very good ride to get her as far away as Mackay. The talented jockey looks back at childhood days at Taroom and Springsure when riding horses was a way of life. She talks of an original apprenticeship to her father John followed by her transfer to Toowoomba trainer Russell Kirwin. Lacey recalls her uneventful debut at Springsure and that thrilling first win at Bundaberg for the Gollan stable. She says Proudly Agro was the first nice horse she got to ride. She won a metro Gr 3 on the horse. The true blue Queenslander looks back on a very successful apprenticeship with special mention of a mare called Charlotte Sound who provided her 60th metropolitan win and the end of her claiming days.  In 2003 a burgeoning reputation saw Lacey invited to spend three months with Sydney trainer Clarry Conners. Despite a battle with homesickness she won a handful of races including one memorable Randwick victory on Sadarar for trainer Paul Cave. Lacey was pretty chuffed when offered a ride in the Ramornie Hcp at Grafton in 2006. She was even more chuffed when For Valour stormed home to win the historic sprint. She pays tribute to Legal Brief who gave her a prestigious Cups double in Queensland. Lacey remembers the horrific four horse fall at Ipswich which sidelined her for ten months. This was the time she decided to try her hand as a steward. She talks of her successful comeback and the disappointment of a second Ipswich fall in 2013. Lacey got over that one fairly quickly but wasn’t keen to return to race riding. She decided to accept an offer to take over the stables of Toowoomba trainer John Dann. She enjoyed her time as a professional trainer. She talks of son Buddy’s premature arrival in 2015. Lacey was working for a local produce store when asked to ride some trackwork by Tolga trainer and good friend Sharlee Hoffman. Predictably the bug bit again. When she decided to don the silks again in 2021 stewards demanded a rigorous barrier trial schedule. Lacey’s versatility knows no bounds. She’s currently juggling her many race riding commitments with an online Tafe nursing course. This will be her long term future. She says when it comes to her eventual retirement from race riding, partner Taron leaves it entirely up to her. Great to catch up at last with a multi talented Queensland racing achiever.

I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing Darren Beadman many times but not so much in recent years. Spotted him at Graham McNeice’s recent funeral service, and it occurred to me that “Shadow” would have insisted I feature the former star jockey on this podcast.  Darren’s a busy boy these days in his role as Race Day Operations Manager for Godolphin, with little time to spare. We pinned him down last Friday after he’d completed duties at the Rosehill barrier trials. It’s just a relaxed chat between two old racing mates. Darren talks about the importance of official trials in the Godolphin operation. He explains that communication with race day media has become a significant part of his role with Godolphin. Darren says he’s got a bigger advantage than most when listening to post race reports from the many jockeys used by Godolphin. He reflects on the horrific Hong Kong accident that terminated his stellar riding career. Darren outlines the complexities of his diffuse axonal brain injury and the subsequent rehabilitation period.  He names the best horse he got to ride during his time in Hong Kong. The celebrated jockey takes us back to childhood days in Canberra and his earliest association with horses. He reflects on his good fortune in having the opportunity to learn his trade under the legendary Theo Green. Darren talks about an early apprentice’s premiership win and his first Gr 1 success- A Golden Slipper on Inspired for his boss. He remembers another Slipper win 13 years later on Guineas. The 58 year old remembers his relocation to France as a 19 year old. Despite ongoing homesickness, he managed to win 50 races including the Gr 1 Prix Morny at Deauville.  Darren takes us through the remarkable story of his Melbourne Cup win on Kingston Rule in 1990. The royally bred stayer carried the Kingston Town colours and elevated his fresh faced young jockey to racing’s biggest stage. This man was privileged to ride some of the greatest horses of his generation. He talks with great affection about Saintly, known colloquially as “the horse from heaven”. Predictably he lights up when asked to pay tribute to the amazing Octagonal. Darren pays an even bigger tribute to Octagonal’s son Lonhro. He rates the champion’s two best wins. Another great horse Beadman got to ride was Super Impose. He won seven races on the versatile champion. Darren remembers the 1991 Epsom when Super Impose did the impossible to complete a staggering quartet of Gr 1 mile victories at Randwick. He had  only two rides on the great mare Let’s Elope. One of them resulted in a stunning Australian Cup win. He looks back on his bombshell decision to leave racing at the top of his game to join the Christian Life Centre as a Minister. He recalls his many duties for the church, and his role as a Skychannel presenter. Darren confirms that wife Kim recently began her quest for a PHD in Psychology.  The family man talks of daughters Rachel and Jessica who’ve each provided their parents with a granddaughter. Darren brings us up to date on the current activities of son Mitch who himself rode more than 100 winners in a very brief riding career. I’m embarrassed to confess this is Darren’s first appearance on our podcast. I deserve a severe reprimand.

If pedigree has any bearing there was always a strong likelihood James Orman would become a jockey. His father Michael showed some talent in a very brief career before increasing weight terminated his aspirations. His mother Caroline Allardyce has been a trainer for forty years, and increased her team numbers when James became her stable apprentice in 2013. Young Orman’s emergence as one of Australia’s best jockeys has been spectacular. He begins by talking about his flying start in the new racing season. James, or Jimmy as he’s popularly known, talks about life on his Nudgee property with Heidi and their children Floyd and Hallie.  The talented jockey talks of childhood days at Forest Hill, his involvement in pony club and a passion for gymnastics. He outlines some highs and lows from his time as a gymnast. Jimmy says riding was second nature to him by the time he elected to become indentured to his trainer/mother. He looks back on his very first race ride at Nanango. He finished third but believes he should have won the race. He remembers his first winning ride on the same track. James says his first metropolitan win was one of the most thrilling of his career. The horse was trained by his mum and won with ease. The jockey says his first three rides in the city were all winners. Jimmy says he’s ridden more winners for Kelly Schweida than he has for any other trainer. He acknowledges Schweida’s unwavering support. He acknowledges the ongoing backing of some of Brisbane’s high profile stables. The twenty seven year old remembers a special deal he made with his mother should she allow him to leave school. He says people are never quite sure what they should call him. He prefers “Jimmy”. James takes us through his impressions of the best horses he’s ridden in recent years with special mention of Niccanova, Prince Of Boom and Far Too Easy. The outstanding jockey looks back on his opportunity to win a stakes race for the powerful Godolphin operation.  Jimmy rates Antino as the best horse he’s ridden to date. After nine Queensland wins on the Gollan trained galloper he was retained for the ride in the black type Tontonan Stakes in Melbourne.  The experience turned out to be a nightmare.  He hopes for an opportunity to get another crack in Melbourne. Orman talks of a surprise invitation from expat Queensland trainer Michael Costa to spend two weeks in Dubai late last year. The experience turned out to be everything that Melbourne wasn’t. He created a huge impression with five wins on one programme. He also rode a winner at Meydan which boasts a spectacular jockey’s room. Jimmy pays tribute to the jockeys who’ve influenced his career. He talks of two debilitating injuries sustained in racing accidents. The star jockey says his weight is fairly stable at 56 kgs provided he observes all the rules. Jimmy hints at a few immediate goals. It’s a nice chat with yet another champion horseman from the sunshine state.

I first met Josh Fleming when he visited the Sky Studios with family members in 2000. He was just 15 at the time, but already a professional race caller in Queensland. He’d debuted at Longreach a year earlier and had subsequently called the action at several far flung tracks. He was too young to take part in Sky’s first “young race caller scholarship” but landed a job in his own right three years later. He’s come a long way from that nervous start at Longreach, and the story makes for an interesting podcast. Josh recalls that brief visit to the Sky studios almost 25 years ago. He pays tribute to the grandmother who lived long enough to see him make his race calling debut. Josh cherishes memories of his meeting with the late Graham McNeice on that Sunday morning in 2000. The 39 year old calls regularly from Doomben, Eagle Farm and the Sunny Coast. He rates the popular tracks. Josh has just returned from his 21st visit to the Birdsville Cup. He talks of the unique two day carnival on the edge of the Simpson Desert. He says he was horrified in 1995 when his school teacher mother Alison announced her transfer to Barcaldine 1000 kms from his beloved Brisbane.  Josh talks of his friendship with stipendiary steward John Wallace who took him to several outback meetings, and was instrumental in getting him the Longreach “gig”. His debut was impressive enough to generate a few more race calling opportunities in the region. It was back to Brisbane in 2001 and some work experience at 4TAB. Josh looks back on his many “practice” calls at Doomben and Eagle Farm. He had invaluable input from Wayne Wilson and Alan Thomas. The dedicated broadcaster remembers with affection the beginning of his Sydney role with Skychannel. He was ust 18. Josh looks back on the experience he gained on provincial and country tracks. He seized the opportunity to cover city meetings for three months on Sky Racing Radio. He has some precious memories from that chapter in his career. He was thrilled to be offered the full time Brisbane role when Alan Thomas decided to pull up stumps. He’s never forgotten Alan’s final day on the Gold Coast. Two weeks after Alan’s retirement Josh got to cover the Magic Millions meeting- a $10 million dollar race day. He called the easy win by Capitalist. Josh got a bonus on the day when he called the great sprinter Buffering in a $1 million dollar race. He remembers the special day in 2008 when he met his future wife Gabrielle at a Queensland picnic race meeting. Josh speaks with pride and affection about his two children Olivia and Jackson. He chooses to live in the picturesque Darling Downs township of Warwick. Josh says he doesn’t mind the travel involved. To say he was born to be a race caller might seem to be a fanciful phrase- in Josh Fleming’s case the old cliche holds true.

Aaron Bullock has emerged in the last five years as one of Australia’s most consistent jockeys. In the 2022/2023 season his astounding strike rate saw him win the national jockey’s title with 207.5 winners. He’s due to return to the saddle at the end of the month following a two month injury layoff. While he had a little spare time on his hands the father-to-be was happy to talk to us about his meteoric rise in the riding ranks. Aaron says he can’t wait to get cracking again.  He says his weight is under control as he nears a return to the saddle. The heavyweight jockey talks about the Newcastle fall in July which aggravated an old injury. Aaron talks about the impending birth of his first child with wife Amelia (nee Denby). He gives Amelia much of the credit for his continued success. Aaron talks of childhood days in Tumut and his first glimpse of thoroughbreds at the local races. He recalls the family’s move to Singleton and his subsequent apprenticeship to trainer Todd Howlett whose career was just getting under way. Aaron has never forgotten his first serious gallop at Muswellbrook. He says he couldn’t get the hang of it. There was one particular morning when everything fell into place. Young Bullock suddenly felt he was a jockey at last. He remembers his first ride and his initial win. Sadly his enthusiasm didn’t last, and he made the decision to walk away from racing. Fast forward to 2019 when Aaron hit a major hurdle. He remembers a positive test to a banned substance and a six month disqualification. Aaron says his transformation began in the 2019/2020 season. He’s ridden 644 winners since with a national premiership thrown in. He talks about his duel with Queenslander James Orman in the closing weeks of the 2022/2023 season. Aaron says his commitment to clients on provincial and country tracks keeps him away from city meetings. Every now and again he’ll be lured to town to ride a promising horse. Know Thyself is one of those horses. He also gives a thumbs up to English mare Clear Thinking. The jockey acknowledges some of his favourite horses and horsemen. Aaron pays a special tribute to the jockey he most admires. He makes special mention of Amelia’s successful riding career. It’s a laid back chat with an inspirational bloke.

Many racing people were predicting a bright future for Dylan Gibbons long before he made his debut at Taree in July 2020.  Son of successful jockey Andrew Gibbons,  the lanky youngster had been taken along quietly by his master Kris Lees and was the complete package by the time he was let loose. Dylan hasn’t let his supporters down. In just four seasons of race riding he’s approaching 400 winners including two Gr 1’s. Caught up with the talented young rider last week for a comprehensive chat about his career so far. He talks about four seasons of success he never expected. Dylan talks about the workload of the modern day jockey with special mention of the barrier trial schedule. He talks of partner Nevada and the decision to stay in his hometown of Newcastle. The young jockey talks of his hectic 2023/2024 season and the holiday he was badly in need of. He admits he was late in making a decision to become an apprentice, but says his interest in racing was obsessive.  Dylan reflects on the many days he spent at race meetings where his father had riding commitments. He says he found a way to keep occupied. He talks of his admiration for two Sydney jockeys in particular. He remains very friendly with Tommy Berry and Kerrin McEvoy. At one stage he was acting as valet for both riders. When Andrew Gibbons could see his son was deadly serious about becoming a jockey he took him to a local riding school. Dylan talks about the education he gained in the Kris Lees operation, and talks of his very first day at the races. He hasn’t forgotten the magic of his first winning ride at Coffs Harbour. Dylan looks back on his first metro success and the unforgettable thrill of a Gr 1 win so early in his career. The jockey looks back on his second Gr 1 win. This time the winner was trained by his boss and staunchest supporter. Dylan acknowledges the part Semana has played in his brief career- only two wins but several Group placings. One of them was oh so close! He talks of a Brisbane Cup win for Bjorn Baker and his association with smart sprinter Buenos Noches. Dylan talks of his association with talented horses like Brudenell and Loch Eagle and a four race association with multiple Gr 1 winning mare Montefilia. He talks of brother Ryan and three year old half sister Hayley. Dylan pays tribute to his father’s longevity and the great winning trot the elder Gibbons has been enjoying. He admits it’s a tough road ahead competing against so many top riders on equal terms but says he’s up to the task.

Steve Hart was just 23 years old when he joined the ranks of Sydney’s race photographers in 1983. It didn’t take him long to showcase the flair, the creativity and the energy needed to chase the right shots through a long day at the races. Most importantly he made a million friends along the way. We got Steve to sit still long enough to record a special interview about his life and the career he chose above all others.  He begins by looking back on his final day at the races. The inevitable emotion was put aside until he’d “fired off” his final shot.  Steve says he’s been a stickler throughout his career for an early arrival at the track. He talks of the miles he’d cover getting from point to point on race day. Randwick was the toughest venue. Steve talks of the amazing advances in camera technology. The 64 year old takes us back to his English childhood and the long sea voyage to Australia with his parents and two brothers. He recalls his father John securing a job in the building trade just two days after arriving in Sydney. Steve talks about his time at Manly High School and his burgeoning interest in photography. He talks of his first job in the trades.  The gun photographer remembers with clarity his first trip to a racecourse- a day at Gosford with the family. The die was cast on that fateful day. Steve talks about his application to the AJC for a photographer’s role and the nerve wracking interview with the club’s CEO. He recalls his very first day of operation on a Sydney track and the established photographers he worked alongside. Steve looks back on a couple of casual jobs necessary to supplement his income. He looks back on a couple of dramatic changes to the landscape in the photographic ranks and talks of an enduring friendship with Mark Bradley.  Steve acknowledges the support of one particular journalist in those early days. Of the thousands of finishes he’s photographed over forty years he has a personal favourite. Steve never got to photograph Kingston Town but the champion remains his all time favourite.  The respected professional decided in 1984 to gain accreditation to work through the Victorian spring carnival. He got some unforgettable photos of the champions right through to the Covid pandemic. Steve says he always took three or four cameras to the races, and explained his technique in photographing race finishes. He explains the importance of monitoring camera settings from day to day. Photographers often walk backwards in search of the right shot. Steve has never “bitten the dust” but knows of one who did. The veteran photographer talks of his two children with wife Mary. He pays tribute to Adam and Rachel and gives his only grandchild a special mention. Steve talks of his two favourite achievements without the camera. He talks of his diversion from race day photography. From time to time Steve switches his camera to video mode, and goes on the road to interview some of racing’s best known names.  The Steve Hart story is an inspiring one. The young English lad who came to a new nation and followed his dream.

As a regular watcher of racing from all parts of Australia I’ve heard Tony Wode calling the Townsville meetings many times. I’ve been a fan since I first heard his clear, concise race calls. At last we get around to profiling the career of a man who recently called his 40th Townsville Cup. How he got to where he is today makes for a great story and an even better podcast. Tony begins by talking about his occasional trips away from Townsville when smaller race clubs are stuck for a race caller. He reveals that he also has two brothers who’ve made their marks as broadcasters. Tony says he has more time to study the race form since quitting his local government job a few years ago. He tends to dabble on the punt more than he did through the busiest years. He reflects on childhood days at Southport as one of nine children. He talks of the guidance and inspiration he received from his father Phil. He talks of his dad’s talents as a greyhound trainer.   Tony talks of his entry into journalism with the Townsville Bulletin. He covered many subjects for the broadsheet which was rated at the time as Australia’s leading regional daily.   At this stage of his life Tony’s interest in all three racing codes had become obsessive. He talks of his love of the leading racing publications of the era.   His race calling life began when appointed understudy to local greyhound commentator Richard Cowell. He tried the gallops for the first time at Ingham.   Tony recalls he was just 18 years old when invited to fill in for the  regular Cluden Park caller. He says nerves got the better of him.    He reflects on the creation of the amazing Townsville harness racing venue by Queensland Racing Minister Russ Hinze. Sadly the concept died a natural death.   Tony looks back on his overseas stint in the mid 1980’s. During the trip he formed a deep admiration for a special racehorse.   The 62 year old talks of his return to Australia and the beginning of a relationship with his adored wife Shelley.   Tony talks of his recent coverage of the Townsville Cup- his 40th call of the famous NQ event.   He pays tribute to son Declan, daughter Gabrielle and two grandsons.    Like most north Queensland racing enthusiasts Tony acknowledges the deeds of three time Cup winner Party King.   He talks of two time Townsville Cup winner Namazu. The gelding’s attempt to make it three wins this year went terribly wrong.   Tony pays homage to the best trainers and jockeys of his era.   He pays tribute to his all time favourite, the pony sized Tyzone.   The veteran broadcaster says he’s had opportunities to work in other places, but was always reluctant to leave the famous coastal city.   Tony expresses his admiration for the work of Sky Thoroughbred Central north Queensland correspondent Michael Charge, himself a recent podcast guest.    It was a delight to catch up with a very talented north Queensland media man.

After just 14 years of race riding Don Terry was clearly established as one of the best country based jockeys in Australia. He was approaching 700 winners when involved in a life changing race fall at Grafton. After six months in Brisbane’s Princess Alexandra Hospital he settled on the NSW north coast, and began the long road back. His achievements have been extraordinary. It’s a privilege to welcome him as a very special guest on this week’s podcast. Don talks about the way he manages his problems day by day. He says his temper is not as volatile as it once was.  Don talks about the layout of his Lennox Head home. The former outstanding jockey talks about his role as the manager of Brisbane rider Justin Stanley. He proudly describes his curiously named fishing boat. Don acknowledges the support of his loyal fishing mates and talks of the sea miles they travel to find the best location. He talks about some of the fish species they encounter. The resilient Terry enjoys nothing more than driving his car. He talks about a marathon trip to the Riverina recently to visit his elderly mother. He takes us back to childhood days on the family farm and remembers the days when he taught himself to ride. Don talks about his apprenticeship to leading Riverina trainer David Heywood. He shares clear recollections of his first winning ride at Wagga and his initial city win on an amazing old horse. Don talks of his association with Ken Callaughan and pays tribute to some special horses he got to ride for the top trainer. He recalls a Rosehill win on the day of the infamous “flag start” at Rosehill. Don looks back on some important country wins and his two SDRA premiership wins. The former jockey talks of his relocation to northern NSW and the fateful day he rode at the South Grafton Cup meeting. He describes the way the accident unfolded. Don looks back on the aftermath of the fall and his many months in the Princess Alexandra Hospital. He says he was anxious to get back into circulation and talks of his first foray into jockey management. Don remembers the surprise invitation he received to train a couple of horses. He decided to give it a go, and met with immediate success. The ever courageous Terry took part in early trials for a revolutionary concept called “robotic legs”. He takes us through the procedure involved and the side effects he encountered. Don pays tribute to daughter Laura Kate and son Lyle who are doing well in their chosen careers. This is an inspiring podcast with a very special bloke.

Kevin Sweeney was one of those ever reliable jockeys who did his job with total dedication for an amazing 46 years. Had it not been for a high spirited horse dumping him at a Nowra meeting in 2015, he may well have pushed on for a bit longer. Kev spent the bulk of his career at Canberra and on southern districts tracks, where he forged strong associations with many stables. Despite a few current health issues the seventy year old pays us the honour of joining the podcast for a good, old fashioned trip down memory lane. Kev begins by revisiting the occasion of his last race ride when he was unceremoniously dumped by a quirky horse. He recalls a winning treble at Wagga just two days earlier. Kevin talks about his move to the far NSW south coast, and the health issues he’s been battling for the last four years. He remains philosophical. The former respected jockey takes us back to childhood days, and the love he received from his single mum and a doting grandfather. He’s never forgotten the day his family took him to Randwick races. He’s happy to admit that his aversion to school brought much grief to his mother Grace. Kevin remembers his apprenticeship to Reg Cook, brother of Bill and uncle of Peter. He shares his memories of the famous Cook family. He remembers his first two wins on a horse trained by Reg Cook. Both wins were at Hawkesbury. Kevin has never forgotten his first city win. His second metropolitan success figured in a little piece of racing history. The  veteran takes us back to Reg Cook’s move to Canberra in the early 70’s. He talks about a switch of stables to Terry Rutzo who would become a staunch supporter. He explains the reasons for his sudden relocation to Wyong at the invitation of local trainer Ron Tilley.  Back in Canberra Kevin forged a great association with trainer Keith Dryden. He believes he rode 220 winners for the Dryden stable. Sweeney reflects on his association with talented Dryden trained mares Coolroom Candidate and Bacchanal Woman. He went to NZ with Bacchanal Woman. He acknowledges another Dryden runner De Lightning Ridge. He won four races on the mare including two in the city.  The dedicated jockey pays rightful homage to the ageless gelding Digger Stakas. He rode the veteran on many occasions, and actually gave him a home in his twilight years. Kevin fondly remembers 13 wins on the consistent Comanche Prince. He talks about his long association with the John Morrisey stable with special mention of an AJC Country Cup win on China Garden.  Kevin remembers another ride on China Garden which landed him in hot water. He was given three months by the stewards for an unsatisfactory ride. Sweeney’s commitment to country racing deprived him of opportunities in feature races. He says he was 49 before he won a decent race.  He looks back on the days when he was the “go-to” jockey for bush trainers who were bringing their horses to Canberra meetings. He tells the story of a win on a plunge horse at Canberra trained by a man destined to reach dizzy heights on the turf. Kevin reflects on his good fortune when it came to injuries. He and partner Michelle were the parents of three boys. He says only one has made a career in racing. The former jockey pays tribute to later partner Libby who’s doing a great job on the Keith Dryden team. Libby is close to commencing a new role in the stable. This is an overdue acknowledgment of a long and distinguished riding career.

It’s just over three years since Molly Bourke won her first race on Mouse Almighty at Wagga. Another 131 wins have followed, complimented by an SDRA Apprentices Premiership. Molly’s talents were clearly evident when she skilfully nursed $58.00 “pop” Secret Plan over the line at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday. She’s now with John Sargent at Randwick and rode 20 city winners last season. Great to catch up with the little girl from Tumbarumba who has to pinch herself to believe she’s competing successfully in one of the world’s toughest markets. Molly talks about her move to the big smoke just over a year ago. She looks back on her first taste of Sydney racing when she won on bush galloper Zakeriz at Canterbury late in 2022. Molly talks of her first win for new master John O’Shea at Wyong. She acknowledges a recent story about her career by Ray Hickson in the Racing NSW magazine. The apprentice looks back on the shock of her relocation to the bustling city of Sydney. Molly says it’s quite an experience to ride regularly against some of Australia’s best jockeys. She pays tribute to two Sydney female role models. The talented young rider takes us back to childhood days on the farm at Tumbarumba, and her early education on stock horses. She looks back on other riding pursuits. She says it was her next door neighbour who alerted her to the excitement of horse racing. Molly remembers her first experience of trackwork and an apprenticeship to local trainer George Dimitropoulos. School wasn’t Molly’s favourite place, but  she did well in one particular subject. Sport was a different matter. She showed plenty of ability in several endeavours. Molly vividly recalls her unimpressive race riding debut at Leeton on Mouse Almighty, and the magic of her first win at Wagga on the same little mare. She looks back on her transfer to a much busier environment at Canberra with trainer Doug Gorrel. Molly talks of the great support she received from another well known Canberra trainer, and the thrill of winning the SDRA junior title. The young jockey takes us through the freakish accident in which she was involved on the way to Albury races with Doug Gorrel. Molly has no doubt the fact that she was asleep in the passenger seat, may have saved her life. She talks about Doug’s serious injury and the sad loss of a promising filly in the accident. Molly gives high praise to a select group of southern districts jockeys who helped her along the way. She makes special mention of valuable tutelage given by former jockey Darryn Murphy of the Skillinvest Employment and Training Company. Molly acknowledges the support of her master John Sargent, and the well known training talents of the expat Kiwi horseman. She was gobsmacked when given the opportunity to ride in this year’s Doncaster. She talks of a few special horses to help her along the way since moving to Randwick. The Tumbarumba product says she’s had to deal with one particular problem in her race riding technique. Molly says she enjoys sneaking back to her old stamping ground from time to time. Her mother Jacqie lives at Bega nowadays.  The 21 year old speaks of the downside of living in Sydney with her partner Ed Waters still in Wagga. He expects to join her at the completion of his electrical trades apprenticeship. Molly isn’t a movie buff but there’s one she’s seen many times over. Not surprisingly it’s about a horse. The apprentice expresses her gratitude for having no weight problems. It’s a nice yarn with a most amiable young lady from a tiny town near the Snowy Mountains. Is it any wonder this girl can ride!

Pioneers like Pam O’Neill have taken great pride in watching the enormous progress made by female jockeys in recent years. Wendy Peel is Dubbo based these days but has had several addresses during her first seven years of race riding. The 31 year old is unwaveringly passionate about her chosen career path and travels huge mileage to honour commitments.  She’s already a role model to many of the younger girls coming through the system. Wendy joins us on the podcast to look at the female clean sweep of a recent Inverell meeting, and to look at the future role of women in the Australian riding ranks. She talks of the impact being made around the nation. Wendy believes the generational growth of male jockeys is the main reason for the ever increasing number of female riders. She predicts the likely future of the girls in Australian racing. Wendy says the majority of new apprentices have learned the fundamentals in pony club, eventing and show jumping. The dedicated jockey looks back on her very first involvement with thoroughbreds. She talks of a horse management college course which led her to two overseas adventures. Wendy looks back on an early job on a NZ stud farm. She was asked to ride some trackwork by a local trainer and the die was cast. She reflects on her boldness in asking Gai Waterhouse for a job as a trackwork rider at Randwick. Wendy remembers her first apprenticeship to Peter Robl who supplied her first race ride. The jockey looks back on her transfer to Sue Grills at Tamworth. She still can’t believe her first win was in a Cup race. It didn’t end there. Wendy remembers being one of five riders to crash in a race at Tamworth in 2019. Her injuries were nasty. She was leading the Rising Stars points score at the time. She talks of Cody Morgan’s kindness in giving her a great opportunity in the Gulgong Cup when she returned to the saddle. Next step was a loan out to Nyngan trainer Rodney Robb at the peak of a disastrous drought. She says some of her most memorable achievements materialised during her time with Robb. Wendy talks of her transfer to Paul Butterworth in Brisbane. It was Butterworth who supplied her first metropolitan winner. She talks of the broken hip sustained in a Deagon jump out, just 18 months after her Tamworth “buster”. The respected rider remembers a win in the Battle Of The Bush Final at Eagle Farm on Rather Salubrious. The opportunity was the result of great loyalty shown by trainer David Reynolds. Wendy talks of the enormous goal she set herself in August 2020. She rode at three race meetings in the space of eight or nine hours. Thankfully a Toowoomba winner made it all worthwhile. She rates Rather Salubrious the best horse she’s ridden but also has praise for Seat Of Power. Wendy speaks highly of jockeys Blake Shinn and Matthew Cahill. She talks of her daily chores at Dubbo which often include a helping hand for partner Duncan Edwards, a well known horse breaker. Female jockeys need to be dedicated to make their way in an unforgiving business. They don’t make them any more dedicated than Wendy Peel.

It was Coffs Harbour based jockey Jon Grisedale who alerted me to the fact that Trevor Hardy was getting close to retirement. The veteran horseman will call time on his 50 year career when his only horse, seven year old gelding Aheadofhistime loses his zest for racing. For twenty years Trevor combined horse training with the running of his small transport business, but had to choose between the two following multiple bypass surgery in 1996. He plumped for full time training, and hasn’t regretted the decision. The 83 year old joins us on the podcast to talk about his life in racing. He’s a little nervous about the dramatic change in lifestyle. Trevor says Aheadofhistime has extended his training career.  He talks about Aheadofhistime’s early career in Queensland and subsequent deeds on the northern rivers, including an emphatic win in last year’s Kempsey Cup. Trevor acknowledges the support of Neil Osborne who purchased his Coffs Harbour stables but made a box available for Aheadofhistime. The veteran is a true north coaster. He was born at Wingham in 1940, but moved to a Coffs Harbour farm with his parents at age 3. He remembers those early days on the farm. He talks of his introduction to horses at local pony club and a subsequent involvement in the rodeo. He sustained one nasty injury. Trevor talks of his first venture into the trucking business and the purchase of his lucerne farm at Tamworth. He ran that farm for a decade. Finally it was back to Coffs and the establishment of another trucking business, this time delivering smallgoods to supermarkets and restaurants. He trained a few horses at the same time. Trevor talks about two uncles Ron and Bob Gosling, both successful trainers in their own right. He remembers his very first win with Poplar Prince at Coffs in 1976 and Sunny Regent, the first nice horse to enter his stable.  Trevor pays tribute to Jack Howe, his first major client. Jack owned a Hunter Valley stud farm where he stood former top stayer Passetruel. Trevor went on to train many of the stallion’s progeny. The trainer talks of the heart condition that gave him a massive wake up call in the mid 90’s. Major surgery was required. Trevor talks of the early history of the Coffs Harbour Cup and its huge prize money boost in 1971. He profiles some of the best horses he’s had the pleasure to train over the years. At the top of his list is Elite Ted, winner of 13 races including 9 in Brisbane. Trevor acknowledges the deeds of Johann Lover, Symposium, Elite Score, Elite Dubleo, and several others. He looks back on the timely arrival of Glen Colless into his care at a time when he was juggling two jobs.  Trevor pays a heartfelt tribute to the Coffs Harbour born jockey who went on to great success in Queensland.  The trainer looks back on the arrival of his next star apprentice. Zac Purton weighed 33 kgs and had to start from scratch. Trevor says his late wife Trish not only mothered the tiny apprentice but acted as his manager when Zac became a jockey. Trevor and Zac caught up in Hong Kong a couple of years ago. He pays tribute to daughter Joanne whose training achievements include a Country Classic win at Rosehill in 2021. Trevor talks of the five Asian apprentices to spend time in his care a few years ago.  He makes special mention of partner Wendy Howe, a long time massage therapist whose patients won’t let her retire. It’s a great pleasure to acknowledge the achievements of a highly respected country trainer.

Whenever Ken Callaughan brought a horse to town from his country base, bookies were wary and punters had a very good look at the animal’s credentials. Ken’s success rate on metropolitan tracks was consistent over many years. We gave him a call recently and the veteran horseman accepted our invitation to join us on the podcast. Ken talks about the horse transport business he launched after quitting the training ranks.  He says much of his work is generated by Goulburn trainers who like to run horses in the weekly TAB Highway races. Ken talks about his early years in the tiny village of Delegate near the Victorian border. He says his father George was a tough taskmaster when giving his son riding tuition. Ken pays tribute to his late brother Brian. He looks back on his first trip to an Inglis Tried Horse Sale. He came away with the unraced gelding who would launch his training career. Ken acknowledges some of his very early winners. He remembers Stormy Guest who was showing great promise before he suffered a career ending injury in a track gallop. At this point of the interview Ken pays a heartfelt tribute to former outstanding jockey Don Terry whose career was terminated by a Grafton race fall more than twenty years ago. They are still in regular contact. The former trainer looks back on his years at Capricorn Park, a 500 acre property near Canberra from which he trained many winners. All of his trackwork was done at home. For many years Ken combined horse training with the breaking of yearlings. One of his regular clients was owner/breeder Sandy Tait. He talks of the Nassipour colt who gave him many a headache during the breaking in process. He acknowledges the talents of some of the best horses he got to train in a forty year career. Ken talks of the well known horsemen to come through the system at Capricorn Park. He says wife Margaret was an outstanding trackwork rider in the early days of his training career. He makes special mention of daughter Fiona and son Peter. Fiona does most of the driving in his transport business. A special group of country horse trainers have gained legendary status in NSW racing. Ken Callaughan is one of them.

Joe Bowditch has been a familiar face on major Australian racetracks for more than 34 years. He’s still plying his trade from a Victorian base at 47 years of age, and still riding winners. The evergreen jockey has crammed a lot into more than three decades of race riding in four states. The Joe Bowditch story makes for an interesting podcast. Currently under suspension,   he was happy to give me some time on the phone last weekend. He spoke to me from a Bundalong property owned by his great mate Luke Nolen. Joe talks about his recent Flemington win on Brazen Lady and acknowledges the support he receives from the Ellerton/Moodie stable. He talks of a long and successful association he’s had with another Cranbourne trainer Robbie Griffiths.  Joe descends from a famous Riverina racing family. He shares memories of his father Des and uncles Barry and Wally- all accomplished jockeys. He remembers a wonderful friendship with trainer Ray Guy who was to have signed him up as an apprentice. When Ray died suddenly in 1992, his son Bryan became Joe’s master. Joe recalls having been All Our Mob’s strapper when he won at Rosehill the day after Ray’s passing. The jockey recalls travelling to Mudgee to ride his first winner thirty one years ago. He looks back on his first couple of metropolitan winners.  Joe talks about a loan-out to the famous Lindsay Park operation in SA. Colin Hayes had retired but still had a presence. He talks of the quality of horseflesh he got to work with including a Melbourne Cup winner. Joe reflects on his working relationship with both David and Peter Hayes. Peter’s death in a light plane crash impacted the entire staff at Lindsay Park. He remembers two star apprentices who came through the system during his time at the famous Angaston operation.  The jockey comments on the fact that the bulk of his career winners have been on the Morphettville track. Joe looks back on his first Gr 1 success in 2004. He had to change his tactics when the pace slowed suddenly in the middle stages of the SA Derby. He’s ridden better horses than  Conservatorium but says the genuine gelding remains his all time favourite. He talks about his narrow defeat on a future multiple Gr 1 winner in the 1996 Fulham Park Plate. Joe’s had his share of nasty falls. He talks about a crash at Morphettville in 2000 that left him with a long list of injuries. He looks back on an association with On A Jeune in 2004. He won a Cranbourne Cup on the gelding and went on to ride him in the Melbourne Cup of the same year. Joe looks back on a brief stint at Corowa as stable rider for the legendary Riverina trainer Richard Freyer. He talks of a surprise phone call from his former master Bryan Guy- a call that led him to a six year stay in Queensland. Joe reviews the highs and lows of that Queensland sojourn- some major wins and one serious race fall. The veteran jockey delights in talking about his association with the brilliant mare Viddora, the highlight of his long association with trainer Lloyd Kennewell. Joe summarises Viddora’s wins in the Moir Stakes and Winterbottom Stakes. He says she was unlucky not to have added another Moir Stakes to her CV. He talks of exciting trips to Dubai and Hong Kong with the daughter of I Am Invincible. Joe finished among the tailenders on Viddora in the 2018 Everest, but won’t forget the experience. He closes by paying tribute to wife Jen and his four children from two marriages- Heidi (21), Callam (19) and the dynamic duo (Jake 5) and Frankie (3). Great to catch up with a long serving and thoroughly dedicated professional jockey.

Great to catch up with respected Dubbo trainer Peter Nestor who’s back in town training a small team of horses after a four year break from racing. A member of a legendary western districts racing family, Peter takes us back to his early days in the unique township of Gulargambone, and the family’s move to Dubbo. He talks of the serious heart ailment that stopped him in his tracks early last year. Peter admits he knew something was amiss for many months. He places most of the blame on a lifelong smoking habit. He says he really wasn’t intending to train horses again, but the bug soon bit. Peter talks of Loving Angel, the former Snowden trained mare who got him up and going again. He says she’s got a few quirks. He talks of Blue Guitar, another “hand me down” who’s been impressive in winning a couple of recent races.  The trainer speaks highly of lightly raced filly Grand Oyster, a recent winner at Narromine. Pete’s adamant that he won’t be increasing the size of his team. He pays tribute to his late father John, a former outstanding bush jockey and a successful trucking operator in later life.  The sixty five year old talks of brother Michael, a former successful jockey and current Dubbo businessman. He talks of Michael’s love of a bet. Peter says his only sister Wendy has enjoyed some luck as an owner. He speaks admiringly of nephew Kody Nestor who’s enjoyed great success in the saddle and the training ranks. He’s currently getting over surgery for an old injury. Peter talks of Kody’s retirement from the training ranks two years ago, and a return to race riding. The trainer speaks glowingly of his former apprentice Kathy O’Hara who has three Gr1 wins on her CV. He says Kathy was going to succeed from the day she walked into the stable. The NSW western districts has produced many outstanding jockeys. Peter pays tribute to the riders he’s most admired over a long period of years. He looks back on a challenging move to Sydney in the early 1990’s and talks of the Rosehill stables he occupied for several years. Peter says Shiraz was almost certainly the best horse he’s trained. He recommended the horse should be sent to Sydney after a sequence of impressive country wins. He talks of Izababe, winner of eleven races including two country Cups. He says the horse was desperately unlucky not to win a Scone Cup. The trainer speaks with great affection of a pony sized mare called Aulone Star.  He remembers the deeds of Miss Alberta who was hampered by a suspect tendon for much of her career. Peter pays a fitting tribute to his wife Nancy, son Michael, daughter Amanda and six grandchildren. It’s an enjoyable chat with a very laid back bush horseman.

Michael Charge’s passion for racing was evident to viewers the first time he appeared on Sky Thoroughbred Central. He successfully combines that passion with an in depth knowledge of north Queensland form to help punters identify winners on many tracks in the region. Caught up with the man recently to find out how it all started. Michael remembers his late mum’s frustration when her son preferred Best Bets, Sportsman and Winning Post to school books. He talks about the vast mileage he travels to cover race meetings for Sky. Early days he would drive 700 kms to Rockhampton. That’s no longer the case. Michael talks about his trackside presentations from a wide range of Queensland tracks- 26 so far with a total of 110 meetings all up. It’s interesting to hear that he’s careful not to over complicate things when analysing form. Michael’s a little different to many form students in that he tends to ignore the market until arriving at a conclusion. He believes pre-post markets can influence a tipster’s thinking. He talks of historic Norfolk Island- the place of his birth. He’ll be returning soon for a special occasion. Michael talks of a relocation to Bundaberg where his parents bought a newsagency. His late father introduced him to the magic of the turf. He remembers tipping horses to people at age 8 or 9. The Sky host looks back on three special horses whose racing styles fired his interest. Michael talks of an enduring friendship with Bundaberg horse trainer Tina Cotsiopolous. He looks back on an early involvement in the Travel Agency business. Michael talks of his induction to the Bundaberg Race Club committee at just 21 years of age. Five years later he was honoured to be elected President.  The racing devotee talks of a move to Brisbane when an offer came from Peter Harney’s Ambassador Travel operation.  During that time he negotiated sponsorship deals with the Townsville Turf Club whose CEO James Heddo decided to accept a role with the Bendigo Jockey Club. Michael bit the bullet and applied for the job. Michael talks of his marriage to Danielle and the subsequent arrival of daughter Lucy and son Lachlan. He says a massive track upgrade at Cluden Park was the highlight of his time with the Townsville Turf Club. Michael pays tribute to Party King, winner of three consecutive Townsville Cups. The third leg of the trilogy generated enormous crowd involvement. Michael still can’t believe he’s one of a chosen few tipsters to come up with a 100/1 winner. It’s a good story. He acknowledges the talents of some special north Queensland horses in recent years. Michael pays tribute to his favourite jockeys and trainers. He makes special mention of Frank Edwards who’s still riding winners in his sixtieth year. Lacey Morrison rates high praise. Michael acknowledges the talents of his great friend, ace race caller Tony Wode. He talks of a recent meeting with an old school friend at Rockhampton’s Archer meeting. That friend, now a member of the Priesthood, reminded Michael of his foray into illegal bookmaking on the 1993 Melbourne Cup. Michael concludes with heartfelt praise for partner Tina. It’s a laid back chat with a rising 50 year old whose career path was set in stone at a very early age.

In the late 1990’s Jarrod Austin walked away from racing to investigate what other career options were available in the world. He tried the hotel industry and dabbled in the building trade, but soon realised there was one key component missing. He’d been around horses all his life, and found he simply couldn’t break the bond. The story of his path back into the racing industry makes for a good podcast. We pinned Jarrod down recently and got him reminiscing about a horsey life that began on his father’s little Tamworth stud farm. The Warwick Farm trainer gives his assurance he won’t be leaving the industry again. Jarrod explains his team currently numbers 22 horses but says  two or three more would  be more than welcome in his Bull St stables at Warwick Farm. He pays tribute to his dedicated stable staff of seven. Jarrod explains why he recently made the decision to quit riding trackwork. The trainer talks at length about his stable star Terra Mater, one of the Inglis Digital “finds” of the past year. Purchased by stable client Gary Carden from a Widden Stud weanling dispersal for a mere $1750, Terra Mater has already banked $366,000 from six wins and six placings. The story is a fascinating one. Jarrod takes us through her racing career from her very first start at Wyong when she ran into a maiden who’s currently sitting on $640,000 in prize  money. She ran into some hot opposition before she finally cracked it for a win. The trainer looks back on his decision to walk away from racing in the mid 1990’s. He soon regretted that call. He was working as a concreter near Camden when he heard that a manager’s job was coming up at a nearby spelling and pre-training farm. He got the job and it was the perfect transition back into training. Jarrod talks of his happy six years at the property owned by trainer Denise McGrath. He helped in the preparation of several McGrath horses including the talented Keen Commander, who missed out narrowly in the 2008 Galaxy. He looks back on Denise McGrath’s decision to leave the training ranks giving him the opportunity to take over the Warwick Farm stables. Jarrod says he was able to get away to a flying start with three horses entrusted to his care by the retiring trainer. He actually won with his very first starter on the comeback trail. He acknowledges the talents of four time city winner Territory. Jarrod talks about a couple of veteran geldings he was able to keep going seemingly past their “use by” date. They just kept winning. Jarrod talks about his discovery of Rachel King in the days when the English girl was apprenticed to Gai Waterhouse. He was keen  to provide her first city winner but was beaten to the punch by another trainer. Austin looks back on Inanup who was a work in progress from the day he walked into the stable. He finished up winning eight races including five in town, largely due to the patience and skill of his trainer. You can hear the admiration in Jarrod’s voice as he pays tribute to recently retired Looks Like Elvis. He slipped the gelding to Victoria on two occasions and got the money both times. Jarrod pays tribute to a couple of his favourite “go-to” jockeys. The trainer gives encouraging pointers to a couple of promising horses currently coming through the grades. Jarrod Austin is one of many talented trainers who simply does his best with what he’s got. His best is of a very high level. Great to have him on our podcast.

Brian York hasn’t wasted a single minute from the day he became aware that his riding days were over. He tried everything known to medical science to overcome a knee injury sustained in a freakish fall at Rosehill in November 2002, but to no avail.The former star jockey joins us on the podcast this week to talk about his very busy and rewarding life after racing. Brian begins  by talking about a five year association with the Waterhouse/Bott stable producing videos of trackwork and jump outs for stable clients. He says border closures during the pandemic brought his business to an end. He talks about the challenge of learning a brand new craft. Brian looks back on his family’s emigration from Scotland to New Zealand. He was just ten years of age. The budding champion jockey was elated to gain an apprenticeship with respected Takanini trainer Cliff Fenwick. He recalls the thrilling occasion of his first win in March 1979 on a handy mare trained by his master. Brian looks back on the first of his 35 Gr 1 victories. He talks about successful stints in Singapore and Malaysia before accepting an offer to move permanently to Australia.  Brian clearly recalls the offer made by the late Bruce McLachlan who was looking for the right jockey to join the team at his lavish Caboolture training property. He describes the unique lay out of Thornhill Park. The former champion jockey pays a heartfelt tribute to the man who won 16 Brisbane training premierships. He believes no trainer/jockey partnership has ever been more harmonious. Brian acknowledges the talents of the special horses he rode during his time with the former Mt. Isa policeman. He reflects on six consecutive wins on the brilliant New Zealander Our Maizcay. When connections decided to run Our Maizcay in the Cox Plate with only 48.5 kgs Brian’s initial reaction was to relinquish the ride. He decided to give it a crack and turned up at the right weight on the day. His enormous sacrifice was to be all in vain. He looks back on a happy association with the powerhouse sprinter General Nediym.  Brian has fond memories of his very first ride on Filante- a stunning four lengths victory in the 1996 Epsom. He looks back on a very successful association with the Gai Waterhouse stable. Brian pays tribute to the well documented talents of trainer John Size. He regrets never having won a Golden Slipper. Circumstances kept him off three winners of the iconic two year old race. Brian won seven races on champion Might And Power including three memorable Gr 1’s. He looks back on a thrilling association with a unique horse. Might And Power’s trainer Jack Denham also prepared another of Brian’s favourites. The jockey looks back on a nine win streak with the talented Fairway. Brian talks about his association with the enigmatic Jack Denham.  He reflects on the irony of his final day at the races in 2002- a winner for the late Max Lees and a career ending accident just 90 minutes apart. Brian pays a touching tribute to Karen, his wife of 41 years.  It’s a nostalgic chat with one of the best riders of his generation.

Great to catch up with northern NSW riding legend Peter Graham who’s still going strong at 55 years of age and closing in on 2500 career wins. Peter was born and reared at Wauchope and virtually taught himself to ride at the local racecourse. When it was time to launch his professional riding career he chose Port Macquarie as his home base and he’s still there today. Peter begins by talking about younger daughter Rori who’s getting over a nasty trackwork injury. He pays tribute to daughter Cejay, currently one of Brisbane’s in form jockeys. Peter talks of son Jesse who rode a few winners before opting for a change of career direction. He acknowledges the help given by wife Karen at his Port Macquarie training property. He talks of his role as the holder of a dual training and riding licence. Peter looks back on the Wauchope trackwork accident that left him with a condition known as “frozen shoulder”. The veteran says he thought about retirement but decided on a return to race riding when his shoulder injury improved. Peter looks back on early days at Wauchope and his initial apprenticeship to Bob Graham. He says he had no real tutelage in those early days. Eventually he moved to Muswellbrook. The respected horseman reflects on his first win as a 36kg apprentice. He talks of an affinity with the Kempsey track where he’s won 6 local Cups. Peter looks back on an imposing list of feature wins on northern tracks with special mention of his Grafton Cup win on Rednav as recently as 2016. He pays tribute to Rednav’s trainer Sally Taylor. He looks back on several rewarding seasons on NSW tracks. Peter says country commitments have kept him away from city tracks, but recalls one day at Randwick that turned out to be an unpleasant experience. He talks of the ten acre farm at Port Macquarie from which he prepares his small string of horses. The versatile horseman talks about recent track improvements at Port Macquarie racecourse. Peter talks of the immense thrill he received when daughter Cejay rode her first winner for the stable. He discusses the prospects of members of his small team going forward. Peter pays tribute to some of the talented country jockeys with whom he’s ridden over the years. It’s a long overdue tribute to one of the kings of northern NSW racing.

Jim Cassidy was just 18 years old when he first made his mark in Australian racing with a Brisbane Cup win on Four Crowns. He was back eighteen months later to win the Melbourne Cup with a barnstorming run on Kiwi. Some say the gelding produced the fastest finish in Cup history. In 1984 he was offered a plumb job in Sydney and so began an adventure destined to take the Wellington born jockey to 104 Gr 1 wins. In between times there were some thrilling highs and some gut wrenching lows. In this lengthy chat Jim talks with customary candour about his life in racing- from his first win at Wairoa in 1978 to his swansong on Victorian Oaks day 2015.  He begins by explaining the origins of his legendary nickname “The Pumper”. The former jockey says the nickname came from his unique style in the saddle. Jim looks back on the publication of his widely read 2016 autobiography “The Pumper”.  He goes back to the closing weeks of his riding career. A winner at his last Sydney ride, and his final Melbourne Cup carnival. Jim agrees the Victorian Oaks was numerically his most significant Gr 1 race. He looks back on his rides over the first three days of that Melbourne Cup carnival. Jim takes us back to childhood days in Wellington when his ambition to be an All Black far outweighed any riding aspirations. He reminisces about an uninspiring education. The legendary jockey takes us back to work experience with two trainers and finally an apprenticeship with Patrick Campbell. He says he thought his first winner would never come. Once it happened there was no stopping the little dynamo. Jim reminisces about his wins in the 1981 O’Shea Stakes and Brisbane Cup on Four Crowns after which he tells the riveting Kiwi story. He’s never forgotten the phone call from Bob Lapointe and the offer to be a part of a powerful Sydney conglomerate. At first he thought the phone call was a ruse. Jim remembers the early days of his new job and the arrival of an English horse destined for a brief but brilliant campaign in Sydney.  The great jockey experienced several low points including the horror of a home invasion which came as a massive fright for himself and wife Helen. In typical fashion he turned up at the races and rode multiple winners. He looks back on his all time most satisfying day at the races- six winners at a Rosehill Saturday meeting in 1987. Jim looks back on a low key midweek meeting and a horse called Cruising. His ride incurred the wrath of the stewards who hit him with a 12 month ban. He says nobody would have been seen to advantage on the horse in question. He’s very proud of his three win record in the AJC Australian Derby. He takes us through his trio of victories in the historic race. Cassidy still rues the fact that he never won a Melbourne Cup for Bart Cummings. It still pains him that he could have ridden Kingston Rule in 1990, but stuck solid to another stable. He talks of his association with another Cummings top liner, the ill fated Shaftesbury Avenue. Jim pays tribute to Malcolm Ayoub an old fashioned masseur who got him through many aches and pains. “The Boss” also became his greatest friend and inspiration. A fitting tribute is on the agenda for the Kiwi wonder horse Rough Habit, one of Jim’s all time favourites. The former legendary jockey is happy to take us through the infamous “Jockey Tape” scandal. The story broke on the day he was to ride Flying Spur in the Golden Slipper. It cost him a win in the great two year old race and resulted in a five year disqualification later reduced to three. He was back in 21 months with a resolve that had never been stronger. The best of Jim Cassidy was yet to come. On resuming he needed a top horse to regenerate his career. He found Might And Power and his comeback was complete. Six years after being robbed of Slipper victory on Flying Spur, he finally won the great race on Gai’s filly Ha Ha.  Jim was pretty chuffed to win the Coolmore Stud Stakes on Zoustar, now a champion stall

I’m delighted to introduce a man I’ve known for six decades. Max Presnell had just returned from England to regenerate his career with Fairfax newspapers, as I kicked off with Sydney station 2GB. Max recently called time on an association with Fairfax which embraced a total of 67 years- perhaps a world record in the newspaper game. I don’t know how we can cover 67 years in an hour or so, but let’s give it a crack. Max explains the reasons for his recent departure from the Sydney Morning Herald. He talks about the evolvement of his popular 2017 autobiography “Good Losers Die Broke”- a rollicking review of his life in racing. Max, son of a publican talks about the unusual  experience of spending his early years in a famous Sydney Hotel. He tells a funny story about a lady who happened to be the sister of Stanley Wootton, owner of the hotel in question. Max talks of many well known visiting trainers who stayed at the pub when in Sydney. I’ll let Max tell you about a chirpy little regular who earned the dubious nickname of “two bob Tommy”. The legendary writer talks of his father Roy who ran the pub for 25 years. Max talks of the white cockatoo Roy brought back from a duck shooting excursion. That cocky became a legend in his own right. He talks of his feelings whenever he walks into the Doncaster Hotel today. Max takes us back to his employment as a copy boy with the old Sydney Sun. He remembers his cadetship and the thrill of becoming a graded journalist in 1961. He talks of his lifelong penchant for a punt and recalls a massive win on the Doncaster-Sydney Cup double in 1961. Max was on steward’s room duties the day Mel Schumacher was outed for life after the infamous “leg pull incident in the AJC Derby. His memories of the steward’s inquiry remain vivid.   He looks back on a sabbatical from the Sun and a long sea voyage to England where he freelanced for three years. Things got so bad at one stage that he had to “hock” his binoculars. The veteran racing scribe talks of several freelance jobs he was able to secure in England. He reminisces about a proposed plunge on a horse in the Ascot Gold Cup. The horse in question was a noted mudlark. Max was delighted when rain continued to fall but was in for a rude shock. For the first time in twenty five years, the Gold Cup meeting was called off. You won’t believe what happened to his punting bank. Max looks back on his return to Sydney in 1964 and the start of phase two of his amazing association with Fairfax. He talks of his admiration for the works of Banjo Paterson. Max remembers his very successful  transition into radio and television. A disagreement with Channel 7 Sports Director Rex Mossop saw him stand down from the popular “Punter’s Post Mortem” programme. Some time later he returned to Channel 7 in a different format. He pays tribute to some of the great journalists with whom he got to work over a long period of years. Max acknowledges some of the great horse trainers of his era with special mention of Jack Denham. He fondly remembers the days when many racecourse figures carried curious nicknames. Max was unable to recall the name of his new website, but hopes his old fans will visit from time to time. It’s my great pleasure to pay tribute to a true giant of racing journalism.

It’s a pleasure to welcome Terry Evans to the podcast- the trainer who happens to be the sole occupant of on course stabling at the Tuncurry-Forster racecourse on the NSW north coast. Terry was there when the new track was granted a licence by Racing NSW in 2009. This podcast was recorded two days before Sir Ravanelli scored an impressive win on a rain sodden Newcastle track. Terry rates the grey gelding as the best horse he’s trained to date. He begins by reflecting on the enthusiasm and commitment of the new Tuncurry-Forster Jockey Club when he arrived fifteen years ago.  Terry pays tribute to the Jockey Club’s dedicated President Gary McQuillan. He remembers a conversation with a friend at a Port Macquarie meeting in 2009. At that time he was unaware a new track was under construction at nearby Tuncurry-Forster.  Terry talks about the purchase of the racecourse a few years ago by Racing NSW. The trainer talks about the facilities available to him. He explains the benefits of his 20 acre property at nearby Rainbow Flat. Terry and wife Julie had a frightening experience a few years ago when the property was threatened by the raging NSW north coast bushfires. He says the fires also got dangerously close to the racecourse stables. He was in total disbelief just twelve months later when floodwaters looked likely to inundate the stables. Terry expresses his appreciation of the talents and work ethic of Gonzalo Aguila, an Argentinian horseman who walked into the stables looking for a job. He looks back on early days in Balmain when he realised a dream by landing a sand boy’s role with the famous Balmain Tiger’s RL team. Terry pays tribute to two former Balmain legends who were his inspiration at the time. He reflects on his playing days in the Balmain Juniors and his transition to the Under 23 ranks. Memories of his very first game at the higher level remain vivid for all the wrong reasons. Terry reminisces about his entry into the thoroughbred world at a Southern Highlands stud farm. This is where he gained valuable experience working with mares and foals. A regular visitor to the property was a young lady who worked for the Horse Power Feed Company. Julie was destined to become his wife. He looks back on a move to Julie’s horse property at Dural and his appointment as a yearling handler at nearby Shillington Park. In the early 1990’s Terry and Julie established their own spelling and pre-training business near Wyong. They were delighted when the business grew rapidly but in the end it became too much for them. He says this was the catalyst for his transition to horse training. He talks of a low key start at Gosford, and the help he received from the resident CEO. Terry looks back on the magical occasion of his first training win. He reminisces about a win with Verrekeen at Gosford in 2009. It was the very last race called by the retiring Ian Craig. It was a costly exercise for winning jockey Hugh Bowman. Terry acknowledges other horses who’ve helped him along the way. This podcast was taped a couple of days before Sir Ravanelli’s impressive win at Newcastle on May 11th. Terry recalls his acquisition of the gelding on the recommendation of a NZ bloodstock agent. He talks of the care and attention necessary to keep on top of the horse’s foot problems.  The trainer looks back on Sir Ravanelli’s achievements so far. He talks of the grey’s ownership group, one of whom is ace race photographer Steve Hart. He talks of the current progress of his old football team and the emotional attachment that persists to this day. Terry talks of Julie’s return to the nursing profession and son Troy’s love of a punt. It’s a laid back chat with yet another member of that exclusive club known as the “Balmain Boys”.

This is a long overdue chat with one of the most respected riders in the Australian amateur ranks. When not competing at faraway picnic meetings, Ricky Blewitt can be found riding trackwork at Narromine before starting his full time job as the Narromine Turf Club’s track manager. The busy horseman speaks highly of the first class country racecourse.  Ricky confirms that he rides eight or more horses in trackwork most mornings for his partner Kylie Kennedy. He says Kylie competes mainly at professional meetings but occasionally takes a horse to the picnics. The top horseman speaks highly of Kylie’s father, former jockey and successful trainer Wayne Collison. Ricky says he has no problem with the 62 kg minimum weight at the picnic meetings. The jockey declares his love for the business and his willingness to drive long distances to race meetings. He talks of early days in Queanbeyan and makes the surprise admission that he had a fear of horses in childhood days. Ricky recalls his friendship with a local apprentice who went on to Gr 1 success as a jockey. He looks back on a deal he made with his parents regarding schooling, and his first job with local trainer Amanda Langlar. Rick looks back on his transfer to respected trainer Arch Turner and the nasty trackwork fall that dimmed his enthusiasm for a while. He talks of his debut as an amateur rider and the thrill of a win at just his second ride. Ricky says he has no idea of the number of premierships he’s won largely because of inadequate records. He talks of his wonderful run in Picnic Cups all over the state. He looks back on the first of his three Bong Bong Cup successes. He got a huge thrill to win his second Bong Bong Cup in the colours made famous by champions like Saintly and So You Think. Ricky’s third win at Bong Bong gave him the biggest kick of all. He was chuffed to ride a horse called Frenzied for the Waterhouse/Bott combination. Both trainers were there on the day. The jockey says the Bong Bong Cup meeting is very different to days gone by. He talks of the famous Golden Triangle picnic circuit in the state’s north west- three meetings in two weeks which all attract huge crowds. Rick pays tribute to Moree trainer Peter Sinclair who’s given him great support over many years. He says the Sinclair trained Track Flash is almost certainly the best picnic galloper he’s ridden. Ricky has no doubt the Picnic Cups are almost TAB standard races these days. He says the influence of Racing NSW has resulted in better maintained picnic race tracks. He reviews some of the many picnic tracks he’s patronised over the year, with special mention of the popular Bedgerabong course. Ricky says he’s been relatively lucky regarding injuries throughout his career but has unhappy memories of one three horse crash at Tomingley in 2019. He and Mick Gray sustained multiple injuries, while Michael Hackett had to call time on a successful career. He pays tribute to two great picnic jockeys who helped shape his career. Rick has had many memorable days of race riding. He recalls a couple of red letter days at Booroowa and Tottenham. I’ve had several requests to present a podcast with Ricky Blewitt. It was a delight to catch up with a true gentleman of the amateur riding ranks.

Five years ago Scott Singleton found that he was spending much more time on the road to country race meetings than he was at city and provincial meetings. He made the snap decision to put his hand up when boxes became available at Scone. Nowadays he has easy access to any number of country meetings, and an easy run to Sydney when the right horse comes along. Scott says relocating an entire training operation from Hawkesbury was pretty taxing. He admits there was an emotional downside to leaving his much loved Hawkesbury Valley. Scott says he explored options in Victoria before settling on Scone. He says he and wife Lucy were lucky to stumble upon an ideal property on the outskirts of Scone. Scott explains that most of his team are on course, but says some horses are happier on the property. He says a good camaraderie exists between Scone trainers. The experienced horseman takes us back to childhood days when his maternal grandfather got him interested in thoroughbreds. He recalls his transition to Hawkesbury trackwork and the former bush jockey who tutored him in the skills of riding racehorses. Scott says he dreamed of becoming a jockey but his build and weight eliminated that possibility. Encouraged by his grandfather Scott opted to do the next best thing and apply for an amateur licence. He looks back on a brief stint at the picnics and the two winners he can now dine out on. Scott says his brother Dean was also an active picnic rider. Dean kept going for some time after Scott’s retirement. He pays a heartfelt tribute to his English born wife Lucy, daughter of a Wiltshire jumps trainer and an outstanding rider in her own right. The trainer talks of Lucy’s current role in the operation. He talks of son and daughter Jack and Zoe and the things that interest the pair. Scott talks of his magical first win with Reginald at Bathurst in 2006. He talks with mixed feelings about the talented but quirky Shazee Lee who caused him many a headache during her racing career. Scott acknowledges the talents of a few handy horses who’ve helped to get him on the road. He looks back on a unique two state double in 2013. Scott remembers the brilliant but single minded Partners who never learned to conserve his energy. He was a horse without brakes. He talks about a handful of handy horses likely to win some races in the near future. Scott speaks highly of stable apprentice Mitch Stapleford, grandson of recently retired training maestro Albert Stapleford. The trainer pays tribute to two valued work riders. One of them recently quit the race riding ranks, the other continues to be a very capable jockey. Scott says he still helps out with trackwork. He acknowledges the talents of one of his “go-to” jockeys Mikayla Weir. It’s a laid back chat with a top horseman who wishes he’d made the move to the Hunter Valley long before he did.

I’ve had a number of verbal and email requests to provide a podcast with a former top Queensland jockey who enjoyed a distinguished career despite a torturous battle with weight. Unable to continue with the ravages of the sweat box, Shane Scriven quit the saddle in 2012 to pursue a brand new career with Racing Queensland. Today he’s firmly established as a counsellor and mentor for young jockeys coming through the system. Guess what! We posted a podcast with Shane almost four years ago. In view of the fact that nothing has changed in his life, we’re going to give the interview another run this week. He begins by talking about the days when he had to take short breaks from riding in order to save his sanity. Shane looks back on his childhood involvement with horses. His sister loved the more elegant riding disciplines. Her brother wanted to go as fast as possible. He says the first trainer with whom he sought an apprenticeship wasn’t interested. He eventually got a start with Eagle Farm trainer Tom Dawson. The former ace jockey reflects on the thrill of his first win. He rode a winning double in fact, and one of his mounts was a quarter horse. Shane rode his first Gr 1 winner in Sydney. The filly Tingo Tango was trained by Doug Bougoure who was destined to become his father-in-law. The former jockey pays tribute to talented galloper Prince Salieri who gave him two Gr 1 wins. He talks about a fleeting association with the outstanding racehorse Rough Habit- one ride for one win in the P.J O’Shea Stakes. He recalls every step of the race. Shane has high regard for Scenic Shot, the last topliner he got to ride. He won two Doomben Cups and an LKS McKinnon Stakes on the West Aussie. He pays tribute to favourites like Opressor, Buck’s Pride, Burdekin Blues and Consular. It still pains him, but he’s happy to talk about the “one that got away”- his desperately unlucky defeat on champion Octagonal in the 1995 Victoria Derby. Shane talks about the Ipswich “brain fade” that put him on the sidelines for a lengthy period. There’s a funny side to this disaster. He’s justifiably proud of a Brisbane jockey’s premiership in the 2008/2009 season when he had nowhere near as many rides as some of his lighter rivals. Shane closes with special mention of daughter Halle. It’s a laid back chat with a former jockey whose career would have reached dizzy heights had he been a few kgs lighter.

The Karen Owen story had potential podcast written all over it from the moment I interviewed her after a recent Randwick win with Fay’s Angels. A horse devotee from an early age, Karen was a whiz at pony club before transitioning to the eventing sport.  She dreamed of a job around horses, and jumped to attention when an opportunity came up with the NSW Mounted Police. Thirty three years later she left the force with the rank of Sergeant, and immediately embarked on a racehorse training career. Karen says she rarely has more than ten horses in work on the Killawarra property. She explains that most of her horses have been bred by clients. Karen says she’s too busy to pursue her first equestrian love of eventing, but still has a presence in the dressage arena. The trainer says she likes to keep her horses as close to nature as possible. The property offers several options. Karen says the horses are floated to the nearby Taree racecourse when a serious gallop is required. She pays tribute to veterinarian husband Adrian who had to build up a new practice from scratch when the family moved to Wingham. Karen talks of daughter Maddy who was literally born to the saddle, and wanted to become a jockey from the moment she started riding trackwork. The talented horsewoman looks back on early days in Sydney’s western suburbs and her very first pony- a gift from parents who knew nothing about horses. Karen talks of her first year as a Probationary Constable with the NSW Police. She was restricted to general duties for the first year of her new career. Most of her work was located in Sydney’s King’s Cross. She looks back on her long awaited introduction to the Mounted Police Headquarters in Redfern. She’s never forgotten the immaculate condition of the stables and gear. Karen says she was one of only three females in the mounted unit. It’s a very different story today. The former Sergeant Owen takes us through her many and varied duties with the “Mounties” including a very intimidating situation during the Cronulla race riots of 2005. She makes no secret of the fact that race day duty at nearby Randwick was easily her favourite working commitment. She says the buzz of the track whetted her appetite for racing. Karen looks back on a few notable former racehorses who found their way into the Mounted Police Unit. She talks of her first meeting with Veterinarian Adrian Owen whose duties included regular visits to the Mounted Police stables at Redfern. Karen looks back on Adrian’s  stint as a hobby trainer in the late 1990’s. She got the job as chief work rider before going off to work. Eventing was still very much a part of her life. She looks back on a trip to NZ for a Trans Tasman Challenge. Adrian came along as babysitter for first born Damian. Karen affectionately recalls a dream trip to England in 2012 when she got to ride before Queen Elizabeth. She recalls a conversation with Her Majesty and a humorous comment from the Duke Of Edinburgh. She’s never forgotten the moment she saw the Queen in the saddle at 86 years of age. Karen looks back on the thrill of receiving the Australian Police Medal, and her promotion to the rank of Sergeant. She talks of the riding talents of sons Damian and Callum. Karen looks back fondly on the thrill of her first training win at Bowraville. She talks of a Taree Gold Cup win with Sound And Vision, part owned by former Mounties working associate Ed Quilty. Karen acknowledges daughter Maddy’s clever ride on Sound And Vision. She delights in relating the story behind her first Randwick winner  Fay’s Angels. Another former work associate was responsible for Karen being given the mare to train. She says the quirky mare is well suited to farm life. Karen talks of the mare’s veteran owner breeder Ed Meadows who’s now 97 and going strong. It’s a nice chat with a lady who can’t imagine a single day without horses.

Bryan Martin was in his early 20’s when appointed number three race caller behind Bert Bryant and John Russell on Melbourne’s 3UZ in 1972.  Martin went on to a brilliant career in his own right, but not before spending countless hours with John in broadcast boxes throughout Victoria. The two became trusted colleagues and close friends. Nobody is better qualified than Bryan to pay tribute to one of the greats of the trade. He sings the praises of John Russell the race caller, and shares some wonderful stories from the life and times of a true Aussie character. Bryan looks back on his final visit to the bedside of his old friend. Bryan looks back on John’s upbringing in Warrnambool where his hard working mother ran a boarding house. He relays the stories he’d heard from John about Warrnambool’s busy SP betting trade. Bryan revisits John’s love of doubles betting at carnival time, and his all time best result. The former top caller knows the John Russell story backwards. He looks back on Russell’s first radio job with 3YB. Bryan reflects on his former colleague’s love of foot running and his own natural ability in the sport. He looks back on John’s annual coverage on 3UZ of the famous Stawell Gift. He talks of a sudden reshuffle in the 3UZ pecking order when Frank O’Brien switched to rival station 3DB. Bryan talks of the contrast in styles between Bert Bryant and John Russell.  He talks of Bert Bryant’s insatiable love of the punt. John Russell was his commission agent. Martin was right in the middle of the dramatic situation at 3UZ when Bert suffered a brain aneurysm. His return to the microphone was short lived. Bryan recalls John’s heartbreak when 3UZ dumped its racing format in 1984. He looks back on early days at 3UZ when he and John Russell shared broadcasting duties at many tracks.  Bryan recalls one hilarious incident on the way to the races one day when he realised John was wearing a hairpiece. He talks of his colleague’s  love of a drink and an uncanny ability to handle the ravages of a big night. The famous Phar Lap movie required the appearance of a 1930’s race caller. Bryan remembers John’s delight in accepting the cameo role. We switch the focus to Martin who initially retired in 2007 at just 57. Bryan talks of a comeback on new station SEN who introduced an abbreviated racing service. That comeback lasted seven years. We get Bryan to reminisce about his famous call of Better Loosen Up’s 1990 Japan Cup win. The former commentator delights in talking about the high profile horse he part owned. People still marvel at his composure as he called Fields Of Omagh in two Cox Plate wins. He talks of his involvement in the development of Living Legends Farm, home to many a retired champion. Bryan outlines his present day role of managing smaller syndicates in horses sourced from OTI Racing and Te Akau Racing Stables. The winners keep flowing. He nominates a few syndicate runners punters should keep tabs on. Great to catch up with an old mate who was among John Russell’s dearest friends.

Larry Cassidy’s sheer consistency as a professional jockey has brought him a strong fan base over almost four decades in the saddle. It’s now more than four months since Larry rode in a race, and the fans are getting restless.The ace jockey joins us on the podcast to talk about the litany of health issues and injuries he’s battled in recent years. He begins by talking about the track fall that left him with a badly broken finger last November. The complications have been endless. Larry takes us back to April of 2023 when he felt a twinge in his back during the running of a race. He battled on for a while but eventually the pain from a bulging disc made surgery inevitable. He was back at the races much sooner than expected.  He’d had only twelve rides back when a trackwork accident sent him out again. This time Doctors performed an epidural and ordered another long rest. Larry says he thought he’d used up all of his bad luck when he finally resumed last November. Lady Luck wasn’t done with him yet. The jockey was in reminiscent mood as he talked about early life in Wellington NZ. He looks back on the talents of brother Ricky who made a big name for himself as a jumps jockey. Larry talks of his first apprenticeship at Palmerston North and remembers his first ever race ride. Like most jockeys his first win remains etched in his memory. He talks of a transfer to former jockey Bruce Marsh at Woodville. Here his career took off. Larry fondly remembers a trip to Australia with Marsh who campaigned a small team of horses in Brisbane. This is where he rode his first Aussie winner. He recalls being involved in a five horse fall at Randwick during the same trip. The respected jockey looks back on a flying start when he finally settled in Sydney. Brother Jim recommended him for a prized ride. Larry pays tribute to Jim Cassidy. His comments will surprise you. With the Championships upon us it was a good time to talk about Larry’s big Easter double in 1997- the Doncaster on Secret Savings and the Sydney Cup on Linesman, He speaks fondly of Linesman and recalls the gelding’s huge run in the 1997 Melbourne Cup when battling a foot issue. Larry looks back on many rides in the Melbourne Cup without a win. A third and a fourth were his best results. The jockey clearly remembers a Victoria Derby win on Arena for the Inghams.  Larry acknowledges a number of outstanding gallopers he got to ride during his years in Sydney. Obviously he spends extra time on Sunline. He looks back on Darren Beadman’s shock retirement in 1997 and his promotion to the number one role at Crown Lodge. He says he was never officially appointed. It just happened. Larry talks of his three jockey’s premierships and his relationship with John Hawkes.  Cassidy remembers a new association with Gai Waterhouse after the parting of the ways with Crown Lodge. He explains his reasons for electing to make the move to Brisbane in 2009. He talks of a Queensland Derby win not long after relocating. His recollections of his one and only ride on Winx make for good listening. He couldn’t believe what he’d just experienced. Larry talks of a nightmare eighteen months with meniscal tearing in both knees. He eventually took his rehabilitation into his own hands. He pays tribute to wife Michelle and children Luke and Jade. Luke is on his way as a Doctor Of Medicine while Jade has aspirations in the arts, but is currently working for the wonderful organisation Guide Dogs Queensland. Larry is taking a realistic view of the future. He’d love to ride again, but hasn’t dismissed the possibility of an enforced retirement. It’s a laid back chat with an outstanding jockey who’s made a million friends along the way.

Five winners in a week when you have only twelve horses in work is a notable effort for any trainer. Port Macquarie’s John Sprague did exactly that in the middle of March with doubles at Coffs Harbour and Grafton and a single at Kempsey. John kicked off as an apprentice jockey in the late 1970’s when Canterbury was still a busy training centre. His riding career didn’t get going until he relocated to Port Macquarie. Two hundred wins later he switched to the training business, and has  maintained a healthy strike rate for the last twenty eight years. John begins by talking about his recent winning trot. He clears up any confusion about the pronunciation of his surname. Renovations to Port Macquarie training facilities have made things difficult for local trainers of late. John discusses the problems. He takes us back to the days of his apprenticeship to Jim O’Connor at Canterbury and a switch to an Orange stable. Rides were almost non existent. He pays tribute to the Canterbury trainers of the era with special acknowledgement of a popular  jockey who gave great assistance to those trainers over many years. John talks of a move to Port Macquarie where his father had set up a training stable. John Snr wasn’t in the position to apprentice his son, but Glen Hodge came to the rescue. John looks back on the thrill of his first winning ride- it was Stairway trained by his boss on his hometrack. He remembers a winning run that brought him doubles and trebles. Sprague looks back on a Taree Gold Cup win on the Glen Hodge trained Just Prince in 1980. Still on his riding career Sprague fondly remembers a country cups treble on Bold Bazza. He talks of Bold Bazza’s trainer Harry Leroy and wife Betty who’d been one of the pioneer lady jockeys in NSW. John talks of his riding days on northern rivers tracks with special mention of the unusual Bowraville circuit. He rarely rode in the city and finished his career without a metro winner. He talks of the “one that got away”. John looks back on the news that his father was about to relinquish his trainer’s licence and sell the Port Macquarie stables. Sprague Snr came up with an offer he couldn’t refuse. The experienced horseman acknowledges some of the horses who’ve helped shape his training career. He pays tribute to wife Karen who held a trainer’s licence at one stage. John looks back on the lowest point of his life in racing- a shock disqualification when one of his horses returned a positive swab after a race at Tuncurry-Forster. He looks back on a nightmare experience and the cost of his spirited defence. He pays tribute to a handful of jockeys with whom he’s enjoyed continued success in the northern region. John and Karen are the proud parents of three sons. None of the boys have pursued a career in racing, but all have successful careers. The 62 year old trainer gives a pointer to his future plans.

Always a pleasure to catch up with the bush trainers. Our podcast guest this week is Albury’s Ron Stubbs whose reputation precedes him. Ron is rarely without a handy horse, and he currently prepares Bianco Vilano who’s already safely locked away for the Country Championship Final on April 6th. Ron’s affinity with horses goes back to childhood days in the western Riverina. His training career has been spread over two successful stints. He talks about his first win on returning to training in 2016 with the curiously named Squidensqizz.  Ron looks back on his memorable day at Albury on Feb 18th- three wins including the Country Championship Qualifier. He talks of his association with Victorian jockey Craig Williams who rode all three winners. Ron talks of the progress made by Bianco Vilano.  The trainer speaks well of Bianco Vilano’s full brother Baledon who finished third in the Albury qualifier. Ron takes us back to childhood days in Moulamein and the shetland pony his father won in a raffle. He remembers the family’s relocation to Hay and his participation in pony club. Not surprisingly he later graduated to riding trackwork for his dad Pat who was hobby training at the time. Ron talks of his only sister Jenny, and brother Peter Stubbs who devoted most of his working life to racing administration. The trainer speaks fondly of his work experience stint with legendary Melbourne trainer Angus Armanasco. He talks of his decision to become a professional trainer, and the setting up of his business in Albury. He remembers the uncertain early days. Ron clearly recalls his first training success at Balranald. He speaks glowingly of the three horses to put him on his feet as a commercial trainer. Ron recalls his first meeting with Petra, his wife and staunchest supporter.  He looks back on his decision to take a job with Finemore Transport who had a busy Albury base. His sons Kurt and Nick were 10 and 7 respectively, while daughter Abbey had just arrived in the world. Ron talks of his twenty years in the transport game- some of it with Finemore Transport, some with Green Freights. He says daughter Abbey’s love of horses partly influenced his decision to return to training. Ron talks of his commitment to keeping his team at manageable numbers. He talks of good performer Tap ‘N’ Run. Ron rates his Albury Cup winner Spunlago as the best he’s trained to date. He speaks admiringly of smart mare Boss Lady Rocks who’ll race at the Albury Cup carnival. Ron pays tribute to some of the talented jockeys who’ve helped him along the way. It’s a nice “chin wag” with a respected country horseman.

The Gosford racing precinct has never had a better ambassador than Angela Davies. The amiable trainer was born and reared in a cottage opposite the racecourse float entrance and hasn’t strayed far since. This is the story of a young girl who was pestering local trainers at five or six years of age, and has never wanted to do anything else but train racehorses.  Angela had just returned from the Randwick trials when we called, and was pretty excited about one of her twelve horse team. She talks fondly of Our Kobison with whom she’s won five recent races. The story behind this talented four year old is an inspiration to racing’s smaller players. Angela takes us back to childhood days when she’d be out of bed in the dark to watch Gosford trackwork. Mum had one firm rule before she’d allow her daughter to leave the house. She talks about her father Bruce, a former on course bookie who found an alternative way to service customers. Bruce vehemently discouraged her from becoming a jockey. Angela reflects on the days when a stranger would climb onto the roof of the family home on Gosford race days. The trainer takes us back to her early days in the show ring and the little business venture she started on gaining her first job. She’s never forgotten the first horse she trained in her own right- a $1000 filly purchased straight out of a paddock. Angela remembers her first yearling sale purchase- the $1250 dollar colt who was destined to become her first winner. He had a few quirks. The devoted horsewoman started to buy cheap yearlings from low key sales. She looks back on some of the early winners to bring her talents under notice. She talks of Clipper who was in foal when she came into the stable. She didn’t have much time but managed to win at Scone and Randwick with the expectant mum. Angela talks of She’s A Stalker who won two in town and a Wyong 3YO Magic Millions. She fondly remembers the talented Waitandwatch. Angela acknowledges a few other horses  to play a part in bringing her name to potential owners. She talks of the little property at nearby Narara from which she’s been training her horses for almost three decades. Angela takes us through the background story of the Wanted colt she hoped to buy for $5000. She was stressed when she had to go to $7500. She takes us through the wonderful journey that led Through The Cracks to his win in the Provincial Championship Final, a dream result for his ten excited owners. The trainer speaks fondly of Salina Dreaming who showed great talent despite several niggling issues. Angela talks of her three year respite from racing in the late 1990’s to join the motherhood ranks. She pays tribute to daughter Georgia and son Jarred. She’s both surprised and delighted to regularly hear from potential owners seeking shares in modestly priced horses.  This is a lovely yarn with a trainer whose effervescent personality shows through from go to whoa!

I’ve never had the pleasure of meeting Dominic Tourneur but I’m aware of his prominence among Adelaide jockeys and his success rate over a long period of years.  We decided to find out a little more about his journey in racing by inviting him onto our podcast, and he was happy to oblige. Dominic was originally apprenticed in Perth but by his own admission was pretty half hearted in those early years. He worked a second job for most of his time in Geraldton where he won seven local premierships. Finally he bit the bullet and moved to Adelaide in 2005. He wouldn’t change a thing. Dominic begins by talking about his Mauritian parents Marie and George. The premiership winning rider looks back on the day his mother told him about a newspaper ad calling for apprentice jockeys. Dom talks of his first master, former champion jockey Graeme Webster. He remembers a transfer to another Perth trainer Ted Martinovich who struggled to get young Tourneur focused. Dom says he finished his apprenticeship with an unimpressive CV. He talks of short stays in various towns before settling in Geraldton 400 kms from the capital. He looks back on those early days with partner Melissa by his side, and some temporary accommodation. Dominic rode at Geraldton meetings but also worked a second job at a local car yard. He looks back on his coming of age as a jockey, and seven Geraldton jockey titles. Tourneur says he felt he was riding well enough to consider a move interstate. The toss of a coin decided his future. He talks of the method he used to alert Adelaide trainers of his availability. Dom acknowledges the leading trainer who used his services at trackwork, and gave him his first SA winner. The jockey looks back on the important win that announced his arrival in the state. He was thrilled to become associated with a promising stayer who would take him to Melbourne and bring him high profile opportunities.  Dom talks of the hype associated with his Melbourne Cup mount. He couldn’t believe he was on the favourite in the iconic two miler. He takes us through that Cup of 2009. The jockey reflects on two Gr 1 seconds on the same horse three years later. Tourneur looks back on a successful association with prominent trainer Phillip Stokes, and the thrill of his first Gr 1 win. He pays tribute to Hucklebuck, one of his all time favourite horses. He rode the Elvstroem gelding in all but one of 19 starts for six wins including a memorable Gr 1 at Flemington during the 2014 Melbourne Cup carnival. Dom recalls making it a double in the final race on the same programme. He says the day was made even more special when the owner of his two winners turned up unexpectedly from Hong Kong. The jockey acknowledges the talents of two other notable winners he got to ride. He talks of a chronic back problem which required major surgery. Dom talks about the second job he instigated when Adelaide racing slipped into the doldrums a few years ago. He talks about the interests of son Blake and daughter Hannah. The successful jockey reflects on an Adelaide premiership win, and the luxury of being able to keep away from the sweat box. Dom looks back on a career that has brought him 1750 winners. He still regrets having wasted valuable time early in his career. It’s a laid back chat with a very amiable Adelaide jockey.

From the late 70’s to the mid 80’s Brent Thomson was almost certainly Australia’s most high profile jockey. As number one rider for the powerful Lindsay Park training operation, he got to ride some of the nation’s best horses in Group 1 races around the nation. Brent quit the saddle in 2000 and was quickly signed by New Zealand Bloodstock as the company’s Australian representative. He continues to fill that role from his Melbourne base. When you conduct an interview with a bloke like Brent Thomson, it’s hard to know where to start and where to finish. We give it a crack on this week’s podcast, beginning with his decision to retire at the end of a Macau stint twenty four years ago. Brent talks of the vibrant state of racing in Macau at the time, and a Derby win on a smart horse called Cheerine Champion. He recalls the final winning ride of his career on a horse with strong Australian connections. We fast forward to his current situation and the diversified role he has with New Zealand Bloodstock. The former champion jockey takes us right back to early days in Wanganui (sometimes Whanganui) and an apprenticeship to his father Kevin who rode successfully before turning to training.  Brent reminisces about his very first winning ride way over on the east coast of the north island.  He looks back on a NZ win on Fury’s Order which gained him the Cox Plate ride. He’s never forgotten the loyalty of the horse’s owner. Brent takes us through one of the wettest Cox Plates on record.  He talks about the nickname bestowed upon him by a prominent Melbourne journalist- a nickname still used by friends and associates. The former champion jockey looks back on a second Cox Plate win on Family Of Man, a horse he admired tremendously. He recalls the stallion’s swansong appearance at Pinjarra in WA.  Brent clearly recalls the day Colin Hayes called him out of the Trentham jockey’s room with a gobsmacking offer. He talks of an opportunity to repay Colin Hayes by landing So Called a winner in the Cox Plate soon after beginning his new job. Brent takes us right through his amazing association with champion Dulcify. Recollections of the great horse’s breakdown in the 1979 Melbourne Cup haunt him to this day. He looks back on a seven year association with the legendary Colin Hayes. Brent talks of the “pick up” ride on Gurner’s Lane which brought him the first of two Caulfield Cups. He was bitterly disappointed when Lindsay Park commitments prevented his riding the horse in the Melbourne Cup. He looks back on a second Caulfield Cup on freakish mud runner Lord Reims. Much has been written about Dandy Andy’s shock defeat of Vo Rogue at odds of 125/1 in the 1988 Australian Cup. He wasn’t keen to ride the horse. Brent looks back on a UK trip instigated by Robert Sangster. He talks of the super horses he got to ride in two trips to Europe. He also reflects on some notable success in Hong Kong. Before taking up his Macau contract in the late 90’s Brent spent some time on the Gold Coast. He talks of a winning run for  retired trainer Alan Bailey. Brent takes us through his background in the “marriage stakes” and pays tribute to his four children and two grandchildren. He looks back on a relatively lucky run with injury. This is a lovely trip down memory lane with the Kiwi jockey who was one of the leading players in an era of great horses and unforgettable horsemen.