John Tapp Racing

In Part 2 Matthew talks of his participation on the 4 man commentary team used by the BBC at the Aintree Grand National. He got to call from the commentary position at Becher’s Brook-perhaps the most famous of all the Aintree obstacles. He talks of his love for tennis and his nine year association with Tennis Australia, as a caller and courtside interviewer.  Matt  looks back on the amazing number...

The outstanding young sports commentator talks of the pressures associated with the job during the famous Melbourne Cup Carnival. Matt outlines his reasons for leaving the top race caller’s job in Sydney, to become an AFL commentator for ABC radio in Melbourne. He recalls the shock he received when he heard of Greg Miles’ impending retirement on a news broadcast. He was on holiday in England when...

We catch up with Stephen Baster whose infectious smile has been a part of Victorian racing for almost thirty years.  The popular jockey explains his decision to quit the saddle recently for a new career in real estate. Steve talks of the fairy tale ending when he won a Group 3 race at his very last ride. He reveals that he’s been thinking of a career change for some time. Steve looks back on his f...

Great to catch up with popular Malcolm Fitzgerald who looks back on a horror two weeks in which the bushfires came dangerously close to the Racing NSW property he manages near Taree. Mal talks of the job he loves, as he and partner Holly supervise the welfare of 60 former racehorses at Oxley Island. The couple assess and place suitable horses in the right homes.  Mal reflects on his childhood with...

An absorbing chat with a Nyngan based jockey who turns 27 this week. She explains the reason for her move from Tamworth to drought ravaged Nyngan. Wendy talks about her endless trip from Nyngan to ride at a recent Toowoomba meeting, and the return trip to the Warren (NSW) races the following day. She recalls her early introduction to horses and the many disciplines she learned in the saddle. Wendy...

This is a different kind of podcast. Rather than talk to an established racehorse syndicator, we introduce a man who has just started out in a tough business. David Thompson talks of a love of racing born when he struck a profitable Caulfield/Melbourne Cup double in 1993. He recalls the win by Fraar and the dream that led him to coupling the horse with a bank of Melbourne Cup runners. He bought a...

The talented jockey talks of his busy life and the arduous travelling he does to attend country and provincial meetings. Christian talks of school days in Queensland and the unlikely subject he took a liking to. He talks of his apprenticeship to the man destined to become his father in law. He looks back on an accident that could have finished his career before it started. Christian talks of his v...

Blake looks back on school holidays at Moree with his late grandfather, one of his valued tutors. The young jockey reflects on his apprenticeship to Newcastle trainer Steve Hodge. He talks of the magic moment when he won at his very first race ride. Blake looks back on the unforgettable day at Rosehill when he rode five winners on a Saturday programme. He pays tribute to Sir John Hawkwood, the imp...

Blake talks of the nasty fall at Hawkesbury which cost him many months of race riding. He expands on his current situation at the regular Newcastle and Kembla Saturday meetings where his services are being used by Godolphin and other high profile stables. Blake talks of his impending marriage to Rachel King and the way in which he popped the question. Blake reflects on his childhood as the son of...

Anybody who watches Sky Racing on Saturday nights will be aware of the achievements of Skye Bogenhuber at the regular Toowoomba meetings in recent years. The thoroughly professional jockey has won 5 Toowoomba premierships, and went very close to a sixth. Skye talks of her recent return to the saddle following a six months enforced lay off. She suffered a bleed to the brain in a nasty fall at the T...

Just on a year ago I had the pleasure of recording a lengthy chat with a man who has been a major player in the ranks of  Australia’s harness racing drivers for 45 years. Gavin Lang at age 60 is currently battling a rare form of lymphoma at Melbourne’s Epworth Hospital. He’s a week into his second round of chemotherapy, and is uppermost in the thoughts of his fans and friends around the nation. If...

In part one Craig talks about his recent haul of winners at the two day Kalgoorlie Cup carnival. He explains why he made the surprise move to return to his home state of Tasmania after many successful years in Melbourne. Her remembers his early days as an apprentice in Tasmania. Craig recalls the surprise phone call from Lee Freedman offering him a job that any apprentice in Australia would have d...

In this segment Bernie reflects on his search for the ideal standardbred training property. He found the place of his dreams at George’s Plains. He pays tribute to the talented horses who’ve helped him along in a tough business. Bernie elaborates on his liking for younger horses. He’s never been one to hang onto older horses forever. He prefers to move them on in order to try a new batch.

Bernie recalls his freakish fall at Eugowra recently, and the injuries he sustained. He looks back on early days on the farm at Crookwell (NSW) and the lessons he learned from his late father Tom. Bernie reflects on the neighbor’s horse that gave him his first winning drive. The master horseman remembers Nikalong Shadow the first really good horse he got to drive. Tom Hewitt trained Nikalong Shado...

Brilliant WA apprentice Jade McNaught reflects on her history making feat at the Belmont track on September 14th 2019, when she became the first apprentice in the state to win six races in one day on a metro track. Jade talks of her decision to become an apprentice jockey at age 30, twice the age of most junior riders. She reflects on her first two ponies and her achievements at pony club and in t...

Suman looks back on his time with Woodside Park Stud, and a request from Sheriff Iskander which led him to the purchase of a Northern Meteor colt later to be known as Zoustar. He talks of his decision to leave the breeding side of the business to concentrate on yearlings, weanlings and overseas horses. Suman talks of the backing he’s getting from loyal supporters who are prepared to back his judge...

In Part 1 Suman talks about the shattering disappointment of losing two promising European imports to injury. He updates the progress of Django Freeman and Schabau and looks to the future with both horses. Suman recalls his days at school and a stint at University, but much prefers to talk about his early visits to the Inglis Yearling sales. He takes us through his chance meeting with businessman...

Greg begins by talking about his dream horse Pierata and the proposed stud venture which seemed likely to terminate the stallion’s racing career. He talks of the surprise decision to put him back into work. The popular Warwick Farm trainer reflects on his early days at Gunnedah, and his first involvement with horses. Greg talks about his fleeting career as an amateur jockey, and his early days as...

Glenn talks of his childhood days living at Rosehill when there was only one trotting trainer in a bustling thoroughbred precinct. That trainer took young Glenn under his wing and had him in the sulky from a very early age. Glenn recalls the closure of the Granville Showground to make way for the Parramatta Speedway. He and his brothers had to move their horses to Bankstown which turned out to be...

I’ve been wanting to catch up with the remarkable Clare Lindop for a long time. It’s hard to believe fifteen months have passed since the former trailblazing jockey called it quits. In a twenty year career Clare won 1432 races including 4 Gr 1’s and a long list of stakes events. She achieved several firsts. She was the first Aussie female to ride in a Melbourne Cup, and the first female to win the...

Gary Harley entered another exciting phase of his career in 1988, when the Newcastle Knights entered the competition. He reflects on many happy years as the Knights official caller and the hysteria of their first premiership win. He pays tribute to the brilliant Luskin Star, the dynamic colt from the coalfields who won the 2YO Triple Crown in 1977. Gary recalls the best performers he got to call i...

In part 1 the affable Harley talks of his childhood days in Maitland and the influence of his father Jack, who was a racing tragic. Gary talks of his school days at the Maitland Marist Bros and the phantom Melbourne Cup call he was asked to provide every year. He talks of his passion for all sports and his own experiences in cricket and football. He tells a couple of stories about a young crickete...

Clare talks of her happy childhood on a Bairnsdale property and her earliest involvement with horses. She pays tribute to her parents Daniel and Julie who taught her the basics of horse management. Clare recalls her days as a nurse and the part time job she needed to supplement her income. She remembers the thrill of taking 5 horses to Queensland for top trainer Peter Moody. One of those horses wa...

In this segment the gentleman trainer pays tribute to his horse of a lifetime Sky Heights who won $4.2 million dollars in prize money. Colin reflects on all his major wins and the puzzling blood disorder which plagued him for the latter part of his career. Alderson talks of his thirty years as President of the Victorian Trainers Association, part of the time running the Australian operation. Colin...

The respected Victorian trainer talks of his childhood on a dairy farm at Seaford and of his hard working father’s love of the thoroughbred. Colin recalls his aspirations to become a jockey and his brief experience at the Drouin picnic races. He remembers with affection a mare called Byam Rose who launched his career as a trainer. Colin reflects on the career of his first genuine group performer N...