John Tapp interviews the people who make racing tick.
Episodes
Tuesday Dec 01, 2020
Tuesday Dec 01, 2020
Shane begins by talking about his return to NZ when Covid took hold in Asia. He pays tribute to his mother Dawn who has him at home again after many years.
The former champion jockey reflects on four Hong Kong race falls the last of which could easily have claimed his life.
He talks of his current role as professional punter on Hong Kong racing.
Shane talks of his father and grandfather who were both jockeys, and his indentureship to champion trainer Dave O’Sullivan.
He looks back on the very first of his 2000 winners and his maiden trip to Melbourne. It had quite an impact on him.
Shane remembers the offer from trainer Brian Smith that brought him to Sydney. He comments on his early reputation as a poacher of rides from fellow jockeys.
He talks of his unusual attitude to trackwork. He was very different to many other jockeys.
Shane reviews his association with a lengthy list of notable horses with special emphasis on a handful of champions.
He looks back on his controversial ride on Veandercross in the 1992 Caulfield Cup. Many say he cost the horse a win. To this day he defends the ride.
He talks of the six month ban he incurred when charged with team riding after the 1987 AJC Derby.
Shane recalls a three month suspension handed down when he was found guilty of reckless riding on a winner owned by his wife.
He looks back on his role as a TV presenter with the Nine Network.
Shane is the father of two sons from different marriages. He talks of 29 year old Nicholas and 18 year old Jack.
He outlines possible future plans.
Tuesday Nov 24, 2020
Tuesday Nov 24, 2020
How lovely it is to catch up with a bloke I called on hundreds of winners during his golden years in the saddle. Kevin Langby spent six full seasons as stable rider for T.J.Smith, during which time he bagged four Sydney premierships.
Kev takes us back to his childhood days in Orange and to his initial apprenticeship to Max Wardle. He later transferred to leading central western trainer Dick Cornish.
He looks back on his father’s insistence that he should transfer to a Sydney trainer. He says he was lucky to find a spot with astute horseman Fred Hood.
Kevin remembers the early winners and the first top class horse he got to ride.
The former champion jockey reflects on his time as stable jockey to Arthur Ward and the retainer he was offered by Sir Frank Packer.
Kevin says his association with Tommy Smith just evolved. Not once did the legendary trainer verbally confirm the partnership.
He talks of Smith’s attitude to his jockeys and his acceptance of defeat.
The seventy four year old looks back on the trauma of losing his father in an industrial accident.
Kevin reflects on his Golden Slipper trilogy.
He talks of his much publicised battle with Peter Cook for premiership honours in 1972/73, and the reaction of racing bosses to his trademark shoulder length hair.
Kev speaks affectionately of Sharon, his daughter from his first marriage to Patti. He pays tribute to Sharon’s achievements as a trainer, and to his granddaughter Tiffany a respected jockey in the Central West of NSW.
He reflects on his second marriage to Lyn with whom he had daughters Christie and Candice, and his only son Jason who was born with a heart defect. Kevin says doctors gave him only months to live.The little trooper confounded medical science by getting close to his tenth birthday.
He looks back on two years as a stipendiary steward, and a short stint as Gordon Benson’s stable foreman at Gosford.
Older racing fans will love Kevin’s reminiscences about three wonderful horses- Imagele, Gunsynd and Rising Prince.
He talks of his stint as a bus driver, and the cancer scare he received eleven years ago. He’s got some advice for men who don’t like doctors.
Tuesday Nov 24, 2020
Tuesday Nov 24, 2020
Great to catch up with John Scorse who is now a familiar member of the Sky team as he covers meetings on twelve tracks in the South East and Southern Districts. He talks of his relationship with the local jockeys and trainers.
John explains that the sad passing of race caller and form analyst Tony Campbell led him to his long time role.
He acknowledges the contribution of his co presenter Chynna Marston, a former jockey and devoted horse lover.
John takes us back to childhood days and the inspiration he received from older brother Alan “Groovy” Scorse who was one of Sydney’s best apprentices. He pays tribute to Alan’s achievements as a jockey and trainer.
He looks back on his initial apprenticeship to Jack Denham when he was one of an army of junior riders.
John reflects on his multifaceted indentureship. Denham was one of five trainers with whom young “Scorsy” spent time.
He remembers his first win and his initial city success.
John talks of his big decision to go all the way to Perth for a stable retainer with Wally Mitchell. That fortuitous move led him to the best horse he ever rode- the horse to give him a famous Victorian sprint treble.
He acknowledges another Gr 1 win on Western Pago, also a member of the Mitchell team.
John talks of his wonderful ten year association with trainer Barbara Joseph and a special mare called Ain’t Seen Nothin’.
He reflects on his realisation of a “tipper’s dream”- to pick the card at a Canberra meeting a few years ago.
John brings us up to date with the progress of his jockey son Patrick who battles weight but has the lion’s share of talent.
Tuesday Nov 17, 2020
Tuesday Nov 17, 2020
Great to catch up with one of Victoria’s best liked horsemen. Robbie begins by revealing that he’s just getting over some long overdue shoulder surgery.
He recalls having met South African training wizard Mike De Kock at a Melbourne horse sale. He says he was surprised when Mike asked him to show his son Matthew around the state of the art Cranbourne training centre.
Robbie explains his reasons for creating the first training partnership between an Aussie and a South African.
The talented horseman speaks openly about the health scare he endured last year when it was discovered he had a dangerous brain aneurysm.
Robbie pays tribute to his brother Rodney a former champion Melbourne jockey.
He looks back on his apprenticeship to Bob Scarlett and the thrill of his first win. He rode two more winners over the next two days. Rob also remembers his first outright city winner.
The trainer reminisces about his early days at the defunct Epsom training precinct, and pays tribute to two of its legendary trainers.
Robbie remembers a few significant winners from his riding days and looks back on the horrors of wasting.
He talks about a valuable stint as stable foreman and work rider for up and coming trainer Tony Vasil, before setting up in his own right at Cranbourne.
You can hear the admiration in Robbie’s voice as he pays tribute to the special horses who’ve shaped his training career.
He gives us an insight into his role as Federal President and Victorian Branch President of the Australian Trainers Association. He’s happy to put something back into the game that’s been so good to him.
Tuesday Nov 10, 2020
Tuesday Nov 10, 2020
A lovely chat with a young lady who has endeared herself to participants in the ACT and the Southern Districts of NSW. Everybody loves Kayla it seems!
She talks about the punishing miles country jockeys are obliged to travel.
Kayla talks about her “all girl” family and the influence of her father John, a former successful jockey and currently training in partnership with Ron Weston.
She looks back on early career highlights including that elusive first winner.
Kayla still pinches herself when she looks back on the Wagga winner she rode for David Hayes- the winner that springboarded her into a job as provincial apprentice for the champion trainer at his Euroa base.
She looks back on the opportunities she was given during her one year stay in Victoria, and the low point she struck after two trackwork accidents.
Kayla speaks off her 5 months break from racing and another accident just weeks after returning to race riding.
Later lady luck again turned her back when Kayla collapsed in a shopping centre. Thankfully her mother was by her side.She talks of her rehabilitation after a very serious medical episode.
The popular jockey acknowledges some of the talented horses she’s ridden in her ten year career.
Kayla pays tribute to a handful of jockeys for whom she has special admiration.
Tuesday Nov 10, 2020
Tuesday Nov 10, 2020
Great to catch up with a man who has been part of the fabric of SA racing for more than four decades. He talks of his passion for race riding at age 59.
David talks about the dual jockey/trainer licence which enables him to train a small team at Morphettville.
He reflects on a recent Gawler win on a horse trained by his son David Jnr. Some said it would have been the perfect time to quit the saddle.
David talks of his apprenticeship in 1976 to the emerging legend Bart Cummings.
He looks back on his first winning ride just 24 hours after gaining his “ticket”.
The evergreen jockey remembers his transfer from Cummings to the Colin Hayes training empire at Angaston, and the discouraging advice given to him by Peter Hayes.
He reminisces about his two coveted Gr 1 wins- two editions of the South Australian Oaks.
“Toot” takes us back to his one and only Melbourne Cup ride.
He reflects on his role as stable jockey for an up and coming young trainer called John Hawkes.
David looks back on his association with three of Australia’s best gallopers of the 80’s and 90’s.
Monday Nov 02, 2020
Monday Nov 02, 2020
A nasty fall in the 2005 Doomben Roses brought down the curtain on the stellar career of Michael Pelling who won over 900 races and 4 Brisbane premierships. Eager to find a new project Mike developed a gold driving range at Carseldine.
Mike talks of the sale of the driving range and his move to a new challenge- a wedding reception centre and resort at Maleny on the Sunshine Coast.
The former champion jockey looks back on a Supreme Court case in 1998 in which another jockey sought damages for injuries sustained in an accident 14 years earlier. He lost the case and was left with a huge bill.
Mike recalls the Eagle Farm fall which left him with a ruptured disc. He overcame sciatic nerve pain to get back into the saddle less than a year later.
He talks of the constant back pain and his staple diet of anti inflammatories from that point on.
Mike takes us back to childhood days on the Atherton Tablelands, and recalls the work ethic of his remarkable parents.
He looks back on the fun days of riding ponies on the family farm. He says this was a starting point for many jockeys. Those ponies have been replaced by dirt bikes and quad bikes. Mike sees a dearth of jockeys in the future.
Mike discusses his reasons for believing that jockeys of future years will be predominantly females.
He looks back on his first job after leaving school. He was a jackeroo on a cattle station where the head stockman encouraged him to become a jockey.
Mike talks of his first apprenticeship to Pat Duff and time spent with other trainers when his boss was outed after a swab irregularity.
He looks back on a freak encounter with a large tree. He got little sympathy from fellow employees.
Mike pays a glowing tribute to legendary Toowoomba trainer Jim Atkins with whom he enjoyed great success.
He talks of his one and only Melbourne Cup ride in 1981.
The former champion jockey relates his experiences on Brisbane’s unique Albion Park sand track. Some jockeys refused to ride there.
Mike acknowledges some of his favourite horses from his golden years in Queensland racing.
He explains that throughout a long riding career he kept his racing life separate from his private life.
Pelling looks back on his reaction to a story in a Brisbane newspaper which implied certain leading jockeys were involved in team riding. He took a most unusual course in challenging the journalist responsible for the story.
You’ll get the feeling Mike enjoys talking about his inventions more than his achievements as a jockey. He’s got some great yarns.
This is a terrific trip down memory lane with a bloke who helped to uphold Queensland’s reputation as a producer of great jockeys.
Tuesday Oct 27, 2020
Tuesday Oct 27, 2020
We spoke to Brett only a week after he’d learned that his brilliant Kosciuszko winner It’s Me had sustained an injury during the race. He handled it philosophically.
Brett reveals he jumped at the opportunity to take over the Scone training complex previously occupied by Greg Bennett.
He takes us back to his childhood in the Queensland outback town of Augathella when he lived with his maternal grandfather- a wily veteran of a tough era. The lessons he learned remain with Brett to this day.
Brett recalls his boyhood friendship with Peter Moody.
He looks back on his first trip to Sydney where his stepfather was a well respected horse breaker. He looks back on the stable rounds he made with a prominent veterinary surgeon.
The trainer takes us back to his complete change of lifestyle when he became a shearer in WA. His adventures took him to remote Karratha where he met a very special person.
Brett looks back on his very first training base at the border town of Tocumwal, and a subsequent move to Albury where his career took off. He went on to win 11 SDRA premierships and three NSW country training titles.
He looks back on his sudden ambition to have a crack at a world shearing record in the Riverina. He snared that record, but his shearing days ended soon after.
Brett talks of his new foray into the horse breaking business and the famous trainer who gave him a start.
The trainer acknowledges the contribution of some of his all time favourite horses.
He nominates one special horse in the Scone stable for punters to follow in the immediate future.
He looks back on his brief experience as a commercial stud owner.
Brett pays tribute to his wife Lauren and the four great kids who are all currently at home sheltering from Covid 19. He tells his story with all the earthy humour you’d expect from a bloke who grew up in the Queensland outback.
Tuesday Oct 27, 2020
Tuesday Oct 27, 2020
A long overdue chat with a hard working jockey who would have competed at the highest metropolitan level had he so desired, but Greg Ryan preferred life in the bush. He talks about his early life in Wellington NSW and his days as a motor mechanic.
Greg talks of his introduction to thoroughbreds at the Macquarie Stud and the conversation with another jockey who encouraged him to consider a riding career.
He talks of his first apprenticeship in Wellington and the battle he had to lose 10kgs before he could get started as a race rider.
Greg recalls his very first winner in 1991. It was really only half a win as he dead heated with a horse ridden by another legendary country jockey. He reveals that he had to go way out west to get started.
The veteran jockey pays tribute to some wonderful country riders who became role models.
He looks back on a brief stint in Sydney in 1998. He rode winners for some top stables but couldn’t adapt to city living.
He acknowledges the support he got from legendary bush trainer Keith Swan and discusses his strike rate in big races like the Wellington Boot.
Greg brushes through a list of talented horses he’s been associated with, and talks of the improvement in bush race tracks.
The jockey looks back on the few clashes he’s had with country stewards and one particular case that still haunts him.
Greg pays tribute to his wife Pauline and the role she’s played in his frantically busy career.
He agrees his injury list has been reasonable in view of the enormous number of rides he’s had in almost thirty years. One of those accidents has remained a source of amusement to Greg and those who witnessed it.
Tuesday Oct 20, 2020
Tuesday Oct 20, 2020
Great to head bush this week for an interview with Wagga based Tim Donnelly. He begins with a summary of his winning treble at a recent Wagga meeting- his only runners on the day.
The astute trainer highlights some of his best horses since returning to Wagga sixteen years ago.
Tim acknowledges some of the jockeys who’ve contributed to his success in recent years.
He takes us back to his very first job in a racing stable. He started at the top when he landed a job with Tommy Smith who was on the crest of a wave in the Kingston Town era. Tim looks back on his close association with the champion.
Tim talks of the owner who got him on his way as a trainer. He fondly remembers his early days training at Canterbury.
He pays tribute to Volcanic Prince, the horse who launched his training career. Tim also reflects on the beginning of his great partnership with jockey Mark De Montfort.
The trainer pays tribute to the special horses who’ve helped shape his career with special emphasis on the brilliant Quick Flick.
Tim speaks glowingly of the Wagga training facilities and the expertise of course manager Mark Hart.