John Tapp interviews the people who make racing tick.
Episodes
Tuesday Aug 04, 2020
Tuesday Aug 04, 2020
Michael expresses his delight at winning his second consecutive Melbourne junior title.
The twenty one year old talks of the enormous influence racing had on his early life. It was the main topic of conversation in the family.
Michael recalls the moment he knew he wanted to be a jockey.
He talks of early experience with the Stockdale stable and subsequent apprenticeship to Stuart Webb. He didn’t think he’d ever get to ride a racehorse.
Michael delights in telling the story about the budding superstar who gave him his first winning ride.
The young jockey talks of his exciting trip to France for the Longines Prix Future Racing Stars series.
He pays tribute to the great old horse who provided his first city win.
Michael talks of the generosity of champion jockey Craig Williams.
He acknowledges the horses who’ve helped him win two premierships.
Michael talks of his father’s influence on his career, and the reason he elected to ride under another name.
The young jockey speaks of the tragic loss of his mother Janelle earlier this year.
He looks back on his only Gr 1 ride to date, courtesy of Team Hawkes.
Michael looks at the future without his weight allowances.
Tuesday Jul 28, 2020
Tuesday Jul 28, 2020
Saw a bloke called Dale Smith ride a few Brisbane winners over the last month and was curious about his background. It was obvious he’d had plenty of experience so I tracked him down for a podcast.
Dale and his partner Melissa Taylor made a snap decision to move to Queensland a couple of years ago. He talks about the reason for such an important move after two decades in Victoria.
He acknowledges the trainers who immediately offered him support once he started riding work at Eagle Farm.
Dale talks of a recent relocation to the Sunny Coast where he’s riding work for several trainers and Melissa has procured stables for her ten horse team.
The jockey takes us back to childhood days in the Kimberleys and his late father’s successful riding career. He reflects on his dad’s battle with cancer.
Dale recalls his schooling in Perth and an apprenticeship to a leading trainer. He’s very honest about an attitude problem he suffered as a teenager.
He looks back on a move to Victoria orchestrated by a family friend who was actually his Godfather.
Dale reminisces about a new boss in Melbourne and the important early winners to get him on his way as a jockey. He remembers his transfer to Leon McDonald’s Flemington stables.
He pays a special tribute to trainer Mick Price who gave him many opportunities over a long period of years. He makes special mention of a few favourite horses from the era.
Dale looks back on the young lady who was riding trackwork for Mick Price who happened to catch his eye. Melissa Taylor is now his partner and mother of his young daughter Aleera.
Tuesday Jul 21, 2020
Tuesday Jul 21, 2020
The young trainer looks back on his first Saturday night Menangle double recently.
He talks of his annual migration to sunny Queensland to escape the southern winter. Dean looks at the four horse team he’s taken north this year.
The trainer pays tribute to Game Set Major, a horse he helped deliver at birth. He’s lost plenty of sleep over the gelding in recent times.
Dean goes back to childhood days at Moss Vale and his introduction to the standardbred horse.
He speaks with great affection of his early winning drives, especially his maiden win at the famous Harold Park track.
Dean pays tribute to his wife Rikki and children Lucy and Harry- all horse lovers.
He talks of his day to day training sessions on the little showground track at Gunning, between Goulburn and Canberra.
The trainer reviews the deeds of the horses who’ve helped his career.
Dean juggles his training commitments to accommodate a little floor sanding business he’s operated for some years. He explains how he makes it work.
Tuesday Jul 21, 2020
Tuesday Jul 21, 2020
Adrian begins with his assessment of a first starter he rode for Gerald Ryan at Kembla last week. He was pretty impressed.
The jockey talks of the massive amount of travelling he undertakes each week.
Despite a huge workload he tries to get to trackwork regularly. He explains why he chooses to take on this extra commitment.
Adrian takes us back to schooldays, his apprenticeship to his father Neville and precious memories of his early years as a jockey.
He recalls a happy two years with the Les Bridge stable.
Adrian admits he got the “wanderlust” after coming out of his time.He looks back on his travels around Australia and overseas.
The popular jockey looks back on a couple of race falls- in the first he sustained a broken leg. In the second crash he came up with an impressive injury list.
Adrian pays tribute to his manager Greg Burke who does a terrific job juggling his country commitments.
He talks of family life, and his modest entry into the greyhound racing industry.
Tuesday Jul 14, 2020
Tuesday Jul 14, 2020
Ron recalls the telegram he received from famous Irish trainer Paddy Prendergast offering him a stable retainer.
He remembers his early months in Ireland and an Irish 2000 Guineas win on Kythnos to get the ball rolling.
Ron looks back on a successful Royal Ascot week in 1960, and a surprise offer from one of England’s most high profile owners.
He pays tribute to the loyalty of the Duke Of Norfolk who retained him for seventeen years.
Ron looks back on the day he was able to deliver the Duke’s dearest wish- a win in the Ascot Gold Cup.
“Hutchy” pays tribute to British racing legends John Dunlop, Harry Wragg and Lester Piggot.
He looks back on his greatest racing disappointment. He expected to be on Charlottown in the 1966 Epsom Derby but lost the ride to fellow Australian Scobie Breasley.
Ron explains that he almost certainly could have ridden Shirley Heights in the 1978 Epsom Derby, but had decided to retire at the end of 1977.
He remembers his pride in donning the Royal colours. His very first ride for the Queen was a winner at Lingfield.
Ron remembers his excitement when Balmerino arrived in England. He identified the talented New Zealander as the horse to bring down the curtain on his career.
He remembers that tempting offers delayed his retirement.
Ron looks back on his final 3 seasons of riding in Malaysia/Singapore. He won another premiership before retiring at 53.
He reflects on many a race fall in 33 years of riding, but admits that he was one of the luckier ones.
We reminisce about a lovely night I shared with Ron and Norma Hutchinson at their Surrey home in 1973. He confesses he was always bringing friends home for dinner at short notice.
Tuesday Jul 14, 2020
Tuesday Jul 14, 2020
In Part 1 the former legendary jockey talks about the frustrations of Covid 19. He loves to drive himself around Melbourne but just lately never gets his car out of the garage.
Ron talks about his present day racing interests. He delights in telling us about his frequent visits to the track.
“ Hutchy” talks about his four children, daughters Susan and Sally, sons Peter and Raymond. Peter was a Gr 1 winning jockey- Ray a former trainer and nowadays a busy vet.
Ron looks back on early days when his parents opposed his ambition to become a jockey. He talks of his first master Claude Goodfellow.
He talks about a nine month stint at a property owned by famous old time jockey Bobby Lewis whose last Melbourne Cup win was in 1927, but he still shares the Cup riding record.
Ron recalls with amazing clarity his first winning ride at Mentone in 1945.
He looks back on his first major winner Spectre in the 1945 Australian Cup.
The former champion jockey reflects on his 60 wins in Cup races all over Australia. He was called the “Cups King” long before Bart Cummings earned the tag.
Ron looks back on his Melbourne Cup CV. He wasn’t able to win the great race in 16 attempts, but probably should have won a couple.
He looks back on the depth of the Melbourne riding ranks in his era, and his only premiership win in 1958/59.
Ron pays tribute to a couple of high profile horses he got to ride before going overseas.
Tuesday Jul 07, 2020
Tuesday Jul 07, 2020
Great to catch up with likeable Michael Rodd who talks of his recent return to Melbourne, where he’s enjoyed some of his greatest moments in racing.
He says it’s been a battle to re- establish against some strong opposition.
Michael hints at his likely plans for the future. He does confirm that he’d like to stay in Melbourne for the duration of the Spring carnival pending Covid 19 developments.
The top jockey looks back on a happy childhood on the Central Coast where he began a building trade apprenticeship. He explains why he abandoned the indentureship.
Michael talks of his lifelong love of surfing. Some of his friends talked him into considering a future as a jockey.
He reflects on his first job with Gosford trainer Kerry Walker, and his move to Bryan Guy at Rosehill. It was Bryan who supplied his first race ride and his first winner.
Michael talks of his move to Queensland when Bryan Guy acquired stables on the Gold Coast. He looks back on 3 junior riding premierships.
The jockey has fond memories of his first Gr 1 success. He was still an apprentice when he won the 2002 Brisbane Cup on Kiwi mare Prized Gem.
Michael elaborates on an 18 month stint in Hong Kong between 2004 and 2006. He was invited as a trackwork rider but finished up as a club jockey.
He looks back on a nightmare experience when his mount Maldivian was a late scratching from the Caulfield Cup after a barrier incident. He still shudders when he thinks about it.
Michael fondly recalls the wonderful consolation a year later when Maldivian won the W.S.Cox Plate.
He remembers his association with the brilliant mare Divine Madonna.
The jockey recalls the unforgettable experience of winning the 2007 Melbourne Cup on the grey Efficient for owner Lloyd Williams. It was Williams who had enticed Rodd from Sydney to become a Macedon Lodge jockey.
Michael takes us through his Cup ride from start to finish. He has no hesitation in declaring Efficient the best stayer he’s ever ridden. He recalls Efficient’s Vic Derby win a year before the Cup, and bemoans the fact that he should have won a Sydney Cup on the classy stayer in 2012.
He talks of his admiration for Whobegotyou. He won 4 races on the horse including a Caulfield Guineas but was luckless in a few others, especially the 2009 Doncaster.
You can hear the excitement in his voice when he summarises his brilliant association with Atlantic Jewel who won 10 from 11. Michael rode her in 9 of her runs and says she is definitely the best he’s ridden.
He pays a tribute to Spirit Of Boom and Faint Perfume a couple of favourites from his stunning Group 1 CV.
Michael reviews his five years in Singapore with a special tribute to the best horse he rode there.
The jockey speaks of the disruption caused by Covid 19. While he’s plying his trade in Victoria, his wife Cara and young daughters are safely ensconced in Queensland.
Great to catch up with a talented 38 year old who made a stunning transition from the surfboard to the saddle. 1535 winners with 46 at Group 1 level is one hell of a record.
Tuesday Jul 07, 2020
Tuesday Jul 07, 2020
Good to catch up with successful Queensland trainer Stuart Kendrick who made a life changing move from Mackay to the Sunny Coast in 2013.He currently has a 60 strong team.
Stuart talks of the benefits of a 40 acre farm close to town where he’s able to give his horses a break from stable life. It’s something he always wanted to do.
He talks of the involvement of family. Sons Nathan and Bayley are involved in the business. Daughter Paige has other interests. Stuart’s wife Trudy plays a major role.
Stuart talks of Eric The Eel recently sold to HongKong. He knew he was setting the bar high in bringing him to Sydney for the Australian Derby, but was immensely proud of his effort.
The trainer takes us back to his early days in Mackay when he worked in a Business Broking firm. The owner of that company got him started in racing.
Stuart remembers his first winner- a horse purchased from NSW.
He talks of his first move South when he was able to acquire stables at Eagle Farm. He stayed for ten years with plenty of success, but was lured back to Northern Queensland when QTIS ( Queensland Thoroughbred Incentive Scheme) was introduced. The prize money on offer was spread around several northern tracks.
Stuart explains that the constant grind of travel up and down the vast Queensland coast eventually wore him down.
He talks of the precocious filly who cost $17,000 and won $688,000. Doubtfilly’s fourth placing in a Golden Slipper convinced Stuart he could compete as a trainer at a higher level.
Stuart highlights a string of handy horses he’s had through his hands since moving to the Sunny Coast.
Forty nine year old Kendrick talks of the jockeys with whom he’s had success over the years.
Tuesday Jun 30, 2020
Tuesday Jun 30, 2020
In Part 2 Michael profiles two wonderful horses sent to Australia by Sheikh Hamdan. He reflects on his association with At Talaq- a Melbourne Cup winner who could sprint like an Everest horse.
He remembers the brilliant but unsound Almaarad, one of his two Cox Plate winners.
Michael reminisces about his role model, the late Roy Higgins.
This is a lovely trip down memory lane with a jockey who was one of Australian racing’s main players during the heady days of the. 80’s and 90’s.
Tuesday Jun 30, 2020
Tuesday Jun 30, 2020
Despite having posted a podcast with Michael Clarke 15 months ago, we’re still getting inquiries about the whereabouts of the former top jockey. It’s our pleasure to give that podcast another run this week.Michael retired in 2002 , but actually spent the last few years of his career overseas. He talks of his final years out of Australia.
He talks of the emergence of his son Michael Poy as one of Australia’s best apprentices.
Michael reflects on the accidental association with Colin Hayes which was destined to change his life.
He pays a heartfelt tribute to the champion Better Loosen Up who took him to dizzy heights in Australia, and gave him one unforgettable experience in Japan.