John Tapp interviews the people who make racing tick.
Episodes
Tuesday Jun 18, 2019
Tuesday Jun 18, 2019
In Part 1 trainer Colin Little talks about the shock he received to learn that Caulfield will close as a training base in 2023.
He talks of his early life riding ponies on the racecourse and his short career as an apprentice jockey.
He’s never forgotten his first city winner as a trainer- a win that clinched a premiership for a famous jockey.
He pays tribute to the wonderful El Segundo, the best horse he’s ever trained.
Tuesday Jun 11, 2019
Tuesday Jun 11, 2019
New Zealand has long been the breeding ground of great horses and great horsemen. On behalf of HRNSW we catch up with champion Kiwi harness trainer/driver Colin de Fillipe.
Colin talks of his early days in the sport and his first winning drive at Greymouth in 1974. That was the first of well over 2000 winning drives for the South Island horseman.
Colin reflects on the great pacer Courage Under Fire who won a total of 41 races. Bruce Negus trained the champ for the first half of his career, and De Fillipe drove him in 24 consecutive victories.
Col also talks about the bonny mare Kym’s Girl which he co-trained and drove to win the famous NZ Cup.
Trot fans will enjoy this trip down memory lane with a gentleman of NZ harness racing.
Tuesday Jun 11, 2019
Tuesday Jun 11, 2019
Great to catch up with the ebullient John Holloway whose career as a racing writer began with the defunct Sydney Sun in 1959.
Holly talks about his inner city childhood, and those early days in the print media when he got to work with some of his boyhood idols.
He takes us through a long and diversified career, paying tribute to some of the special people he met on his journey.
At 75 John is still contributing a popular weekly column “Bloodlines” in the Sydney Morning Herald. He’s a regular at the yearling sales where he assists a couple of high profile breeders.
Tuesday Jun 04, 2019
Tuesday Jun 04, 2019
In this segment Danny talks about the job offer that changed his life.
He was invited to become private trainer for former Wallaby and Eastern Suburbs League star Alan Cardy.
Alan had set up a state of the art training facility at Goulburn, and Danny realised it was time to have a serious crack at training.
Now freelancing at Goulburn, the experienced horseman produces regular winners on country and metro tracks. He has a tremendous strike rate in the TAB HIghway races.
Tuesday Jun 04, 2019
Tuesday Jun 04, 2019
Great to catch up with Danny Williams, a familiar character on racetracks with his trademark stetson.
Danny, a son of former respected bush jockey Harry Williams, had a spectacular career as an amateur rider, and a successful transition to the pro ranks.
In this episode he talks about some of his experiences on crude and dusty bush tracks, and his torturous battle with weight. He talks about his final days as an amateur when he won 8 from 13 races at Cairns.
Tuesday May 28, 2019
Tuesday May 28, 2019
he word “retirement” is not in George Altomonte’s vocabulary. The sprightly 83 year old is almost as busy today, as he was in the 60’s when he was building a huge car dealership network.
George talks of childhood days at his father’s market garden, and the little automotive workshop he started at age 20.
Today he controls ten car dealerships on Sydney’s North Side, an extensive property development portfolio, and rural properties including his famous Corumbene Stud.
George likes to ‘sell the colts” and “keep the fillies” from his breeding operation. One of his fillies, Overreach gave her owner the thrill of a lifetime by winning the 2013 Golden Slipper.
Tuesday May 28, 2019
Tuesday May 28, 2019
Great to welcome Allan Denham to the podcast.
His trademark humour is ever-present as he looks back on his time as an apprentice jockey. His friends thought he’d last five minutes. He hung in there for seven years, riding 400 winners and winning an apprentices premiership.
He talks about “life with Jack” and the difficulties of living in the shadow of the legendary trainer.
He pays tribute to some of his father’s owners who have stuck solid since Jack’s passing in 2009.
He fondly recalls some of the top horses he got to ride and train.
Tuesday May 28, 2019
Tuesday May 28, 2019
We catch up with Alan “Groovy” Scorse who just recently relinquished his trainer’s licence following a concerning medical report.
Alan talks candidly about an optic nerve tumour first diagnosed in 2017. He got the all clear after extensive treatment, and got on with the job.
When the tumour returned recently he decided to quit training to concentrate fully on a lengthy treatment regime.
Alan took the first step to becoming a jockey when he knocked on the door of legendary trainer Harry Plant at Randwick. Then followed a successful stint with Ray Guy at Rosehill.
“Groovy” talks about his 35 years in the saddle, 1269 winners and a couple of Gr 1’s.
Tuesday May 21, 2019
Tuesday May 21, 2019
In Part 2 Steven takes us through the running of the 1991 Melbourne Cup. He couldn’t have wished for a better 22nd birthday present. He pays tribute to some of the great horses he rode during his stellar career, including Hong Kong champion Fairy King Prawn.
He makes special mention of a few jockeys for whom he had special admiration.
Finally he talks about the emergence of his son Lachlan as one of Victoria’s top apprentices. Steve King fans will enjoy his trip down memory lane.
Tuesday May 21, 2019
Tuesday May 21, 2019
In Part 1 Steve brings us up to date with his current role at the famous Macedon Lodge training complex. He reflects on his apprenticeship to trainer John Meagher,and his early winners.
He remembers that first, exciting Group 1 victory in the SA Oaks, and John Meagher’s move to Flemington when the developers took over the Epsom training precinct.
He reflects on his friendship with Leon Corstens, the man who was instrumental in securing him the ride on Let’s Elope. In Part 1 Steve looks back on the great mare’s wins in the Caulfield Cup and LKS McKinnon Stakes.