John Tapp Racing

In the first segment Craig reflects on his decision to quit the saddle after returning from Singapore in 2005. He talks of his entry into the Randwick training ranks, and his current operation based in the Les Bridge training complex. Craig speaks of the plight of the smaller trainers who don’t have access to the spending power of wealthy owners when the yearling sales roll around. The former outstanding jockey looks back on a few special horses who’ve earned many times their modest purchase price. He talks of his few experiments as a bloodstock agent and a couple of surprise results. Craig pays tribute to some of the jockeys who’ve ridden for his stable including a few talented girls. He recalls his final riding contract in Singapore which brought him in touch with his future wife, and the mother of his son and daughter. Craig tells the story of the way his wife Keline drifted into the racing game in Singapore and her current role with Carmody Racing.

In this segment Maurice looks back on his exciting association with champion two year old colt Sir Dapper. After four straight wins he was beaten under unusual circumstances in the Todman Slipper Trial. He remembers his disappointment when he lost the Golden Slipper ride to Ron Quinton. Maurice reflects on the unexpected consolation that came his way not long after the Sir Dapper episode. His ability to ride at a featherweight earned him the winning ride on Lord Seaman in the Group 1 Doomben Cup. He makes special mention of Ima Carpenter the horse he regarded as one of the best he ever rode. He won seven races on the brilliant grey who went amiss after just ten starts. The HRNSW Welfare chief takes us through his association with the free running Roman Artist- a quirky horse who wasn’t happy if not running along in front. They won a Group 1 together. He remembers his one and only ride on the multiple Gr 1 winner Strawberry Road. Maurice talks of his days as second string jockey for the powerful Nebo Lodge ope

Great to catch up with an eminently successful jockey who quit the saddle in 1995 when niggling injuries caught up with him. Maurice Logue went straight into a tutorial role with the Australian Jockey Club. He talks of his recent appointment to the team at Harness Racing NSW as Education and Welfare Officer. Maurice outlines the establishment of Mates4Harness, a new initiative designed to help participants with any kind of emotional issue. The former successful jockey explains the concept of the new facility, and tells us a little about the structure of the team at HRNSW headquarters, and the Ambassadors who are based in regional centres. Maurice explains the function of the new initiative and how people can get in touch if in need of support. He tells one great story of his early days as a tutor for the AJC and the budding star jockey who was looking for guidance. Maurice reflects on early days in Dubbo with his parents Ian and Lesley Logue. His Dad was a battling bush jockey and his mother a trainer. Both h

Great to catch up with the voice of NSW central west racing. Col Hodges covers meetings at 25 venues and is a living legend in the region. He talks of a happy childhood at Bogan Gate (NSW) and school days at the curiously named Gunning Gap, a push bike ride from the family farm. The veteran commentator recalls his fascination with the ABC race callers of the 1950’s. Col looks back on his admiration for the shearing contractors who visited the family property. He reminisces about his thirty years in the shearing sheds of the central west. He talks of the lucky break that shaped his destiny. He was recruited by the king of the western callers Bob Gunn to look after a little meeting at Fifield, between Trundle and Tullamore.  Col looks back on his involvement with harness and greyhound racing. He highlights a few champion pacers of the era. He pays tribute to his two favourite race meetings, the Bedgerabong Picnics and the famous Wellington Boot. Col reflects on the early careers of some great country gallopers

It was a delight to catch up with an elder statesman of the Australian training ranks. Mick Robins is turning 90 in July, but sounds years younger as he takes us on a sentimental journey. Mick talks of his recent stint in hospital after a heavy fall at the Mornington stables of Tony Noonan. The grand old horseman takes us back to his first job as an apprentice butcher in wartime Broken Hill. Mick reflects on his days below the surface of the earth as he helped to mine the silver, zinc and lead that was to bring great prosperity to Broken Hill. He talks of his early attraction to horses and his brief career as an amateur jockey. Mick shares memories of his first trainer’s licence and a horse called Sir Haydon who got him up and running. The veteran recalls his move to Adelaide in the early 1960’s and his dream job with champion trainer Graham Heagney. He spent 8 years with Heagney, who trained the champion Tobin Bronze during that time. Mick reminisces about the lucky break that was destined to change his life

In this segment Brad recalls his association with trainers like Malcolm Johnston, Gerald Ryan and Les Bridge. He talks of the offer he got from champion Queensland trainer Bruce McLachlan who was anxious to get him back to Brisbane. Brad remembers with affection his big pay day when he won the 2008 Magic Millions Guineas on Heart Of The Citi for trainer Pat Duff. He talks of his frustration that a Group 1 win has eluded him. He’s gone close a couple of times. Brad speaks of his admiration for the late Ken Russell and his delight in being able to win three Russell memorial events. He speaks of a happy association with Sydney trainer David Payne who occasionally flew him to Sydney for race rides. The jockey gives special mention to his son Bayley who was too small to be a footballer, but too big to be a jockey. Brad concludes by paying tribute to older jockeys like Jeff Lloyd and Michael Cahill.

This podcast was recorded two days before Brad was hurt in a starting gate incident at Rockhampton. He escaped serious injury but was taken to hospital complaining of some neck pain. We wish him well. In Part 1 the popular jockey talks of his current winning streak and the trainers who are giving him continuing support. Brad, always on the heavy side, talks of his current situation with weight. The jockey looks back on his original apprenticeship to his father Phil, who’s still training horses successfully. He remembers his very first winner at Gladstone in 1994. Brad talks of a work experience stint in Sydney with trainer Alan Bell and a later transfer to Ron Quinton at Randwick. It was Quinton who provided his first city winner, but his very first winner was trained by Kylie Gavenlock. Brad recalls a winning treble at Rosehill which included his first stakes win. He looks back with regret on a broken leg which kept him on the sidelines for a full year. The jockey reflects on an amazing partnership he had wi

John talks of the tough road back as an independent trainer after three years heading up the powerful Godolphin operation. He reflects on his feelings when the Godolphin job was offered to him, and the reaction of his family. John reminisces about a quick dash to Dubai to officially meet Sheikh Mohammed. Of the hundreds of horses to pass through his hands in the Godolphin days, he was smitten by the remarkable Hartnell. He remembers a great horse. John recalls the moment he knew it was time to leave Godolphin. The trainer recalls his early life in Cairns and his love of Rugby League and Polocrosse. He talks of a University Degree which few people know about. John reflects on the day he literally walked in off the street and asked Gai Waterhouse for a job. He remembers his time with Bart Cummings and Gary Moore. John recalls his low key start at Warwick Farm and the tried horses who got him going. He looks back with affection on the talented horses who’ve helped shape his career. John comments on his admiratio

In this segment Steve reflects on a short riding stint in Mauritius which ended on a very sour note. He looks back on his return to the saddle after knee surgery and his new association with trainer Terry Courtney. The top horseman has never forgotten his wonderful partnership with powerhouse sprinter Mighty Avalanche. He takes us through a last to first win in the Gr 1 Oakleigh Plate. Steve remembers with affection a wonderful six year stay in Macau. He rode 300 winners and bagged a Macau Gold Cup on sand track specialist Kenny, trained by former Sydney horseman Darby Armstrong. He talks of his move to Singapore as assistant trainer to Claude Charlet. He stayed on when Charlet returned to Macau never dreaming he’d still be there 25 years later. Steve takes us through several assistant training jobs he had before finally gaining his own licence. He remembers the circumstances under which he met his second wife Julie, a former English jockey who was visiting Singapore. He tells the story of Julie’s quick trip

We talk to Steve about the lockdown of Singapore racing and the interim progress of his horses. He talks of the biosecurity situation and the mood of the locals as the weeks wear on. We go right back to Steve’s younger days in Melbourne and his passion for football. He was promising but way too small to make a career of it. He talks of his father Harold, a successful jumps jockey. Steve recalls his apprenticeship to Jim Cerchi and his first winning ride at Echuca. He remembers with affection his first city winner and the support he got from his mother and sister. Steve gives special mention to Jetfighter. He won stakes races on the Ian Harrison trained galloper and rates him as one of the best he rode. He talks of the days when he was a regular at the Victorian Saturday provincial meetings where he often rode the second stringers for major stables. Steve looks back on his association with Super Impose. He rode the budding champion in his first four starts. He remembers his only Cox Plate ride in 1977 for Bart

I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting Phillip Stokes so we did the next best thing and chatted on the podcast. The trainer talks of his runners in two states last Saturday. No winners but a few super efforts. Phillip talks of the fruition of a long term plan to establish a Victorian stable, and the reason he settled on the new Pakenham complex. He describes the available facilities and the 16 acre property he purchased just 5 minutes down the road.  Phillip reflects on a happy childhood growing up on a cattle station near Marree at the top end of SA. His father Ron introduced him to thoroughbreds at an early age. He remembers his apprenticeship in Adelaide to John Hall who had been a stable foreman for Bart Cummings in the maestro’s early days. Phillip recalls his move to Alice Springs when his weight got out of hand. He remembers his new boss Viv Oldfield with great affection. This larger than life character is one of the Territory’s most famous businessmen to this day. The forty nine year old recalls his fi

Great to catch up with one of the hardest working jockeys in Australian racing. Much to his frustration, Grant is currently on the sidelines with a broken collarbone. He has an update on his likely return date. He talks of the fall on March 31st which came at a time when he was enjoying a winning run. Grant discusses the amazing statistics he’s accumulated in the last twenty years as provincial and country jockey. He pays tribute to his father Clarrie Buckley who enjoyed Group 1 success in the 1960’s and 70’s. He highlights some of the good horses his Dad got to ride. Grant talks of his early days as an apprentice in the Hawkesbury precinct and the trainers who supported him. He’s never forgotten his first winning ride on the Gary White trained Impossible Mission. He pays tribute to Paul Cave, the trainer who gave him some opportunities on better class horses. Grant looks back on his fleeting association with the brilliant mare Private Steer- a three time Gr 1 winner. He looks back on his transition to the pr

In part 2 Gary talks of stable favourites Single Bullet and Testashadow. He tells the story of the $20,000 yearling who gave him victory in the Golden Slipper of 2017. He was thrilled to win for a large group of owners who’d been brought together by Darby Racing. Gary tells some good stories about two members of the She Will Reign syndicate who added to the whole amazing story- one of them won a fortune on the punt, while the other bought a new fishing  boat which he called the “She Will Reign”. That boat met a bizarre fate. The trainer talks of his Everest experience with She Will Reign and the mare’s subsequent sale to a Japanese breeder. Gary speaks with affection of the remarkable veteran Marwin Gold who won 20 races for the stable. He reveals the old warrior’s current home. He talks of his eleven year marriage to Kelly and her strong racing background. Kelly and Gary have an eight year old son Harper whose current interest in horses is far from obsessive. Gary gives Kelly credit for getting him back on t

In part one Gary talks of the job offer which brought him to Sydney. He was invited to train privately for a high profile owner who pulled out of the arrangement three months later.   He confesses he was ready to go back to the bush when a fellow trainer helped him out of a tight spot. Gary talks of early days at Orange and the defining moment when he knew he wanted to train horses. The trainer talks of the undying support of his parents Morveen and Joe.  Morveen had a promising career as an entertainer in her teen years but gave it all up to marry Joe Portelli. Gary’s father is a jack of all trades who’s been a huge asset to the stable for many years. Gary remembers his very first winner with a horse whose career began in Russia. He talks of his first city winner. Mick Dittman was very keen to ride the horse. Gary’s appraisal of the horses who helped launch his career was interrupted by his pet whippet who got caught in a fence during the interview. You’ll hear the drama unfold. The trainer takes us through

In the 200th segment since our website began in 2018, Andrew Bensley looks back on his years with Sky TV and radio. At last he reveals the origin of his well known nickname Hoss. People realised he bore a resemblance to actor Dan Blocker whose character of Hoss in the TV series Bonanza made him a household name. A top jockey was the first to give Andrew the nickname. Andrew recalls the freezing Ballarat Cup day when he and I shared the Sky hosting. He remembers the impact of TVN entering the racing media market. “Hoss” looks back on the one and only time he was blacklisted by a racing stable. He gives his version of the event. He’s usually talking to other people about top horses, great jockeys and trainers. This time we get Andrew Bensley to nominate his favourite horses and horsemen. Andrew pays tribute to his wife and best mate Bernadette who has always understood his heavy workload. He makes special mention of his sons Keiran and Hayden.

In Part 1 Andrew outlines his reasons for bringing down the curtain on his long career with Sky Racing and Sky Sports Radio. He talks of his childhood in Wangaratta and the elderly neighbours he called Nan and Pa. They introduced him to the excitement of the racetrack. Andrew talks of his adoption to foster parents Bruce and Leila Bensley. His Dad was an engineer and wanted Andrew to follow in his footsteps. He remembers his first job in radio at 4VL Charleville, and a short stint at 4LM Mt. Isa. Andrew takes us through his time at 3TR Sale and later at 3DB where he worked with legendary caller Bill Collins. He pays special tribute to the man. He recalls his time at 3UZ and his move into television at GTV Channel 9 in Melbourne He reflects on the many roles he filled at Channel 9 before getting a phone call from Graham McNeice. Sky had just introduced its now famous home service and needed a Melbourne correspondent.

In Part 1 Darren talks of a lifetime in the Bankstown harness racing precinct. He remembers the days when hundreds of horses were worked from stables in the Condell Park area. Today it’s a ghost town. He remembers the day a Channel 10 TV crew filmed a story on harness horses for Simon Townsend’s Wonder World. He reveals his reasons for never wanting to train big teams of horses. Darren talks about his relationship with high profile owner Emilio Rosati who was once his next door neighbour. He talks of his grandfather Jack a highly regarded trainer in the boom years at Harold Park. Darren reflects on life with his late father John who died in 1999. He talks of the many good horses to come through John Binskin’s hands. The trainer remembers the occasion of his first drive out of a mobile barrier. It was at Rockhampton in Queensland and he had to beat a pretty good horse to win. Darren looks back on his first trip to the US in 2001. Based in Ohio he quickly made a name for himself as a race driver. Everything was

In Part 2 the NZ born jockey pays tribute to some of his 42 Gr 1 winners with special mention of the ill fated Unworldly. She won 5 from 6 before being put down after a training accident. Larry says she was an exceptional filly. He pays special tribute to Saintly. He rode him only twice for a win and a close second in the 1996 AJC Derby. He remembers him with great affection. Larry talks of his years as number 1 rider for Crown Lodge and the stresses involved with maintaining the standards set by John Hawkes and Jack Ingham. He pays tribute to some special jockeys for whom he has great admiration, and to a handful of Brisbane trainers who continue to give him strong support. Larry talks of his much loved family, wife Michelle, son Luke and daughter Jade. The kids have some lofty ambitions. He reveals his current levels of health and his hopes for the future. Enjoyed every minute of my long chat with a gentleman jockey.

In part 1 Larry talks about his career tally of winners. He reveals that he’s maintained records of his race rides from the beginning of his career in NZ. He talks of the factors that prompted his decision to move to Queensland twelve years ago. Larry recalls his one and only ride on the champion Winx in the 2015 Sunshine Coast Guineas. He surprised many by declaring her to be the best he’d ever ridden. The popular jockey reflects on a horror period a few years ago when meniscal tears in both knees stalled his career.  He talks of the boredom and frustration which put him into a state of depression. Larry remembers his first morning back at trackwork after his long layoff. His legs were like jelly, and the pain was intense.  He talks of his very first Gr 1 win on Coronation Day, and his wonderful Autumn Carnival in 1997 when he won the Doncaster-Sydney Cup double for Gai Waterhouse. That Sydney Cup winner was the genuine Linesman. Larry was very fond of the horse and felt he should have been right in the fini

In this segment Fred looks back on the frustrating years when he struggled to gain a WA Thoroughbred trainer’s licence. He’d just about given up when a race club committeeman came to his rescue. He remembers the thrill of saddling up his first winner at the gallops. The horse was Little Hero at Belmont in 1989. Fred takes us back to the day he bought a half share in a yearling with ordinary conformation, because he happened to like the youngster’s sire. He takes us through the extraordinary career of Northerly who went on to win 19 races including 9 Gr 1’s for $9.3 million dollars. He was a life changing horse for the Kersleys. Fred pays tribute to other outstanding gallopers he’s had in the stable. Horses like Marasco ( $1.7 million ), Grand Nirvana ($1.1 million), and Itzahym ($1.2 million). He speaks fondly of his four children and the support he’s had from wife Judy through the years. He reflects on daughter Kelly’s winning drive on Norm’s Daughter in a Miracle Mile, and on the progress of his jockey gran