John Tapp Racing

We get ongoing requests from regulars with podcast suggestions.  Sometimes our correspondents are unaware their choice has already featured. One name to keep coming up, is that of Neville Begg who joined the podcast eighteen months ago and was warmly received. I spoke to Neville this week and found him in great fettle, just five months after his 90th birthday. He was flattered to learn that he’s getting another run . The Hall Of Famer talks about his early life in Newcastle and his first tutor Ray Cashman.   He talks of that fateful day in 1945 when he arrived at Randwick to begin his apprenticeship with the legendary Maurice McCarten. Neville discusses McCarten’s extraordinary riding career. He was already a two time premiership winner in NZ before coming to Australia where he rode another 1000 winners.   Begg remembers his days with the quietly spoken McCarten who trained champions like Todman. The veteran horseman shares his memories of the iconic racehorse and stallion. Neville recalls the racing c

To describe Noel Callow as a “human headline” is probably a little over the top but he has certainly created a few in his time. As recently as last Saturday he was stood down by the Doctor following an incident in the barrier before the first race at the Gold Coast. Noel talks of his snap decision to move to the Gold Coast two months ago after being embroiled in a couple of controversies in Melbourne. He hasn’t stopped riding winners since arriving in Queensland. He talks of the support he’s had from local trainers. The jockey takes us back to childhood days in Adelaide and memories of his jockey father Kevin Callow who rode with great success as Noel was growing up. The 46 year old talks of his initial apprenticeship to Pat Barnes and the long list of trainers for whom he worked over the next few years. Noel says some of those associations were brief because of his fiery nature. He remembers his retirement at age 20 and his new job in a bottle shop. Callow talks of his brief stint as a jumps jockey and a

A fascinating chat with a man whose recent induction into the Australian Racing Hall Of Fame is testimony to his enormous contribution to the sport. Bob begins by revealing the extent of his battle with Covid 19 last year. He talks of his fascinating family background. On the maternal side he’s a member of the Lindsay family which gave so much to the arts in the early 20th century. His maternal grandmother introduced him to a different kind of art- the pursuit of the bookmaker’s money. He pays tribute to his paternal grandfather Phillip Charley who was a member of the syndicate which discovered the greatest silver lode in Australian history. Bob talks of school days and the influence of two classmates who shared his interest in racing. He talks of a youthful desire to train a racehorse. He acquired a mare from a Sydney stable and won a race with her at Newcastle. He also got to ride her trackwork on one occasion. Bob talks of an unsuccessful attempt to break into race broadcasting and his short stint as

The genial Warwick Farm trainer is currently getting over multiple strokes which followed surgery for ongoing heart arrhythmia. The lanky Irishman is slowly getting back into the routine at his Mulgoa property, and was happy to talk to us. Paul explains that the first stroke came when he was out in the horse truck. He reveals that his wife Martha was just getting over a broken leg when his health problems surfaced. Paul talks about the very honest Monsieur Sisu who ran a close second at Rosehill a few days after this podcast was recorded. The trainer takes us back to early days in Ireland when his affinity with horses became obvious. He talks of his economical passage to Australia and his first job in Sydney. He recalls a chance meeting with a Doctor which led to his first involvement with a thoroughbred. Paul remembers the thrill of his first training win at Newcastle and his initial city win. He talks of his disappointment when the vacant land near Warwick Farm racecourse disappeared. He spent more ti

Great to catch up with a young jockey who’s crammed a lot into his 24 years. Regan talks about the impressive win by Ballistic Lover at Rosehill on Saturday May 15th. He reviews the impressive win by Brandenburg in the inaugural running of The Coast at Gosford on May 8th, and future plans for the gelding. Regan talks of his Queensland upbringing and the happy days riding ponies on the Ripley property owned by his paternal grandparents. He talks of the influence of his jockey father Jamie Bayliss who rode 250 winners in the first phase of his career. Regan is still in awe of his father’s decision to move to Victoria when he and brother Jake both expressed a desire to follow in his footsteps. The young horseman looks back on his two phase apprenticeship- initially to Peter Moody and later with Hayes,Hayes and Dabernig. He remembers with affection his flying start as a race rider- a winner at his first attempt. Regan reflects on his first city winner, and his first stakes success. He talks of the thrilling

This is an inspirational chat with a remarkable Victorian trotting lady. Donna talks about the Victorian trotting industry’s support of the “Pacing For Pink” promotion which works in conjunction with the McGrath Foundation.  Donna, universally known as “Sissy” talks of her own personal battle with breast cancer in 2016. She looks back on her diagnosis, rehabilitation and the effects of the ordeal on herself and family. “Sissy” pays tribute to her father Jim Castles who drove his first winner in the 1950’s and was still driving in races sixty years later. Despite a strong hereditary factor, Donna didn’t begin her race driving career until she was 42 years old. She looks back on some of the good horses trained by her father in the golden years at Sydney’s Harold Park. Donna talks of her only sibling Sandra and her hard working mother Monica. She explains why she and partner “Doc” Wilson relocated to Shepparton almost twenty years ago and her reasons for taking up race driving at a late stage of life. “Sis

It’s always good to head out of town for a podcast chat and this week we go to Grafton to catch up with John Shelton. A multiple premiership winner in northern NSW, John made his mark on the big stage when he prepared Belflyer to win the inaugural Kosciuszko. John talks of his concerns on the day when the track was classified a Heavy 10. The Grafton trainer talks of the immediate impact of the occasion and the many emotions he experienced. He talks of his association with winning jockey Adam Hyeronimus who’d been apprenticed to him in Grafton. The trainer talks of Belflyer’s early history and the circumstances that brought the gelding to his Grafton stables. John talks of the communication between connections and the slotholders who were responsible for Belflyer making the Kosciuszko field. Shelton talks of his riding days in Glen Innes and the two trainers who got him up and running. One of those trainers prepared Tiny’s Finito who won an amazing 40 races. John explains his reason for moving to Grafton

Great to catch up with one of the most consistent performers among the Sydney riding ranks. Brenton talks of his lightning visit to Brisbane on the weekend which brought a Gr 2 winner. He reflects on his recent Gr 1 All Aged Stakes win on the Chris Waller trained Kolding. The young jockey remembers his introduction to racing by his bookmaker father Peter, and his early role model among the Melbourne jockeys. Brenton talks of school days and the classmate whose father happened to be a horse trainer. Work experience led him to an apprenticeship. He’s never forgotten his first winning ride. He took two carloads to Bendigo to give him support. The horse won despite a pretty average ride. He talks of his first metropolitan winner in Adelaide and his important initial winner in Melbourne. Brenton recalls the surprise phone call that would bring him to Sydney. He never returned to Melbourne. He remembers the chestnut mare who provided his first two Gr 1 wins and propelled him into the big time in Sydney. Bre

Brad talks about his very first trip to Perth in 1997 when he won an Apprentice’s Cup. He’s loved the place ever since. He talks of his very first Gr 1 win on Niconero for David Hayes. It just happened to be in Perth. He recalls a WA Derby win for the same stable. Brad talks of his deep racing background and the achievements of his father Keith who’s still riding trackwork in his mid 70’s. He talks of brother Todd who’s now out of racing and sister Stacey who opted for motherhood after a successful riding career. Brad looks back on two national premierships, and the Golden Slipper win he landed at the expense of an injured jockey. Brad talks of his Caulfield Cup win on Viewed - a result of the ride he considers his career best! Rawiller remembers with affection his astonishing association with the great horse Weekend Hussler. He won 7 Gr 1’s on the Ross McDonald trained galloper. Brad also pays tribute to the old marvel Black Heart Bart. He won 6 Gr 1 races on a horse who was constantly plagued with fo

Thoroughly enjoyed my first chat with Bill Mitchell since he left the training ranks in 2005. He begins by outlining his reasons for relocating to Melbourne in his final years as a trainer. Bill talks of his surprise decision to relinquish his licence and the establishment of his own bloodstock consultancy business. The multiple Group 1 winning trainer looks back on nine years as racing manager for the Segenhoe Group. Bill reflects on the excitement of migrating from England with his family at age 11. His father Major James Mitchell had purchased Yarraman Park Stud from legendary jockey George Moore. He talks of school days in Australia and the affinity he developed with thoroughbreds at Yarraman Park.  Bill reflects on his return to England where he learned the basics of training from Fulke Johnson Houghton. Then it was back to Sydney for a stint with Neville Begg. Still feeling his education was incomplete, Bill headed to the USA where he landed a job in the stable of decorated trainer Neil Drysdale.

At last we catch up with one of the superstars of the Australian riding ranks. We launch straight into Glen’s memories of the freakish mare Makybe Diva who gave him three consecutive Melbourne Cup victories. He still gets goosebumps when he talks about the amazing staying mare. He talks of the 1998 Melbourne Cup when he hit the front on Champagne and thought he was home. Glen couldn’t believe it when Jezabeel fought back to win. The great jockey takes us back to childhood days at Beaudesert and his obsession with horses from an early age. He adored his years at Pony Club. Glen recalls the defining moment at Gympie races when he knew he wanted to be a jockey. He looks back on his two rewarding apprenticeships- the first with Terry Chinner at Gympie and the second with Kaye Tinsley on the Gold Coast. Glen talks about his fiery nature in those early years and the careless riding that brought him many suspensions. He looks back on the fateful day he met his future wife Sloane, the mother of his two children

Great to catch up with a young horseman who has already made his mark as a trainer and driver at the top level. Brad begins by pointing out the many advantages of being based at Goulburn. He reflects on the tutelage he received from his late grandfather Tom Hewitt, one of the most respected horsemen of his generation. Brad talks of the influence Tom had on his sons- David, Bernie and Mark, all highly successful in their own right. He says his Aunt Jenna, the only girl in the Hewitt family wasn’t allowed to drive in races. The young horseman talks of the trotting genes to be found on the maternal side of his family. Brad says his brothers have also chosen harness racing as their preferred livelihood- Sam as a trainer and breaker, Scott as a trainer and farrier. Sister Jess also gets a mention. The thirty year old looks back on the thrill of his first winning drive and his handful of winners at historic Harold Park.   Brad pays tribute to the special horses who’ve helped to launch his career. He speaks w

Great to catch up with John Morrisey, one of the most astute trainers of his generation. John talks about the move from Canberra to the Gold Coast which came as a surprise to many. The former trainer talks of his time at the well known Capricorn Park training property near Yass. John takes us back to his childhood on the Northern Rivers and his father’s Ramornie Hcp win with Flecked Marble. He looks back on the thrill of his own Ramornie win many years later. John remembers that Ramornie winner, the talented Kidlat. Morrisey pays tribute to his Gr 1 winners Camarena, Lachlan River and Rockdale with a few good stories along the way. John fondly remembers talented galloper Here’s The Prince who landed a well orchestrated plunge for the stable in the 1995 Villiers. He acknowledges the efforts of Here’s The Point, Digger Stakas, Miss Comanche and Kareden- all great money spinners for the stable. John recounts the story of the day Peter Pascoe arrived with four horses on his truck and told the trainer to s

It’s unlikely there’s a busier jockey in Australia currently than Hunter Valley based Mikayla Weir. As this podcast is posted Mikayla has had 32 race rides on 8 different race tracks in 10 days. Just for practice she rode in 11 barrier trials at Scone last Wednesday.  In an interview recorded on Good Friday she takes us through that horrendous schedule. The young jockey logs enormous mileage to honour commitments in the North Eastern corner of the state. She explains how she comes to terms with the travelling. Mikayla takes us back to early days on the South Coast and her introduction to rodeo. She explains the fundamentals of some of her favourite rodeo pursuits. Mikayla recalls the fateful day at a Cooma rodeo when she met her partner, professional rodeo star Jock Bone-Langdon. The 27 year old looks back on her first racing stable job with Kembla trainer Kerry Parker. It was a year before Kerry allowed her to ride trackwork. She was “hooked” from the first moment. Mikayla reflects on her successful ap

I’ve had several requests over a period of time to organise a podcast with former high profile bookie Bruce McHugh. We actually did just that in August of 2019, but in those early days of the website many missed it. In the 1980’s this was the time of year when Bruce and Kerry Packer would go toe to toe at the big Randwick carnival. It’s an appropriate time to repost that podcast. Bruce talks of his current interest in racing, and the thoroughbred stallion he stands commercially- the fashionably bred Arlington. He shares memories of his grandfather Jim who arrived in Australia as a state ward in the late 19th century. Jim McHugh rode an Epsom winner. Bruce remembers him clearly. Bruce shares wonderful memories of his late father Bill who died in 1999. He remembers his father’s tenuous start as a bookmaker at bush meetings and his elevation to the famous Randwick Flat Enclosure.  He admits he was a born gambler, the prime prerequisite for a future bookie. Bruce talks fondly of his maternal grandmother Hild

Great to catch up with one of Sydney’s most popular jockeys. Tim talks of his recent Coolmore Classic win on Queensland mare Krone- his 16th Gr 1 success. Tim looks at his tremendous record with fillies and mares. He says he really hadn’t thought about it too much. The jockey looks back on his country upbringing and his first apprenticeship to Peter Clancy in the Riverina. Tim talks about the transfer of his indentures to John O’Shea at Randwick with whom he spent the last 18 months of his apprenticeship. He won the Sydney junior premiership in that season. The jockey vividly recalls the circumstances that led to his first Gr 1 win. Tim fondly remembers the wonderful mare Hot Danish who had to be put down in 2011 when she failed to respond to treatment for a massive hind leg infection. He remembers the exciting racing style of the daughter of Nothin’ Leica Dane. He reflects on his favourite Gr 1 win- the 2011 Doncaster Mile on the noted mudlark Sacred Choice. Following the passing of Hot Danish the joc

A timely podcast with John Messara as the Inglis Easter Sale approaches. John expresses his sadness that this sale will see the auctioning of the last yearlings by his iconic stallion Redoute’s Choice. John talks of three year old filly Miravalle whose recent success in the Kembla Classic gave Redoute’s Choice his 178th stakes winner. He talks of Arrowfield’s presence at the Inglis Easter Sale, and his long term association with the famous auction house. John looks back on the reasons he identified Redoute’s Choice as the horse to replace his own famous sire Danehill. The founder of Arrowfield profiles the sons of Redoute’s Choice who’ve followed in his footsteps at the famous stud. The story of John’s acquisition of the legendary Danehill is a great yarn. Nobody tells it better than John himself. John Messara’s life has been a fascinating journey. He takes us back to his childhood in Egypt and his arrival in Australia at age 11. The Arrowfield Principal looks back on University days and his acquisitio

I first interviewed Bev Buckingham at her Latrobe home in Tasmania during her rehabilitation from injuries received in the Hobart race fall that ended her career in 1998.  I saw her again on three occasions over the next few years, but lost touch thereafter. When I spotted a photo of Bev on Twitter recently I launched a successful search for her phone number and thankfully she agreed to this podcast. The trailblazing jockey explains how that photo materialised. Right off the top I should apologise for some audio glitches over which we had little control. I’m sure you’ll bear with us. She talks of her family’s move to regional Victoria following her initial rehabilitation, and her brief foray into horse training.  Bev reflects on our visit to the Benalla property where she actually rode a Clydesdale mare for the Sky cameras. It was an emotional moment for us all. She confesses to flirting with danger some time later when she tried to ride a thoroughbred yearling with disastrous results. Beverly takes us b

Jon Grisedale tried to quit the saddle when he suffered a complicated leg break at Kembla Grange in 2013. He actually announced his retirement but couldn’t resist the urge to start riding trackwork again.  Eight years down the track he’s enjoying his job more than ever. He begins by acknowledging the long priced winner he rode on the Gold Coast on Saturday for veteran trainer Lennie Wheeler. Jon explains the reason he and his wife Donna moved from Kembla to Coffs Harbour in 2018.  He talks of the wonderful facilities available to trainers at the Coffs racecourse and the nearby beach. The evergreen jockey talks of Donna’s ten year stint with the legendary Jack Denham. She credits her training career to the lessons learned in that decade. Jon talks of his passion for riding trackwork. Six mornings a week he handles 15 or 16 horses. One day recently he went beyond that number. The jockey talks of his English roots and his original apprenticeship to Bede Horan- the man who moulded his career.  Jon looks b

Now in her final season as an apprentice 27 year old Jessica is totally focused on maintaining her current lead over Todd Pannell on the SA premiership ladder. She transferred from Melbourne to Adelaide in the hope she might pick up a few more rides. She has to pinch herself to realise she’s Adelaide’s top jockey halfway through the season. Jess says she’d received a few offers from Michael Hickmott to move to Murray Bridge before she finally bit the bullet.  The young jockey reflects on her childhood at Mt Waverley in Melbourne and her formative years at Monash and Nunawading pony clubs. Jess looks back on her first job with trainer Danny O’Brien and subsequent stints with Mick Kent and Mick Price. She says it was Mick Price who encouraged her to become a jockey. She talks about her inauspicious debut, her first win at Avoca and her first metro win. The latter happened in the most unlikely place. Jess talks of later apprenticeships with Brett Cavanough and the O’Sullivans at Stawell. She reluctantly rec