This is a laid back chat with one of the real characters of NSW country racing. Rod begins by outlining his reasons for handing over his Nyngan training operation to son Brett at the end of the 2019/2020 season. He explains why he’s currently in Dubbo looking after a big team of horses for fellow trainer Clint Lundholm. Rodney takes us on a sentimental journey beginning with his family’s move from Forbes to Nyngan when he was just fourteen months old. You won’t believe their mode of transport in...
Dec 08, 2020•53 min•Season 1Ep. 263
Great to catch up with one of Australia’s most popular race callers. Danny made his mark as a gallops caller early in his career, but decided to accept an offer from HRV in 1996. Trotting is the richer for that decision. He begins by explaining the origins of his surname. Danny recalls the heady days of his childhood when he would go to the track with his father Richard. He was greatly influenced by the sound of the race call. He tells the story of the freak opportunity that landed in his lap at...
Dec 08, 2020•52 min•Season 1Ep. 262
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 fi...
Dec 01, 2020•1 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 261
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 ...
Nov 24, 2020•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 260
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 inspir...
Nov 24, 2020•45 min•Season 1Ep. 259
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 horsem...
Nov 17, 2020•48 min•Season 1Ep. 258
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 sh...
Nov 10, 2020•38 min•Season 1Ep. 257
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 ...
Nov 10, 2020•48 min•Season 11Ep. 256
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 inj...
Nov 02, 2020•57 min•Season 1Ep. 255
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...
Oct 27, 2020•52 min•Season 1Ep. 254
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...
Oct 27, 2020•55 min•Season 1Ep. 253
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 ...
Oct 20, 2020•42 min•Season 1Ep. 252
A special podcast with veteran harness horseman Dennis Wilson who’s about to celebrate his 70th birthday. Dennis talks about the knee and hip replacement that put him back on his feet. He explains that he’s not out of the woods yet. He remembers his decision to quit race driving in 2006 when he became disillusioned with the sport. Dennis fondly recalls the glory days at Harold Park. He talks about the handful of drives he had when the action moved from Harold Park to Menangle. Dennis remembers h...
Oct 13, 2020•47 min•Season 1Ep. 251
Great to catch up with a brilliant young Victorian jockey who’s just beginning his second season. He rode 75 winners in his first season. Cam talks of his famous Dad, multiple Group 1 winning jockey Nash. He looks back on his early fascination with the AFL code. Cam recalls the day his father won the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick on More Joyous. Owner John Singleton got him to make the victory speech. The young jockey talks of school days in Hong Kong during his Dad’s time as a Club jockey....
Oct 13, 2020•41 min•Season 1Ep. 250
The outstanding Victorian jockey talks of the fainting spell at home that signalled his impending medical condition. James was in disbelief when Doctors explained the likely ramifications of syncope- a disorder that would be aggravated by the ravages of wasting. He talks of the support of family and friends when the inevitable decision had to be made. James talks of the offers he’s had to work for RSN 927 and the Ten Network during the Spring carnival- just what he needs at this time. The fourth...
Oct 06, 2020•39 min•Season 1Ep. 249
Like most racehorse syndicators Victoria’s Peter Creighton has an unbridled passion for the racing game. He talks of early days when he part owned a few bush horses and his transition to the syndication business. Peter recalls his first visit to a racetrack with his father and an uncle at age 14. He was instantly smitten. He talks about his distant relative Norm Creighton who rode a Victoria Derby winner before going on to great success as a trainer. The respected syndicator looks back on his Un...
Sep 29, 2020•43 min•Season 1Ep. 248
Great to catch up with former jockey Darryn Murphy who is enjoying his role as a mentor and coach of young racing aspirants in South Australia. Darryn talks about his job with the employment and training company Skillinvest which specialises in the education and career guidance of people across a range of industries including horse racing. He also explains his role with Thoroughbred Racing South Australia. Darren talks of early days in Ballarat and his initial indentureship to local trainer Ron ...
Sep 29, 2020•48 min•Season 1Ep. 247
We’re delighted to present a lengthy chat with one of the greatest jockeys of his generation. Mick Dittman retired from the saddle eighteen years ago after a stellar career which brought him 1700 wins including 88 Gr 1’s. He looks at a likely date for his return to Singapore where he manages the extensive racing interests of Lim Siah Mong. The former champion jockey talks of childhood days in Rockhampton and the story behind his christian name. Mick reflects on the starting gate injury he suffer...
Sep 22, 2020•55 min•Season 1Ep. 246
Great to catch up with Queensland’s second oldest active jockey. He’s not long back from a nasty shoulder injury that should have finished his career, but Cyril Small has no intention of stopping. He talks of his ambition to chalk up 50 years as a jockey. Cyril talks of the wonderful support of the trainer who tried to put him on a first up winner at Gatton recently. They ran second. The veteran jockey talks of the simple trackwork accident last October that put him out for 11 months. Cyril talk...
Sep 15, 2020•38 min•Season 1Ep. 245
This brilliant young Sydney jockey is entitled to think he’s used up all of his bad luck. He looks back on the nasty fall at Rosehill on July 25th which left him with a long list of injuries- his second major race fall in fifteen months. Andrew expresses his sympathy for the owners of his mount Hot ‘N’ Hazy who had to be euthanised after the accident. He talks of the concern shown by Hugh Bowman who incurred a 6 weeks suspension following a stewards investigation into the fall. The apprentice te...
Sep 15, 2020•39 min•Season 1Ep. 244
The former brilliant jockey discusses the higher scale of weights in the current era. He says today’s heavier jockeys get their chance to stay in the game for longer periods. Lenny looks back on the nightmare years when he’d have to lose 4-5 kgs in a single day. He takes us back to childhood days in Wollongong when a neighbour loaned him a little grey pony. Later he got his own pony, but it didn’t have the nicest disposition. Lenny talks of his first indentureship at Gulgong, and his second with...
Sep 08, 2020•42 min•Season 1Ep. 243
This is an absorbing chat with one of Perth’s all time favourite media personalities, and a man who gave trots commentary a new twist. John Hunt stepped away from the microphone in 2008 after twenty years as Sky and Gloucester Park’s resident commentator during which time he put some zing into the job. John was only 51 and right at the top of his game, but he had further horizons to explore. He reviews his first two books- one about a champion WA race mare, the other about his life in the media....
Sep 01, 2020•48 min•Season 1Ep. 242
Great to catch up with the man who won last year’s Kosciuszko with Handle The Truth and hopes to do it again with the same horse next month. Keith talks about his great day at Wagga last week when he dominated the programme. He talks about the thrill of winning the rich Kosciuszko last year and the training regime he’s following with Handle The Truth this time around. Keith talks about the bad habits the gelding displayed early in his career. The veteran trainer talks about the line breeding the...
Sep 01, 2020•41 min•Season 1Ep. 241
We catch up with a former Hawkesbury trainer who surprised friends and clients when he slipped away from racing four years ago. Warwick explains the reasons for his departure. He gives the impression he hasn’t completely dismissed a return to training down the track. Warwick looks back on his childhood days in the saddle, and gives great credit to the work being done by the Pony Club movement around Australia. He remembers his transition to showjumpers. He recalls riding trackwork for his father...
Aug 25, 2020•41 min•Season 1Ep. 240
Delighted to catch up with outstanding Sydney trainer John Thompson who’s coming off a great 2019/2020 season. John acknowledges the deeds of his “war horse” Dreamforce and the exciting Mamaragan who’s gearing up for an ambitious Spring campaign. The trainer pays tribute to some other stable favourites who did their bit in 2019/2020. John shares memories of his late grandfather Vic Thompson Snr, one of the most astute horseman of his era. He looks back on his father’s appointment as head trainer...
Aug 18, 2020•42 min•Season 1Ep. 239
The champion jockey talks about his decision to base himself in Sydney at the expiration of a 15 months disqualification incurred in Hong Kong. Nash will never forget his return to race riding at Kembla Grange in July 2019. He says it was a day of high emotion. He talks of the exciting Randwick wins that put him straight back into his position among Sydney’s best jockeys. The forty five year old talks of the influence of his father Keith, a remarkable horseman who’s still riding work in his mid ...
Aug 18, 2020•48 min•Season 1Ep. 238
John recalls the tragedy that dealt the cruellest of blows to the Ledger family- the Corowa race fall that claimed the life of twenty five year old son Adrian. The trainer acknowledges the tremendous work being done by the National Jockeys Trust to assist the families of jockeys killed or injured in the racing industry. John reflects on his acquisition of a nearby property he named in honour of his late son. He talks of the support he receives from sons, Chris,Brad, Travis and wife Kerri. The ou...
Aug 11, 2020•27 min•Season 1Ep. 237
In part 1 John talks about his decision to move the training operation from Yarrawonga to Wangaratta when the travelling started to wear him down. He looks back on the establishment of his state of the art complex on twenty acres behind the Wangaratta racecourse. John takes us back to childhood days at Mulwayla where his love affair with horses began. He looks back on his time in the show jumping arena and one special horse who took him to lofty heights. John pays tribute to his late brother Geo...
Aug 11, 2020•32 min•Season 1Ep. 236
The popular caller and radio host talks about his recent retirement from the airwaves, and his intention to continue with another of his skills- the art of auctioneering. Kim talks about his reaction to calling home a winner at Walcha recently at odds of $126.00- he remained composed even though he part owned the mare. He talks of his love of riding and his first lesson at age 4. Kim talks of his education at the famous Scots College where one of his mates was the future father of a champion joc...
Aug 04, 2020•46 min•Season 1Ep. 235
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 supe...
Aug 04, 2020•43 min•Ep. 234
