I’ll never forget the day Sky Channel boss Graham McNeice told me he was bringing a young race caller from Queensland to join the Sky team. Russell Leonard was only seventeen, very talented but very intimidated by the big city. The youngster loved the experience but couldn’t adapt to life in a city like Sydney. We catch up with 50 year old Russell Leonard three decades after homesickness sent him scurrying home to Rockhampton. Right off the top we investigate the nickname by which he’s universal...
Oct 05, 2021•57 min•Season 1Ep. 323
It’s a delight to introduce a young man whose serious health problems haven’t diminished his resolve to become a serious professional jockey. Harry begins by talking about the wide area he covers in the pursuit of winners. He talks of a two year stay in Bendigo and the homesickness that took him back to Swan Hill. Harry talks about the 10 hectare property near Swan Hill where he lives with partner Tayla. He recalls having lived a reasonably normal childhood despite the restrictions imposed by hi...
Sep 28, 2021•53 min•Season 1Ep. 322
Many good judges believe Mister Rea is the best 2 year old pacer seen out this season. The no nonsense colt is unbeaten in six runs. We catch up with his trainer Ray Walker. Ray has bred many of his best horses over the years including Mister Rea. He says the colt’s dam was a very fast mare. He says the grand dam was even better but plagued with problems. Ray talks of Mister Rea’s manners and faultless gait. He talks of his co- owners wife Jane and long time friend Greg O’Callaghan. He reviews t...
Sep 28, 2021•39 min•Season 1Ep. 321
Racing fans have been pleased to see Glyn Schofield’s presence at three recent barrier trial sessions at Rosehill. Until his resumption in late August the veteran jockey hadn’t been seen since Boxing Day of last year. He reveals that a painful problem with his right arm required extensive surgery and a lengthy rehabilitation. Glyn takes us back to early childhood in his native England and the job transfer that took his family to Johannesburg. He says horses were of no interest to him at this sta...
Sep 21, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 320
We caught Anthony at the end of a good week. He’d ridden a double on the Gold Coast the day before, and a winner at Eagle Farm the previous Wednesday. As Incentivise’s original rider he was a keen observer when the rising star won Saturday’s Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington. He watched on a TV monitor in the mounting yard at Aquis Park. Anthony gives his impressions of the Makybe Diva win and then takes us through Incentivise’s rise through the grades in Queensland. We chat about Anthony’s early...
Sep 14, 2021•38 min•Season 1Ep. 319
Great to catch up with respected Scone trainer Rod Northam who’s hoping a slot holder might come along for his Kosciuszko hopeful Spiranac. Rod has high praise for the Scone training precinct. He takes us back to childhood days on a Singleton dairy farm where he taught himself to ride. Rod talks of the genetic influence provided by his father and grandfather. The experienced horseman looks back on work experience at Carrington Stud and the celebrity mare he looked after. Rod talks of his love of...
Sep 14, 2021•51 min•Season 1Ep. 318
Twenty five years ago I described Paul Ambrosoli as the best greyhound commentator in the world. To date nobody has taken me to task. I’m delighted to welcome him to the podcast. The legendary caller begins by paying tribute to his late wife Pat. Paul acknowledges the achievements of his granddaughter Claire Lever now married to jockey Chad Lever and making her way in the tough grind of racehorse training. He talks of childhood days and his total lack of interest in joining his father’s tailorin...
Sep 07, 2021•58 min•Season 1Ep. 317
Great to catch up with a little bloke of Italian descent who began his career with the late Ray Guy at Rosehill 35 years ago. Five years ago he was still living in Sydney and travelling to the western districts most weeks. In 2016 he moved to Mudgee and is now one of the most in demand jockeys on the western line. He looks back on the reasons for the move. Anthony explains the origins of the nickname that has followed him around for more than three decades. “Choco” looks back on the day his fath...
Aug 31, 2021•47 min•Season 1Ep. 316
Great to catch up with trainer Noel Mayfield-Smith who recently pulled up stakes and relocated from Hawkesbury to sunny Coffs Harbour. He explains why he settled on the north coast. Noel talks of his new association with “Stable Of Stars”, a syndication company which offers horses for lease rather than sale. The trainer explains the concept. The trainer pays tribute to wife Emma who has ridden the bulk of his trackwork for most of their married life. Noel talks of his reconnection with Jon Grise...
Aug 31, 2021•55 min•Season 1Ep. 315
Michael was in the broadcast box at Los Alamitos when we caught up with him recently. We begin by talking about his Aussie accent, unchanged after more than thirty years in the USA. He talks of his appointment as track announcer at the Los Alamitos track in California in the wake of his shock dismissal by the owners of Santa Anita. Michael takes us through the dual breed format of Los Alamitos programming - the combination of thoroughbred and quarter horse racing. We turn back the clock to the d...
Aug 24, 2021•52 min•Season 1Ep. 314
Great to catch up with Coffs Harbour trainer Brett Bellamy who grew up among the Hawkesbury race crowd but moved to the north coast with his family as a 17 year old. All he ever wanted to do was train racehorses. He talks of early days in the Hawkesbury Valley. Brett talks of his 35 years as a commercial trainer and the facilities available at the Coffs Harbour track. He mentions the famous Boambee Beach. He talks of the support he’s had over the years from Queensland’s Kruger family who operate...
Aug 17, 2021•49 min•Season 1Ep. 313
You’ll go a long way to find anybody more passionate about harness racing than forty year old trainer Troy Williams who’s enjoying a winning streak at the moment. He talks about the stable runners who are making it possible. Troy loves a trotter and talks about Affaire De Cover who won a major 2YO Trot last year in torrential rain, and didn’t put a foot wrong. He explains that the horse got his name by accident. He profiles the stable favourite Iona Grinner who was tried as a pacer but couldn’t ...
Aug 17, 2021•41 min•Season 1Ep. 312
Peter recalls the freakish accident in 2014 that brought his successful riding career to an end. The jockey wisely heeded the advice of neurosurgeons regarding his future. He quickly got a new career up and running. Peter confirms that he still rides regular trackwork, but closely monitors the area of his spinal injury. He talks of the handy horses who’ve helped to establish his training career. Pete looks back on the severe setback he suffered early in his training career when a major owner mov...
Aug 10, 2021•53 min•Season 1Ep. 311
Great to catch up with one of the elite jockeys of the 70’s and 80’s. Gary admits he didn’t want to come to Australia in 1974 when offered the ride on Battle Heights. He says the NZ jockeys premiership was his priority. The former ace rider talks of his venture in the hotel business after a career ending race fall. He talks of the injury toll from the fateful fall at Yarra Glen. Gary takes us back to childhood days in Auckland when he would go to the races with his parents. He reflects on work e...
Aug 03, 2021•53 min•Season 1Ep. 310
Great to catch up with one of country racing’s most popular trainers. Peter talks of the early starts necessary to get his horses worked before reporting for duty as a Telstra technician. He acknowledges the efforts of his ground staff and wife Jenny. Peter outlines the daily routine observed by himself and apprentice Jacob Golden. The pair ride twenty horses between them most mornings. He talks of a normal day in his life as a Telstra technician. The fourth generation horseman explains that he’...
Aug 03, 2021•52 min•Season 1Ep. 309
It’s a big welcome to 75 year old Danny Frahm who was 64 years old when a race fall at Armidale ended his remarkable career. He reflects on his longevity in the saddle and marvels at how well he’s come out of several serious accidents. He explains that for all the broken bones, he is remarkably free of arthritis. Danny explains that he twice sustained a broken neck, the first time at Gunnedah around 1993. During a long layoff he and wife Mireille ran a laundromat at Coffs Harbour. He also explai...
Jul 27, 2021•38 min•Season 1Ep. 308
A pleasure to introduce 31 year old Kody Nestor whose riding career was halted by increasing weight in 2017. His rise in the training ranks has been beyond his expectations. Kody says he didn’t have a single horse to train when his licence was granted. He remembers a trip to central Queensland where he purchased a horse for $5,500- a horse he’d ridden in three races. Kody talks of his current team of 35-40 horses and the wonderful support he’s had from owners. He talks of a valued association wi...
Jul 20, 2021•42 min•Season 1Ep. 307
Great to catch up with expatriate Kiwi trainer John Sargent who joined the Randwick training ranks seven years ago. John begins by reviewing the Goulburn win by All Things in a famous set of colours. The trainer talks of Brandenburg who followed his win in “The Coast” with top performances in Brisbane. John talks of his low key start as a trainer at Woodville in NZ. He remembers the thrill of his first win at Foxton with a horse part owned by a top NZ cricketer. John talks of his time working on...
Jul 20, 2021•52 min•Season 1Ep. 306
Great to catch up with the mild mannered young jockey who burst onto racing’s big stage with his all the way win on Twilight Payment in the Melbourne Cup last year. Jye is currently resting up after having a plate removed from his left leg- a legacy of his fall at Bendigo four years ago. Jye talks of a recent stay in Brisbane where he won a stakes race and was placed in a couple of features. The young jockey talks of the riding career of his partner Jessica Payne with special mention of her trip...
Jul 13, 2021•46 min•Season 1Ep. 305
The champion jockey is still coming to terms with the fact that he’ll never ride again. Corey was happy to talk to us about the announcement of his retirement and the nightmare he’s lived through in the two years since his life changing accident at Eagle Farm. He talks of the day his specialist told him he desperately needed spinal fusion surgery. Corey talks of his horror when WorkCover told him they needed a second opinion before the surgery could be approved. The champion jockey explains that...
Jul 06, 2021•50 min•Season 1Ep. 304
It’s always nice to welcome a Tasmanian guest! This week we talk to journalist and commentator Peter Staples whose promotion of Tasmanian racing is unwavering. Peter talks of his role as Media Manager for Tasracing and the office from which he works overlooking Elwick racecourse. Peter talks of the massive refurbishment of the Elwick racecourse in 2019, and the teething problems that followed. He looks back on the spectacular Inter Dominion Championship of 2005 when massive prize money attracted...
Jul 06, 2021•44 min•Season 1Ep. 303
We present again a 2019 chat with Gordon Spinks, a high profile jockey of the 1960’s and 70’s. Gordon talks of the heart attack he suffered while driving from Longreach to Brisbane in 2019. He didn’t realise what had happened to him. The 73 year old says his heart issues aren’t over yet. The former outstanding jockey looks back on childhood days in Sydney, and the neighbour’s pony he couldn’t wait to ride. Gordon reflects on the newspaper advertisement which led him to Theo Green’s stable. He re...
Jun 29, 2021•55 min•Season 1Ep. 302
With apologies for a voice recovering from laryngitis, I’m delighted to welcome Deane Lester to the podcast. The highly respected form guru and broadcaster reveals how he deals with the demands of ten radio commitments a week. Dean explains that he rarely goes to the track but has the use of a home studio and all the benefits of modern technology. He takes us through the format of an average week in the life of a professional form analyst, and discusses the highs and lows of the job. Deane looks...
Jun 22, 2021•47 min•Season 1Ep. 301
To mark our 300th podcast episode we present a chat with record breaking jockey Robert Thompson who sits on 4447 Australian winners as this interview is posted. He’s still riding at age 63, but has greatly reduced his workload. He talks of the huge benefits of the higher weight scale these days. Rob talks of life on the farm at Cessnock and his love of cattle. The veteran jockey takes us back to the day he rode his 4000th winner- a BM60 at Newcastle on a little horse called Lay Down The Law. He ...
Jun 15, 2021•50 min•Season 1Ep. 300
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 Ra...
Jun 08, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 299
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...
Jun 01, 2021•49 min•Season 1Ep. 298
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 t...
Jun 01, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 297
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...
May 25, 2021•40 min•Season 1Ep. 296
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...
May 18, 2021•49 min•Season 1Ep. 295
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 t...
May 18, 2021•35 min•Season 1Ep. 294
