The Group 3 Liverpool City Cup couldn’t have been scripted better for the bold striding Quackerjack. The chestnut gelding with the symmetrically perfect white blaze dislikes the slightest interruption in his races.

Shane Nichols watched the Futurity Stakes from his usual spot in the Caulfield stand. With absolutely no disrespect towards Streets Of Avalon’s five owners and their friends and families, the trainer preferred to collect his thoughts and closely observe the running of the race on the big screen.

Gordon and Jacqui Richards were booked on a Sunday evening flight from Melbourne to Adelaide on February 26th 2017. This had been a deliberate ploy, just in case their promising three year old Benz happened to win the Zeditave Stakes at Caulfield the previous day.

Of the twenty eight fillies to win the Golden Slipper, none have gone into the great race with more miles on the clock than the 1965 winner Reisling.

“Choco” Cavallo’s dashing winning treble at Dubbo on Monday Feb 3rd, got friends and supporters talking about his longevity as a professional jockey.

The racing industry revolves around people who are prepared to go the extra yards. In the case of trainers, attention to the smallest detail can make the difference between winning and losing. In the case of jockeys, it’s a fact of life that race day rewards are generated by regular attendance at track work.

Not even the excitement of his first TAB Highway win could keep Aiden St Vincent away from his regular Sunday morning Church service at Coffs Harbour.

When Lashes romped home in Saturday’s fillies and mares BM 78 at Rosehill Gardens, Jason Collett brought up his tenth win in seventeen days.

Steve talks to a young man who has had a rapid rise in the tough Sydney radio market.

As a teenager Mark was a race day assistant to the TAB’S on course operations manager. One of his jobs was to deliver cash reserves to the tote operators who suddenly found themselves with large payouts.

Few heavyweight jockeys can boast a better diversion to the grind of racing than Koby Jennings. When the demons of food deprivation and scant opportunity start to wear him down, the twenty five year old Victorian turns to the sea.

Brad Widdup was hoping for a flying start to 2020, when he took four horses to the Kensington meeting on Saturday.

“But here is The Candy Man, look at him go, letting loose - and The Candy Man bursts clear. Listen to the roar here at Eagle Farm!”.

As Billy Owen skilfully guided Greenspan to a narrow win in Saturday’s TAB Highway, he may have spared a thought for a special moment in early 2018, when he knew he could resurrect his professional riding career.

When you saddle up twelve of your twenty horse team on the same programme and finish the day with four wins and four placings you’re entitled to feel well satisfied. Saturday was a rewarding day at the office for Moree trainer Peter Sinclair.

Steve occasionally goes away from the mainstream in selecting his interviews. This time he talks to Billy Dale shortly after his retirement as official Sydney race starter.

I mentioned in the Friday Flashback blurb that Jamie De Belin had disappeared from racing circles years ago and had it not been for the Pablo’s Pulse photo he may have remained incognito.

It was a weary Aaron Clarke who rolled into the Rosehill Gardens float area on Saturday with just one horse occupying the stable truck. The lone passenger was the four year old mare Run Like A Rebel, a contestant in one of two divisions of the Class 2 TAB Highway Hcp.

The careers of several Australian racehorse trainers have been honoured in book form, but none have had a more human story to offer than Pat Webster. What a journey, what a career, what a life!

I was delighted to record a podcast recently with top jockey Craig Newitt who’s getting very close to 2000 career wins including 33 Group 1’s.

Kris Lees was probably feeling a little out of sorts as he positioned himself in front of a TV monitor at Kembla Grange to watch the running of the Spirit Of Boom Classic at Doomben.