Gallops, Horse Racing, John Tapp Racing, Racing History, Racing NSW, Sky Racing
John Tapp
1976 - A MELBOURNE CUP TO REMEMBER

There were 78,500 people at Flemington on Melbourne Cup day 1976. Those still living, hold indelible memories of their visit to the historic course on the day mother nature threw a tantrum.

1976 - A MELBOURNE CUP TO REMEMBER

John Tapp Racing

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ONE OF RACING’S GREATEST PARTNERSHIPS COMES TO AN END

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ONE OF RACING’S GREATEST PARTNERSHIPS COMES TO AN END

Billy Prain struggled with mixed emotions as he walked off Warwick Farm racecourse on Wednesday November 28th - his last day as a trainer. He’s been saying for a long time, that he’d retire when his valued owner and friend Fred Peisah decided to call it quits.

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WHAT’S IN A NAME?

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WHAT’S IN A NAME?

There’s a maiden galloper racing in Sydney currently, whose name rings a giant bell for me.

He’s called Triplicate, a logical name for the son of a mare called Tripled, a non winning daughter of General Nediym.

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NOBLE BOY MAKES A STATEMENT AT THE ‘HILL

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NOBLE BOY MAKES A STATEMENT AT THE ‘HILL

A couple of astute judges came away from the Albury meeting on October 27th, convinced they’d seen a pretty promising four year old in action. The horse in question was a big, raw chestnut gelding by the name of Noble Boy, who made very short work of thirteen others in an 1175m Maiden.

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STONY BAY- DUAL GROUP I WINNER AT 3. ONE LAST PARADE AT 26

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STONY BAY- DUAL GROUP I WINNER AT 3. ONE LAST PARADE AT 26

Received an email during the week from popular owner Eddy Boas, who wishes to share the most touching horse story in recent memory. I’m sure you’ll remember Eddy’s hardy campaigner Stony Bay, and like me you’ll be surprised to learn that nineteen years have passed, since the tough gelding was retired.

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FROM THE SHEARING SHED TO ONE OF AUSTRALIA’S MOST RESPECTED TRAINERS

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FROM THE SHEARING SHED TO ONE OF AUSTRALIA’S MOST RESPECTED TRAINERS

While James Cummings, Darren Weir and Chris Waller were basking in Group 1 glory at Flemington on Saturday, veteran trainer Keith Dryden was alone with his thoughts at his Canberra stables.

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A GOOD SOLDIER NEVER LOOKS BEHIND

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A GOOD SOLDIER NEVER LOOKS BEHIND

Ray Warren and I were very honoured to be invited to “open the bar”, at the grand opening of the new Tourmaline Hotel on Windsor Rd at Vineyard in 1972. The pub was the culmination of a joint business venture between horse trainer Tom Sewell, and his partner Jack Jones, and was constructed on part of Tom’s twenty acre training property.

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THE GREATEST MOMENT OF MY LIFE

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THE GREATEST MOMENT OF MY LIFE

I didn’t expect John Shelton to answer his phone just before 8 am on Sunday morning (Oct 14th). When you’ve trained the winner of the inaugural Kosciuszko, and revelled in the post-race celebration into the wee hours, you’re entitled to be catching up on much needed sleep.

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MARK’S JOURNEY HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN

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MARK’S JOURNEY HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN

My very first thought when Maid Of Heaven threw herself at the line to win the GR 1 Spring Champion Stakes, was for her trainer Mark Newnham. It was a defining moment in the career of the fifty year old, who’s had nothing else but racing on his mind, since early teen years.

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THEY DON’T COME ANY MORE PATIENT THAN LES BRIDGE.

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THEY DON’T COME ANY MORE PATIENT THAN LES BRIDGE.

Les Bridge was in Melbourne when he received the news that Tip Top had got away during afternoon exercise, sustaining a nasty injury to a front superficial flexor tendon. It was mid October 2015, and the horse had finished third in a Kembla Maiden at his initial start, only a few days before.

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IT’S ALL AHEAD OF MATT DALE

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IT’S ALL AHEAD OF MATT DALE

Sei Stella was never going to lose the September 15th edition of the TAB Highway at Royal Randwick.

The four year old chestnut daughter of Not A Single Doubt, relished the short trip, and was greatly advantaged when the well-tried Rhyming Puppet didn’t contest the lead.

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STEVE HART INTERVIEWS MIRACLE MAL AND KEVIN LANGBY

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STEVE HART INTERVIEWS MIRACLE MAL AND KEVIN LANGBY

Stealing somebody else’s creation is not usually my caper, but I cant help myself with this interview. Steve catches up with two former brilliant jockeys who have one significant thing in common. I will let Steve tell the story.