TALES OF THE TURF
TALES OF THE TURF
Step inside the world of Australian racing through the eyes, and voice, of one of its greatest storytellers. In each article, John Tapp brings the sport to life with the same warmth, insight, and passion that made him the Voice of Australian Racing. These are the moments, the people, and the horses that shaped the turf, told by the man who called them home.
DON’T DIE WONDERING- THE PAT WEBSTER STORY. THE FASCINATING LIFE OF ONE OF RACING’S BEST LOVED CHARACTERS
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!
POMPEII CONTINUES TO RULE A DECADE AFTER RACING.
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.
MISS FABULASS STRUTS HER STUFF AT DOOMBEN
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.
GIBBONS GRABS A TROPHY ON NEWCASTLE’S DAY OF DAYS
Nobody was more impressed with Trophies Galore than her super-efficient jockey Andrew Gibbons. Newcastle based Gibbons has had four rides on the mare for two wins and two placings.
JEAN VAN OVERMEIRE HAS CRAMMED A LOT INTO HIS 25 YEARS
Although beaten into second place on See You Soon in Saturday’s Golden Gift, Jean Van Overmeire was awarded the “ride of the day” by several experienced observers.
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.
“BUT I KNOW” MAKES IT TWO FROM THREE IN TOWN
But I Know’s jockey Andrew Adkins may have been the only person confident of victory in the middle stages of Saturday’s TAB Highway (1800m) at Randwick.
LOUIS MIHALYKA AND AUDREY JOAN CAN TAKE SOME OF THE CREDIT FOR THE CONQUEST OF KOSCIUSZKO
Had it not been for Louis Mihalyka’s fascination with thoroughbred line breeding, Australian racing would have been deprived of the touching scenes that followed Handle The Truth’s win in Saturday’s Kosciuszko.
THE LITTLE HORSE FROM TASSIE SWOOPS ON THE SILVER EAGLE
Scott Brunton was in disbelief when the pony sized colt stepped off the transport a week after the 2017 Adelaide Magic Millions Yearling Sales.
WHEN IT COMES TO HORSE RACING THE GOLDEN AGE SURVIVES IN KALGOORLIE
The Kalgoorlie Cup has been on my bucket list for many years and I wasn’t about to miss the opportunity when the Kalgoorlie-Boulder Racing Club invited me and my wife Ann to join them for the Sportsman’s Luncheon on Friday, and the Iron Jack Kalgoorlie Cup on Saturday.
EVERY ROSE IS AN EARLY BLOOMER
Every Rose would look pretty good without the white blaze and stockings. With them she takes your breath away. The powerful chestnut filly has the sweetest of actions which is greatly enhanced by her dazzling markings.
HANDSOME IS AS HANDSOME DOES. STANDOUT HAS THE ABILITY TO MATCH HIS LOOKS.
Standout was a month old when owner/breeder George Altomonte saw him for the first time at Corumbene Stud. “I’d had a call from my Stud Manager Toby Frazer not long after he was foaled to say he was an absolute standout”, recalled George.
SIR DEX FOUND A WONDERFUL LIFE AFTER RACING.
Who remembers Sir Dex? He wasn’t in the same league as Greg Hickman’s current headliner Pierata, but good enough to amass prize money of $831,000 - a tidy sum in 2005 when he bowed out of racing.
RACHEL SNARES A GROUP 3 ON HER CAULFIELD DEBUT
From the moment Rachel King was engaged for two Godolphin runners at Caulfield last Saturday, she made it her business to seek the counsel of jockeys who’d been around the historic racecourse many times.
TUNCURRY-FORSTER - FROM THE SWAMPLAND CAME A RACING SHOWPLACE
A buoyant crowd of 3342 turned out for the Tuncurry-Forster Gold Cup meeting last Friday. Most of them viewed the nine race card from the landmark hill adjacent to the home straight.
SPANISH DREAM WAS ONCE PAUL CAVE’S NIGHTMARE
Paul Cave’s broad brimmed hat partly concealed the look of relief on his face when Spanish Dream won the last race at Rosehill Gardens. The mare owed him that one.
STEVE HART INTERVIEW WITH COREY BROWN
Steve caught up with Corey Brown just three months after his horror fall in the Queensland Derby. The champion jockey sustained a cracked sternum, a punctured lung and required major surgery to repair an unstable fracture to the T7 vertabra.
TIM CLARK AND SAMADOUBT - A DYNAMIC DUO!
Tim Clark is one modern day Sydney jockey who loves to lead when presented with the opportunity. This is not a recent development in Tim’s technique, it’s an art that’s been slowly developing over several years.
DANIELLE SEIB DEDICATES THIS ONE TO DAD
When Danielle Seib saw Nash Rawiller look behind in the closing stages of Saturday’s TAB Highway, she suddenly realised her “big baby” Assault’N’Bathory was going to win by a space. “I thought my God he’s looking back to see where they are”, said the young Goulburn trainer. “I couldn’t believe my eyes”.
MARK MINERVINI LOOKS FOR NEW HORIZONS
Mark Minervini has saddled up a handful of Group runners in a career not yet three decades old. He’s familiar with the butterflies that most trainers experience when they have a runner at the elite level.