Steve Hart has captured many magic moments during his long career as a Sydney race day photographer. Nowadays he’s making his mark as an interviewer of some of racing’s most interesting personalities.

“I started to get excited when he cruised up alongside the favourite In Flight at the top of the straight, but I still needed to see what I know he’s capable of,” said Brad Widdup

I remember the night I met David Morrow as though it were yesterday. Unbelievably it was fifty years ago. I have no idea why I was at the Bathurst Leagues Club early on a hot Sunday evening, but thirst may have had something to do with it.

The indefatigable Andrew Gibbons was about to leave a Coffs Harbour hotel bound for Grafton when I got him on the phone on Sunday morning.

“That horse has been up longer than the Sydney Harbour Bridge,” quipped a Randwick punter, as One Destiny made it three from his last four in Saturday’s 1100m BM78.

Six winners in a month is a great achievement for any country stable. Dwayne Schmidt’s June sextet came about largely through his utter frustration with the endless wet weather in northern NSW.

 Any jockey resuming after an injury enforced layoff prays for an early winner. Owners and trainers like to watch the comeback rider for a few weeks to ensure that his or her confidence hasn’t been affected by the trauma of a racing accident.

Race photographer Steve Hart recently visited the central coast property where Charlie Brister plies his trade as one of Sydney’s most respected breakers.

With rarely more than fifteen horses in work at his long-time Hawkesbury base, Terry Croft doesn’t expect to win premierships. He’s happy to simply identify the capabilities of every horse that comes his way, and leave no stone unturned in finding the right races for them.

“Luck never gives, it only lends” - just ask Kath Bell-Pitomac who long ago gave up trying to understand the vagaries of a jockey’s life.

In a month marred by an unusually high number of “washouts” Taree trainer Glen Milligan did well to notch four wins from just fifteen starts.

Last week brought a gamut of emotion to emerging training talent Danielle Seib. Few people were aware of her innermost thoughts as she watched two year old filly Sweet Treats

Danny Beasley may well have had second thoughts about his impending retirement as he politely reeled off a winning treble at Wagga on Friday.

When someone as eminently qualified as Gordon Spinks heaps praise on a new apprentice, you tend to take it on board. The former star Sydney jockey was on the phone last week to spread the word about a seventeen year old Gold Coast rookie called Jace McMurray.

Elson Boy’s effortless win in a Mudgee barrier trial on Sunday March 31st, gave veteran trainer Dar Lunn almost as big a thrill as an official race win.

Todd Howlett was in buoyant mood on December 2nd last year as he parked his four horse angle loader at Rosehill Gardens. The float was occupied by his trio of TAB Highway runners Tanglewood, King Rupert and Talons.

When Jamie Kah elected to ride in Adelaide on Saturday, trainer Gary Portelli wasted no time in recommending Cejay Graham to Kintyre’s many owners as a worthy replacement jockey in the Gr 2 Queensland Guineas.

Cindy Monaghan can be justifiably proud of her training statistics for the month just gone. The Dubbo trainer had only five horses in the stable during April and all earned their keep.

Adam Duggan was watching his eleven year old son Jack competing in a Central Coast basketball match when distracted by the shrill ringtone of his mobile phone.

 What a comforting thing it is for any owner, trainer or jockey to be involved with a horse capable of delivering a peak performance no matter what the conditions.