It was around 2008 when Grant Williams started to tinker with the odd thoroughbred. Prior to that he’d enjoyed a distinguished 20 year career in harness racing as a trainer and driver. (CLICK IMAGE FOR MORE PHOTOS)

After 24 years in the employ of other trainers, Brad Widdup was coaxed into training in his own right as recently as 2017. Two years later he endured a setback that would have discouraged most horsemen in the same position. (CLICK ON IMAGE FOR MORE PHOTOS)

With the Melbourne Cup only a month away the familiar trivia questions are starting to pop up in the pubs and clubs. One popular question is the one about the oldest person still living who has trained a Melbourne Cup winner. (CLICK ON IMAGE FOR MORE PHOTOS)

Mark Newnham’s career story is one of a young bloke who held on to his dream like a dog with an old boot. From the first day his father took him to the races, young Newnham knew he wanted a future with horses. (CLICK ON IMAGE FOR MORE PHOTOS)

After a wonderfully successful decade training from his Murwillumbah base, Matt Dunn surprised a few people when he elected to open a metropolitan stable. (CLICK ON IMAGE FOR MORE PHOTOS)

Enjoy nothing more than heading “bush” for our podcast chats. This week we go to Big River Country to catch up with Grafton trainer Dwayne Schmidt who operates a twenty horse operation from Grafton. (CLICK ON IMAGE FOR MORE PHOTOS.)

Great to catch up with trainer Nick Olive who looks like surviving yet another Canberra winter. Nick takes us back to the fateful day when his father took him and brother Tim to a Canberra race meeting. (CLICK ON IMAGE FOR MORE PHOTOS)

Lindsey took a giant step in 2019 when he opened a business at Warrnambool, but left his WA stables operating under the supervision of a trusted lieutenant. (CLICK ON IMAGE FOR MORE PHOTOS.)

Great to catch up with a horseman whose name appears regularly among winning trainers at Southern Districts meetings, and occasionally in the city. (CLICK ON IMAGE FOR MORE PHOTOS)

It’s great to catch up with the ever ebullient Dr Geoff Chapman who slipped quietly into retirement four years ago, after a life of achievement and great diversity. (CLICK ON IMAGE FOR MORE PHOTOS)

It’s a pity we didn’t get to talk to Kim about her stunning Rosehill double with French Bonnet and Kingsheir on Saturday. This interview was recorded the previous day shortly after she’d arrived home from the Gosford trials. (CLICK ON IMAGE FOR MORE PHOTOS.)

Great to catch up with Barry Lockwood who’s back on deck following two unrelated health issues. The talented horseman talks openly about his serious cancer scare, and the loss of a toe as a result of a golden staph infection. (CLICK ON IMAGE FOR MORE PHOTOS)

When Cliff Brown arrived in Singapore in 2008 equine virus had paralysed the racing industry in most parts of eastern Australia. (CLICK ON IMAGE FOR MORE PHOTOS)

“He always seems to have a handy horse in the stable”, is an old racing adage which traditionally applies to smaller racing stables. Steve Englebrecht has been one of those trainers for most of his forty year career. (CLICK ON IMAGE FOR MORE PHOTOS)

Great to catch up with a very switched on trainer who has sailed past the 1000 career win tally. Joe explains that he discourages owners from keeping horses who are not paying their way. (CLICK ON IMAGE FOR MORE PHOTOS.)

Thoroughly enjoyed my chat with Sheila Laxon ONZM who’s now training in tandem with her partner John Symons on the Sunshine Coast. Welsh born Sheila was riding ponies on the family farm at age three, a precursor to a fascinating life with horses. (CLICK ON IMAGE FOR MORE PHOTOS)

After a brief career as an apprentice jockey and an even briefer one in the harness racing sport, Kevin Kemp acquired his thoroughbred trainer’s license in1975. (CLICK ON IMAGE FOR MORE PHOTOS)

Great to catch up with Bill Prain who called it quits in 2018 when his great friend and valued client Fred Peisah succumbed to illness. Bill had been adamant for some time that he’d retire if ever Fred left the racing industry. (CLICK ON IMAGE FOR MORE PHOTOS)

When Colin Little walked away from his Caulfield training base late last year, he knew that retirement wasn’t too far away. He intended to keep training at Pakenham in the immediate future, but an ironic twist of fate intervened. (CLICK ON IMAGE FOR MORE PHOTOS)

Great to catch up with the popular Kembla Grange trainer who is enjoying a magical ride with Think It Over, the horse rated by many as Australia’s most improved galloper. (CLICK ON IMAGE FOR MORE PHOTOS)