In Part 2 Matthew talks of his participation on the 4 man commentary team used by the BBC at the Aintree Grand National. He got to call from the commentary position at Becher’s Brook - perhaps the most famous of all the Aintree obstacles.

The outstanding young sports commentator, Matthew Hill, talks of the pressures associated with the job during the famous Melbourne Cup Carnival.

Great to catch up with popular Malcolm Fitzgerald who looks back on a horror two weeks in which the bushfires came dangerously close to the Racing NSW property he manages near Taree.

An absorbing chat with a Nyngan based jockey who turns 27 this week. She explains the reason for her move from Tamworth to drought ravaged Nyngan.

This is a different kind of podcast. Rather than talk to an established racehorse syndicator, we introduce a man who has just started out in a tough business.

The talented jockey talks of his busy life and the arduous travelling he does to attend country and provincial meetings. Christian talks of school days in Queensland and the unlikely subject he took a liking to.

Blake Spriggs looks back on school holidays at Moree with his late grandfather, one of his valued tutors. The young jockey reflects on his apprenticeship to Newcastle trainer Steve Hodge.

Blake Spriggs talks of the nasty fall at Hawkesbury which cost him many months of race riding. He expands on his current situation at the regular Newcastle and Kembla Saturday meetings where his services are being used by Godolphin and other high profile stables.

Anybody who watches Sky Racing on Saturday nights will be aware of the achievements of Skye Bogenhuber at the regular Toowoomba meetings in recent years.

Just on a year ago I had the pleasure of recording a lengthy chat with a man who has been a major player in the ranks of Australia’s harness racing drivers for 45 years.

Craig talks about his recent haul of winners at the two day Kalgoorlie Cup carnival. He explains why he made the surprise move to return to his home state of Tasmania after many successful years in Melbourne.

In this segment Bernie reflects on his search for the ideal standardbred training property. He found the place of his dreams at George’s Plains. He pays tribute to the talented horses who’ve helped him along in a tough business. Bernie elaborates on his liking for younger horses. He’s never been one to hang onto older horses forever. He prefers to move them on in order to try a new batch.

Bernie recalls his freakish fall at Eugowra recently, and the injuries he sustained. He looks back on early days on the farm at Crookwell (NSW) and the lessons he learned from his late father Tom. Bernie reflects on the neighbor’s horse that gave him his first winning drive. The master horseman remembers Nikalong Shadow the first really good horse he got to drive. Tom Hewitt trained Nikalong Shadow but Bernie drove him to 43 wins. Bernie talks about the offer from a prominent owner/breeder which prompted his move from Crookwell to Bathurst twenty years ago.

Brilliant WA apprentice Jade McNaught reflects on her history making feat at the Belmont track on September 14th 2019, when she became the first apprentice in the state to win six races in one day on a metro track. Jade talks of her decision to become an apprentice jockey at age 30, twice the age of most junior riders. She reflects on her first two ponies and her achievements at pony club and in the show ring. Jade remembers the experience she gained working with performance horses and on a well known WA stud farm. Jade McNaught’s journey has been an inspiring one. She talks to us from the Geraldton races at the end of a four hour road trip from Perth.

In Part 2 of the podcast, Suman Hedge looks back on his time with Woodside Park Stud and a request from Sheriff Iskander which led him to the purchase of a Northern Meteor colt later to be known as Zoustar.

In Part 1 Suman Hedge talks about the shattering disappointment of losing two promising European imports to injury. He updates the progress of Django Freeman and Schabau and looks to the future with both horses.

Greg begins by talking about his dream horse Pierata and the proposed stud venture which seemed likely to terminate the stallion’s racing career. He talks of the surprise decision to put him back into work.

Glenn talks of his childhood days living at Rosehill when there was only one trotting trainer in a bustling thoroughbred precinct. That trainer took young Glenn under his wing and had him in the sulky from a very early age.

I’ve been wanting to catch up with the remarkable Clare Lindop for a long time. It’s hard to believe fifteen months have passed since the former trailblazing jockey called it quits.