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

Racing NSW

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MIKE VAN GESTEL’S LOVE AFFAIR WITH HORSES BEGAN ON A DAIRY FARM IN BELGIUM.

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MIKE VAN GESTEL’S LOVE AFFAIR WITH HORSES BEGAN ON A DAIRY FARM IN BELGIUM.

Mike Van Gestel got the shock of his life as he carried Molly Bourke’s saddle to the horse stalls before the BM64 at Newcastle on Saturday.

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PRYDE’S EASIFEED COUNTRY TRAINER OF THE MONTH FOR JUNE 2023.

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PRYDE’S EASIFEED COUNTRY TRAINER OF THE MONTH FOR JUNE 2023.

It’s been one heck of a season for Dubbo based Clint Lundholm. With just over two and a half weeks remaining in the 2022/2023 year, Clint is sitting in 8th spot on the NSW ladder with 71 wins and 113 placings including two dead heats.

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RAY SELKRIG OAM 1930-2023. A CHAMPION ON AND OFF THE TRACK

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RAY SELKRIG OAM 1930-2023. A CHAMPION ON AND OFF THE TRACK

Firmly entrenched among my favourite racing memories are those of my first meeting with Ray Selkrig. It was late in 1965 and I was nervously setting up the broadcast gear in the 2GB box at Sydney’s Canterbury racecourse.

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IT’S AS THOUGH DANNY BEASLEY HAS NEVER BEEN AWAY

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IT’S AS THOUGH DANNY BEASLEY HAS NEVER BEEN AWAY

The proposed closure of Singapore racing in October 2024 wasn’t a factor in Danny Beasley’s decision to return to Australia in January.

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KRISTEN’S STILL ON THE MIDWAY LEADERBOARD

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KRISTEN’S STILL ON THE MIDWAY LEADERBOARD

As the field straightened for home in Saturday’s Midway Hcp Oakfield Waratah seemed happy enough to chug along behind the leader Lemaire.

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CLIFF HOUSE GIVES CONNECTIONS A GREAT VIEW

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CLIFF HOUSE GIVES CONNECTIONS A GREAT VIEW

Tim Donnelly is one of many horsemen with a positive story to tell about the Inglis Digital Online Auction. The concept began modestly in May 2017 with one sale a month.

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SCOTT ASPERY SNARES THE MIDWAY WITH GUTSY UZZIAH

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SCOTT ASPERY SNARES THE MIDWAY WITH GUTSY UZZIAH

The smile on Scott Aspery’s face said it all as Uzziah snatched victory in the last few strides of Saturday’s Midway. For a Newcastle hobby trainer to saddle up a city winner is one thing. When you’ve only got two horses in the stable it’s something else again.

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REX LIPP PUTS RETIREMENT ASIDE FOR THE TIME BEING

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REX LIPP PUTS RETIREMENT ASIDE FOR THE TIME BEING

Rex Lipp is a trainer who waits for young horses to tell him when they’re good and ready for the serious stuff. Two year olds need to have a flashing light on their heads before the Toowoomba maestro will even consider an early campaign.

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2023 GOLDEN TRIANGLE IS UNDER WAY

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2023 GOLDEN TRIANGLE IS UNDER WAY

Followers of picnic racing look forward to a unique triple header in northern NSW at this time each year. The series begins with the Boolooroo Cup fixture at Moree, followed at fortnightly intervals by hugely popular meetings at Mallawa and Talmoi.

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SISTER MOON IS STILL LEARNING HER TRADE, BUT KEEPS ON WINNING

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SISTER MOON IS STILL LEARNING HER TRADE, BUT KEEPS ON WINNING

Modern day prize money has reached undreamed of levels, but you’ve still got to have a horse good enough to win it.

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LUKE PEPPER PULLS THE RIGHT REIN AT SCONE

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LUKE PEPPER PULLS THE RIGHT REIN AT SCONE

Luke Pepper’s usually a sound sleeper but he forsook a few valuable hours last week in weighing up options for his exciting three year old filly Opal Ridge.

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SARGENT’S PATIENCE WITH HOMESICK PALMETTO PAYS OFF IN SPADES

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SARGENT’S PATIENCE WITH HOMESICK PALMETTO PAYS OFF IN SPADES

Homesickness is simply defined as the distress caused by being away from home. It can affect humans and animals and can sometimes take a long time to dissipate. In the case of a New Zealand thoroughbred called Palmetto a full year was required for the gelding to overcome the effects of leaving his rural south island home.

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THE LEGEND OF GUNSYND LIVES ON

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THE LEGEND OF GUNSYND LIVES ON

Graeme Scheu was immersed in thought as he set out on a leisurely walk one September morning last year. He and his fellow Goondiwindi Race Club committee members were still coming to terms with the disappointment of having had their all important Cup meeting rained out a few weeks earlier.

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NORM NOTCHES THE HAT TRICK WITH YET ANOTHER HOMEBRED

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NORM NOTCHES THE HAT TRICK WITH YET ANOTHER HOMEBRED

There’s no quick way to calculate Norm Gardner’s winning strike rate over twenty five years of training, but there’s little doubt it would compare favourably with that of most small stables.

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WENDY PEEL RETURNS TO HER HOME STATE AS A FULLY FLEDGED JOCKEY

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WENDY PEEL RETURNS TO HER HOME STATE AS A FULLY FLEDGED JOCKEY

Keen observers of NSW western districts racing were surprised when Wendy Peel made the trip from Brisbane to ride at Coonamble’s Country Championship Qualifier Sunday meeting on March 12th.

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SPANGLER STOOD OUT LIKE A BEACON IN THE POLYTRACK CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

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SPANGLER STOOD OUT LIKE A BEACON IN THE POLYTRACK CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

There was a note of urgency in James McDonald’s body language as the field topped the rise in Saturday’s Polytrack Provincial-Midway Championship Final.

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IT WAS A MAGIC TIME FOR JOHN MUIR ON DAY 1 OF THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

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IT WAS A MAGIC TIME FOR JOHN MUIR ON DAY 1 OF THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

“She lifted her head out of the feedbin, walked to the stable door and looked me straight in the eye,” said owner breeder John Muir as he recalled the day Magic Time was passed in at the 2021 Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

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FROM THE RACETRACK TO THE SHOW RING IN ONE WEEKEND ISN’T UNUSUAL FOR RACHEL KING.

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FROM THE RACETRACK TO THE SHOW RING IN ONE WEEKEND ISN’T UNUSUAL FOR RACHEL KING.

Thanks largely to her ability to ride at a featherweight, Rachel King is one of Sydney’s busiest jockeys. When acceptances were declared for last Saturday’s Rosehill meeting she’d been locked in for a whopping nine rides.

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OPAL RIDGE STORMS TO FIRST STAKES VICTORY

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OPAL RIDGE STORMS TO FIRST STAKES VICTORY

Fortunes fluctuate in most walks of life, but in the racing game they can literally run amok. Just ask Scone trainer Luke Pepper who’s been at both ends of the spectrum in the last few weeks.

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BLACK OPAL STILL SPARKLING AFTER HALF A CENTURY

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BLACK OPAL STILL SPARKLING AFTER HALF A CENTURY

The creation of the Black Opal Stakes in 1973 triggered a buzz in racing circles. A major two year old race in the national capital sandwiched in between the Blue Diamond and the Golden Slipper made good sense.