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
, , ,

FROM THE SHEARING SHED TO ONE OF AUSTRALIA’S MOST RESPECTED TRAINERS

, , ,
FROM THE SHEARING SHED TO ONE OF AUSTRALIA’S MOST RESPECTED TRAINERS

While James Cummings, Darren Weir and Chris Waller were basking in Group 1 glory at Flemington on Saturday, veteran trainer Keith Dryden was alone with his thoughts at his Canberra stables.

,

A GOOD SOLDIER NEVER LOOKS BEHIND

,
A GOOD SOLDIER NEVER LOOKS BEHIND

Ray Warren and I were very honoured to be invited to “open the bar”, at the grand opening of the new Tourmaline Hotel on Windsor Rd at Vineyard in 1972. The pub was the culmination of a joint business venture between horse trainer Tom Sewell, and his partner Jack Jones, and was constructed on part of Tom’s twenty acre training property.

, ,

THE GREATEST MOMENT OF MY LIFE

, ,
THE GREATEST MOMENT OF MY LIFE

I didn’t expect John Shelton to answer his phone just before 8 am on Sunday morning (Oct 14th). When you’ve trained the winner of the inaugural Kosciuszko, and revelled in the post-race celebration into the wee hours, you’re entitled to be catching up on much needed sleep.

, ,

MARK’S JOURNEY HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN

, ,
MARK’S JOURNEY HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN

My very first thought when Maid Of Heaven threw herself at the line to win the GR 1 Spring Champion Stakes, was for her trainer Mark Newnham. It was a defining moment in the career of the fifty year old, who’s had nothing else but racing on his mind, since early teen years.

, ,

THEY DON’T COME ANY MORE PATIENT THAN LES BRIDGE.

, ,
THEY DON’T COME ANY MORE PATIENT THAN LES BRIDGE.

Les Bridge was in Melbourne when he received the news that Tip Top had got away during afternoon exercise, sustaining a nasty injury to a front superficial flexor tendon. It was mid October 2015, and the horse had finished third in a Kembla Maiden at his initial start, only a few days before.

, ,

IT’S ALL AHEAD OF MATT DALE

, ,
IT’S ALL AHEAD OF MATT DALE

Sei Stella was never going to lose the September 15th edition of the TAB Highway at Royal Randwick.

The four year old chestnut daughter of Not A Single Doubt, relished the short trip, and was greatly advantaged when the well-tried Rhyming Puppet didn’t contest the lead.

, , ,

STEVE HART INTERVIEWS MIRACLE MAL AND KEVIN LANGBY

, , ,
STEVE HART INTERVIEWS MIRACLE MAL AND KEVIN LANGBY

Stealing somebody else’s creation is not usually my caper, but I cant help myself with this interview. Steve catches up with two former brilliant jockeys who have one significant thing in common. I will let Steve tell the story.

,

A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS

,

I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing late last week, of Ern McQuillan OAM. The former celebrated photographer, had been suffering the ravages of Alzheimer’s disease in recent years, and slipped away peacefully at the Barclay Gardens Aged Care Facility at Forster, on the NSW mid north coast.

, ,

EXCUSE ME, WHICH WAY TO RANDWICK ?

, ,
EXCUSE ME, WHICH WAY TO RANDWICK ?

When Lisa Sheppard answered my call on Sunday afternoon (September 2) she was still half an hour south of Port Macquarie.  Twenty four hours earlier, she had lived the dream of all country trainers by winning the TAB Highway, with her very first starter at Royal Randwick. 

, , ,

THAT O’HARA GIRL

, , ,
THAT O’HARA GIRL

In most professions fifteen years isn’t such a long time.

In the life of a professional jockey, it’s a pretty lengthy period.

In the case of a female professional jockey, it’s an eternity.

, ,

WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, THE TOUGH GET GOING. The Larry Cassidy Story

, ,
WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, THE TOUGH GET GOING. The Larry Cassidy Story

When Larry Cassidy had his one and only ride on Winx, in the Sunshine Coast Guineas on May 16th 2015, he knew he’d had a brush with equine royalty. Going into the race he probably thought she was a pretty good three year old filly, but the fact that she’d already been beaten six times, eliminated any “air of invincibility”.

, ,

TO A RACING FAN A SET OF COLOURS CAN BRING ON THE NOSTALGIA

, ,
TO A RACING FAN A SET OF COLOURS CAN BRING ON THE NOSTALGIA

I sat bolt upright on the lounge last Wednesday (August 8th) when a horse called Itsa Fait Accompli stormed down the outside to win a BM 71 at Canterbury for trainer David Blundell and jockey Robbie Dolan.