In part two of the podcast Michael Cahill remembers Falvelon as the fastest horse he ever rode. He talks of his time in Hong Kong and Macau. The latter contract took him to a jockeys title, and a Derby win.
It’s great to catch up with a jockey who’s been the ultimate professional for four decades. Michael Cahill was born into a great racing family at Cowra (NSW).
Kristen Buchanan lived in WA as a youngster and attained Uni Degrees in Biology and Exercise Physiology. Those qualifications would have given her any number of job choices, but training racehorses was all she wanted to do.
When the website began in May of last year, Rodney Quinn was one of my very early podcast guests. He’d been retired for five years and was well entrenched in his new role as tutor of apprentices with Racing NSW.
I’ve known few more passionate racing men than Louis Mihalyka, who founded Laurel Oak Thoroughbreds 32 years ago. Like most syndicators he would buy yearlings and then advertise heavily in the search for new owners.
This week we talk to Tamworth’s Sue Grills, who was NSW Country Trainer of the Year in the 2014/15 season. Sue brings an occasional horse to the “big smoke”, and is rarely far away.
In Part 2 Ron takes us through the tough transition to the ranks of Sydney trainers. He talks about the best horses he’s prepared, his role as a tutor of young jockeys, and his riding stints in Ireland.
In Part 1 Ron talks about his childhood on the family farm at Mendooran and his early introduction to horses. He recalls happy times during his apprenticeship to Theo Green, master tutor of jockeys.
Delighted to welcome Blake Shinn to the podcast. One of Australia’s riding elite, Blake has been out since August recovering from spinal injuries sustained in a Randwick barrier trial.
I had many a conversation with Richard Freedman at Sky Channel, and not once did he hint that he might train horses again. Two years ago the bug bit him when he pre-trained a few for brother Michael at Hawkesbury.
In Part 2 Fred Kersley talks about the struggle he had to gain his thoroughbred trainer’s licence. It’s a treat to hear the maestro reminisce about the champion Northerly, who catapulted him to the upper echelon of galloping trainers.
It’s hard to believe Fred Kersley is approaching his 80th birthday. The remarkable horseman is just as passionate today, as he was at any stage of his career.
John Letts deserves his ranking in the upper echelon of Australia’s jockeys. He won more than 2300 races including two Melbourne Cups, despite a couple of very serious injuries.
