In keeping with our policy of introducing country trainers on the podcast, it’s a delight to chat with Ross Stitt who’s been churning out the winners from his Taree stable for more than four decades.
In part 2 Tony talks of his heyday at Mornington, when he was training a team of 100 horses. He reflects on the wonderful horses who’ve shaped his career, and the great jockeys with whom he’s had a winning association.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Betty Lane, sometimes called the grande dame of Australia’s female horse trainers. Betty got a blunt refusal, the first time she applied for an AJC licence in the early seventies.
Pat Webster began his racing life, as an apprentice jockey with trainer Betty Lane at Geurie (NSW). He graduated to Sydney where his riding career took off, but was abruptly halted by a nasty race fall.
The Inglis Digital Online Auction has produced some exciting results, since its introduction in May 2017. SA trainer Mark Minervini showed great judgement in buying a mare from Kalgoorlie last December.