John Tapp Racing

I was thrilled to meet David Taggart for the first time at the recent Sydney premiere of the “J.Mac Story”. Like many Aussie racing fans I was well acquainted with his story. The story of a distinguished riding career being abruptly halted in 2007 by a freakish fall at Stony Creek- a career which had brought him more than 800 wins including 48 black type races. Included in that impressive tally are six Gr 1’s. “Tags” as he’s affectionately known, suffered years of post accident trauma before a stroke of good fortune changed his future direction. He’s still battling a few issues but occupies his mind with the task of preparing and presenting four weekly segments on Melbourne’s SEN Track. I quickly pinned him down to a podcast and we got the job done this week. David begins his inspirational story by talking about his current immobility problems and the way he overcomes them.

He talks about the lucky break that led him to a radio career.

David pays tribute to his SEN sidekick Gareth Hall.

The former successful jockey takes us back to the freakish Stony Creek fall that ended his career.

He talks about the injuries, the rehabilitation and the emotional aftermath.

Dave looks back on his apprenticeship to legendary trainer Frank King, the man described as Melbourne’s answer to Theo Green.

He remembers Frank’s undying devotion to his apprentices.

“Tags” remembers the thrill of his first winning ride.

He talks of the overwhelming experience of being engaged for a Gr 1 ride by none other than Bart Cummings. The 52 year old shares recollections of a very special day.

David speaks glowingly of Greg Mance, the trainer who supplied his second Gr 1 winner. He enjoyed great success for the Mance stable over a lengthy period of time.

His Stony Creek accident was bad enough but he looks back on another freak mishap at Moonee Valley that put him out for eight months.

Dave pays tribute to Seascay, a high quality horse who gave him two wins and several placings at the elite level.

He looks back on another Gr 1 win in the famous Goodwood Hcp at Morphettville for legendary trainer George Hanlon. He shares memories of a special day.

David looks back on a successful stint in Macau. He originally planned on a three month term which stretched to four years.

He elaborates on the Hollow Bullet story- the $10,000 filly who gave him his sixth Gr 1 victory in the historic Oaks at Flemington. 
He shares several great stories surrounding the filly and the running of the 2004 Crown Oaks.

Dave pays tribute to his 25 year old daughter Grace. He’s already introduced her to the AFL and to his favourite team. 

This is an inspiring interview with a personable little bloke who’s learned to blend the good with the bad in life. Keen racing people will find him very entertaining as he looks back on the highs and lows.

The first bloke to give me a wrap for the talents of Justin Sheehan was John O’Shea. It was 2000 and John’s solo training career had just begun at Warwick Farm. Sheehan was then 28 and although struggling with weight issues, was quickly establishing himself with some very discerning trainers. O’Shea described him as an “innately talented rider.” Just eight years later Justin’s career was all over as the ravages of the sweat box began to affect his health. In his relatively short time as a professional jockey he stamped himself as one of the best in the land. The 54 year old Queensland born horseman joins us on the podcast this week to look back on the highs and lows of an amazing twenty one year career as a professional jockey. Justin begins by talking about some recent health issues.

He looks back on fifteen years as an in demand trackwork rider at Warwick Farm.

Justin has clear recollections of his final day at the races- two unplaced rides at Rosehill in 2008. His final win at Kembla Grange remains near and dear to his heart.

He takes us back to childhood and memories of the equine skills of his late father.

The former jockey recalls the family’s move from Charleville to Dalby and an early introduction to thoroughbreds, albeit at an illegal age.

He looks back on his first race ride, his first win and the experience gained riding on some dry and dusty tracks in the Northern Territory.

Sheehan remembers his excitement when awarded a life changing NT Government Apprentice Grant which took him to Adelaide for a three month stint with trainer Danny Callaghan.

He looks back on a freak run of success and the opportunity to partner a marvellous old sprinter in nine wins.

Justin remembers his transfer to Kembla Grange trainer Bernie Howlett.

He recalls being very impressed with the talents of John O’Shea when the former Queenslander first began his training career at Warwick Farm.

Justin talks of his two race rides on budding champion Saintly.

He talks of his engagement to Ann Maree and the beginning of an association with top filly Kenbelle, then trained by his future father-in-law Kevin Robinson. Justin takes us through his 1996 Oaks win on Kenbelle.

Justin remembers two race rides on “champion in waiting” Tie The Knot. To this day he wonders what might have been, had things worked out a little differently.

The former ace jockey remembers with sadness the horrific Ipswich race fall in which eight horses crashed in the backstraight.

On a brighter note he looks back on his sudden engagement for genuine sprinter Adam and a Gr 1 win first up. This was the horse at the centre of his first overseas trip.

We devote ample time to Justin’s review of his exciting involvement with Universal Prince- four Gr 1 wins and one freakish fall in Singapore. 

He pays tribute to three other talented horses he got to ride for different trainers.

Justin’s unrelenting weight struggles were well known to racing people. He looks back on the horrors of constant wasting. 

Justin and Ann Maree are the proud parents of 23 year old Darby Sheehan. Dad says Darby hasn’t inherited the racing genes.

This is an interesting chat with a former jockey who left an indelible mark in a brief but brilliant career.

Col Hodges’ absence from western districts race meetings of late has been a talking point among his legion of friends. It’s taken  a nasty fall and a fractured hip socket to keep him away from the races after fifty six years behind the binoculars. He’s not feeling quite well enough to handle an interview at this early stage of his rehabilitation, but has given me the green light to replay a podcast recorded in May 2020, almost six years ago. Col was in a reminiscent mood on the day and began by taking us back to his very first professional race call. 

He talks of a happy childhood at Bogan Gate and school days at Gunning Gap, a push bike ride from home. 

Col remembers his fascination with the ABC race callers of the 1950’s.

He looks back on his admiration for the shearing contractors who visited his family property, and the three decades he’d later  spend in central western shearing sheds.

Col recalls the lucky break that would shape his destiny.

He’s never forgotten the day he was recruited by prominent race caller Bob Gunn to fill in at a small picnic meeting at Fifield, between Trundle and Tullamore.

The Forbes based caller looks back on an early involvement with harness and greyhound racing. He highlights some top class pacers of the era.

Col acknowledges his two favourite race meetings.

He reflects on the early careers of some talented bush gallopers who went on to much bigger things.

Col pays tribute to some ageless country gallopers who became legends in the bush.

Col Hodges has always been an entertaining storyteller and was happy to share a few of his favourite yarns on the podcast. Reminisce with a legendary country broadcaster and racing writer.

Brett Robb made the call to go solo as a trainer when his father Rodney decided to cut his team  back to five horses in 2020. He’d been working as stable foreman for Rodney for a number of years, and was happy to continue in that role. Rod’s decision prompted Brett to bite the bullet, and launch his own training career. From a Dubbo base Brett has 273 wins on the board including a Country Championship Final. He currently has 48 horses in work and is prepared to travel to find the right races for them. Brett can ‘t see himself doing anything else. He joins us on the podcast and talks firstly about his well known nickname.

He talks about a winning double at the first day of the Wellington carnival last Friday and pleasing runs from his two fillies in the Wellington Boot.

Brett looks at the performances by two stable runners in the recent Country Championship Final.

“Snow” pays tribute to his dad Rodney Robb, a legend in Western Districts racing for half a century.

He acknowledges the talents of stable jockey Clayton Gallagher and stable apprentices Izzy Neale and Jordan Quince.

Brett recalls his childhood days in local pony club and other equine pursuits. He says none of it would have been possible without the dedication of his mother Wendy.

The trainer looks back on his unforgettable two years as a ringer on Queensland’s famous Durham Downs cattle station. He shares several stories of those heady days in the outback, and gives a shout out to a great bush character of the era.

Brett looks back on a long stint with NSW Railways based at Nyngan.

He talks of On A Promise, the horse he regards as the one to launch his career.

Brett speaks fondly of another prolific winner Dalavin.

He looks back on a TAB Highway win with Boom Boom Basil.

A Magic Zariz is perhaps Brett’s all time favourite. He still has the old warrior on his Dubbo property.

Brett hasn’t forgotten the day Sizzle Minizzle walked into his stables. He looks back on the gelding’s racing career and the thrill of a win in the Country Championship Final.

The trainer reflects on his association with legendary country jockey Greg Ryan.

Brett says Sizzle Minizzle’s foot issues saw his form taper off towards the end of his career.

He remembers a TAB Highway win with Wilbury.

Brett pays an appropriate tribute to Gallant Star, the horse he regards as the best he’s trained to date. He takes us through the gelding’s racing career.

This is a laid back chat with a bush horseman who has spent very few days of his 37 years without a horse close by.

Eighteen year old apprentice Jett Newman had a huge number of trial rides before being signed up by northern rivers trainer Matt Dunn. She debuted in February 2025 with two rides for her boss at a Murwillumbah meeting. The first one ran second, the other Without Parallel led all the way to win. The gifted young jockey hasn’t stopped riding winners since. She brought up the century when Tomba stormed home from a rearward position to win a 3&4YO event at Doomben on March 28th. In January Jett made a huge impact when she had two rides for two wins at a Rosehill Gardens meeting. Both horses were trained by Matt Dunn who’s since kept her away from metropolitan tracks. He wants to preserve her provincial and metro claims for a little longer. Jett TALKS ABOUT HER SPECIAL DAY AT DOOMBEN

She hasn’t had time to reflect on the achievement because she’s been riding all over the place ever since. The apprentice talks 
about two more wins to come her way at Grafton and on the Gold Coast.

 

 

 

Jett explains that she and her mother Debbie travel daily from Tweed Heads to fulfil commitments for the Dunn stable at Murwillumbah.

She talks about the training talents of Matthew Dunn and the huge team of horses he has in work.

The young jockey says only a handful of trainers use the  excellent facilities at Murwillumbah.

Jett recalls her exciting day at Rosehill in January when she had two rides for two wins. She was supported on the day by a strong family cheer squad.

She talks of the tutelage and support offered by her father Mitch Newman, a former successful jockey whose career was thwarted by ongoing weight problems.

Jett says her mother Debbie didn’t pursue an aspiration to become a jockey but continues to enjoy her role as an in demand trackwork rider. 

The eighteen year old looks back on early days in pony club and a transition to the show ring. She gives a shout out to two older sisters.

She fondly remembers the first phase of her apprenticeship to former jockey Claire Lever at Hawkesbury. Claire’s husband Chad was also a valued tutor.

Jett recalls her exciting first day at the races as a professional jockey. She had two rides at Murwillumbah-  the first one Torque of Dreams ran second, two races later she led all the way to win on Without Parallel. 

She talks about a handy bush horse who gave her a hat trick of wins on the Ipswich track.

Jett says she’s been inspired by high profile female jockeys Rachel King and Jamie Melham who between them struck the Doncaster/Derby double at Randwick on April 4th.

The jockey is aware she enjoys a rare luxury in being able to ride at a featherweight.