John Tapp Racing

Simon Price hasn’t ridden in a race for five years but still spends plenty of time in the saddle. He’s at Morphettville trackwork three mornings a week, and has a regular presence at the barrier trials and jumpouts. With sons Will and Ben both forging successful riding careers in Adelaide, Price Snr is content to take a back seat these days. Simon’s CV credits him with close to 2000 winners including a host of black type features. At the height of his career he had regular support from many leading stables and a strong public following. In response to several requests for an interview with the talented horseman I’m pleased to say job’s done! Simon joins us on this week’s podcast to look back on his very rewarding career. 

He talks about his Morphettville trackwork involvement three times a week for some discerning trainers.

Simon says he also works a “day job” at a prominent landscaping business owned by an old friend.

He looks back on a snap decision in 2020 to relocate to NSW at the request of former South Australian horseman Sam Kavanagh.

Simon recalls going all the way to Mudgee to ride his first winner for Kavanagh.

The veteran says a Tamworth success on More Sundays for Kavanagh was his last winning ride.

Simon pays tribute to Sam Kavanagh who died after a short illness 18 months ago.

He looks back on childhood days in Adelaide and pays tribute to his parents.

Simon recalls the unlikely circumstances that would trigger his introduction to horses.

He talks of early tuition from George Davison and a subsequent apprenticeship to Peter Hayes at Oakbank. 

Simon says Peter Hayes was a thoughtful boss who encouraged him to ride for other trainers.

He clearly remembers his first race ride at Cheltenham and his first win at a now defunct racecourse close to the Victorian border.

The fifty five year old remembers the support he received from some prominent Adelaide trainers.

He looks back on a “loan-out” to Cranbourne trainer Colin Alderson.

During this time Peter Hayes sent a horse to Melbourne to run in the inaugural C.S Hayes Stakes at Moonee Valley. Young Simon gained the ride and it was a dream result.

We randomly reminisce with Price about some of his favourite horses
beginning with the Russell Cameron trained Shavano Miss- an unpleasant mare with great ability.

Simon looks back on a surprise phone call from the Waterhouse stable and the offer of a Doncaster ride. He thought someone was “pulling his leg.” 

He looks back on a brief association with the Leon Corstens trained Cherontessa which led to a win in the Gr 1 South Australian Oaks.

Simon couldn’t believe his luck when history repeated itself the following year. WA owner Bob Peters sent Miss Margaret to Peter Hayes for a three race campaign. Simon got the ride and won the Gr 3 Auraria, ran second in the Australasian Oaks before winning the Gr 1 South Australian Oaks. 

The jockey enjoyed several successful stints in Singapore including one twelve month stay. He was delighted to win the 1998 Gr 1 Singapore Gold Cup on the Malcolm Thwaites trained Three Crowns.
It was the last Cup to be staged at the Bukit Timah track.

Six weeks later Simon rode Three Crowns in the Melbourne Cup, and was deeply saddened when the genuine gelding broke down at the top of the straight.

Simon had little hesitation in declaring Fields Of Omagh to be the best horse he rode in a race. The jockey was on board for three of the gelding’s South Australian wins. One of those wins was at Cheltenham the other two at Victoria Park. Both tracks have subsequently been closed.

Price had a big opinion of the brilliant but unsound mare La Baraka. He won two Group 3 races on the daughter of Euclase and hasn’t forgotten her glaring conformation faults.

Most Adelaide jockeys greatly value wins in the Goodwood Hcp and the Adelaide Cup. He regrets not being able to win either. He ran second in both races to horses ridden by the same top Victorian jockey.

Simon says a busy work routine has helped him deal with a difficult time since the passing of his wife Belinda.

He pays tribute to sons Will and Ben and daughter Abby who has in turn given him two adored grandsons.

The elder Price reviews the careers so far of sons Will and Ben. Both young jockeys are currently settled in Adelaide where they’re getting good support from prominent stables. 

I remember the days in the broadcast box when I’d watch Adelaide races in between Sydney events. Simon Price won a huge number of those races. Great to welcome him as a podcast guest.

The girls have had an extraordinary impact on Australian racing in recent years. A current emerging talent is twenty five year old Coriah Keatings who just recently won her first race at black type level. Coriah, apprenticed to Nick Olive at Canberra has a very impressive 135 wins on  the board after just four years of race riding. 

Born and reared on her family’s farm just outside Albury, Coriah was in the saddle at a very early age and went on to become highly successful in many equestrian pursuits. Her entry into the racing industry happened almost by accident.This is an absorbing chat with a country girl who would have excelled in any one of several sports, but her innate love of horses influenced her decision to become a jockey. Coriah says she’s still on cloud nine after winning her first stakes race on Spicy Lu at Eagle Farm.

The young jockey explains the origins of her intriguing given name. 

Coriah says her early passion for horses was encouraged by mother Kerrin, herself an avid horse lover.

She says her father Craig had little interest in racing, but has become one of her staunchest fans.

Coriah joined pony club at four years of age and was still heavily involved into her late teens.

The 25 year old says she had little difficulty with academic studies but much preferred school sporting activities.

The young jockey was all set to enrol for a university course when Covid got in the way. She earned some pocket money at a Zambrero Restaurant in Albury.

At the suggestion of a friend Coriah made enquiries about a job with former successful jockey Jodi Bohr who was training horses in Albury at the time. 

She openly admits to being all at sea when she began riding trackwork.

Coriah looks back on two other jobs she undertook, one in hospitality the other in retail.  At one stage she was working both jobs at the same time.

She recalls an invitation from leading Albury trainer Ron Stubbs to join his team.

Coriah says Ron wasn’t in the position to offer her an apprenticeship, but knew of another trainer who was.

She looks back on a very happy stint with Donna Scott who became a valued tutor and friend.

Coriah looks back on her first race ride. She finished second but believes she should have won. She got the shock of her life after passing the post.

She was delighted to win her first race on a horse trained by Donna Scott.

Coriah looks back on a relocation to Canberra and the transfer of her indentures to her current boss Nick Olive.

The jockey talks of her partner Matthew Kelly, a young Canberra trainer who’s beginning to make his mark.

Coriah pays tribute to some of the horses who’ve kick started her riding career with special mention of the Nick Olive trained mare she regards as her favourite to this point in time.

She says there’s one member of the Olive team she’s “busting” to win a race on. 

Coriah speaks fondly of talented mare All Adore and makes mention of two other metropolitan winners she’s ridden for Canberra trainers. 

She talks of her versatility in being able to use the whip in either hand.

Coriah agrees she’s on the tall side as jockeys go, but appreciates the luxury of being able to ride on the limit weight.

She clearly remembers two occasions when she came away from the races with winning trebles, one at Cowra and the other at Canberra.

It’s a nice chat with one of the rising stars of the female riding ranks.

Andrew Gluyas had a huge pair of shoes to fill in July of 2023 when he took over the running of French Cotton Lodge at  Morphettville. The stables had been home base to legendary trainer Leon Macdonald for more than four decades. Andrew had been married to Leon’s daughter for five years when he went to work for his father-in-law in 2002.

Seven years later he was delighted to formulate a partnership with the veteran which would generate 560 wins up to the time of Leon’s retirement. Andrew got away to the best possible start as a trainer in his own right, when he won the Victoria Derby with Goldrush Guru the following year. The winners have continued to flow. Delighted to have him on the podcast this week.
Andrew begins by explaining the origins of his unusual surname. 

He looks back on his father-in-law’s retirement in 2023, and recalls the freak accident at Morphettville trackwork when Leon was bowled over by a spooky horse.

Andrew talks of the 21 year association with Leon that shaped his future. 

Gluyas looks back on his previous life as an electrical fitter.

He speaks of his good fortune in being able to co-train some outstanding horses in partnership with Leon.

Andrew pays tribute to astute owner/breeder Harry Perks whose continued support of his stable has been overwhelming.

He acknowledges the talents of Dilly Dally and Go Indy Go, two other very good horses he got to work with.

Andrew speaks glowingly of Goldrush Guru, the horse to kick start his solo training career. He takes us through that exciting Victoria Derby win not long after taking over the operation of French Cotton Lodge.

He speaks highly of the talents of Watchme Win, already the winner of six races. 

He gives punters a good pointer to the future prospects of lightly raced 3YO filly Bassett Babe. 

Andrew pays tribute to his three sons and to Sue, his wife of 29 years. 

The 55 year old trainer endorses the talents of his stable apprentice Taylor Johnston.

While on the subject of jockeys, Andrew expresses his admiration for two former Macdonald apprentices who went on to great acclaim. One of them is still going strongly.

He looks back on a freakish fall in 2019 which ended the career of brilliant young stable apprentice Raquel Clark.

Andrew says he’s delighted to be occupying prominent spots on both the SA and Adelaide trainer’s premiership ladders.

The trainer acknowledges  the achievements of Terry McAuliffe, his brother-in-law by marriage. Terry was a top Adelaide race caller before switching career direction to become Adelaide racing correspondent for Racing.Com.

We couldn’t let Andrew go without some reference to his former passion for the game of baseball. Those who knew him early days remember his achievements for the Glenelg Club.

A lovely chat with a man who learned from a master, and is heading in the same direction.

Please forgive my deviation from our usual interview format but the discovery of some very old broadcast tapes has set me upon a sentimental journey and rekindled memories I’d like to share with you. The centuries old proverb “handsome is as handsome does” has never been better exemplified than it was by the celebrated racehorse Tobin Bronze. 

He ticked every box as a thoroughbred type and endeared himself to racing fans in four magnificent seasons on Australian tracks. His few disappointing performances always came with a legitimate excuse. His finest moments are still revered by those who were around in the days of the horse they called the “Bronze Bullet”. We’ll get back to our usual podcast format next week, but for now I’d like to invite you to join me on a trip down memory lane as we look at the racing life of a deep chestnut stallion who captivated Australia’s thoroughbred lovers in the 1960’s. 
Sincere thanks to Melbourne historian Dennis Najin who made available Bill Collins’ graphic calls of Tobin Bronze’s wins in the Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate of 1967.

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.