John Tapp Racing

14/11/2025

Former race photographer Steve Hart has been out and about with his new video camera. His first guest is ace jockey Tommy Berry who’s on the tail end of a very productive spring carnival. Steve has kindly allowed us to give the interview a run.
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It’s unlikely Sydney racing has ever known a more media friendly jockey than Tommy Berry.

13/11/2025

On the podcast is Craig Widdison who was a late bloomer in racing. He began his own training career just nine years ago and quickly got amongst the winners. He bounced back from a major setback in 2022 and hasn’t taken a backward step. The former roller hockey star is in the business for the long haul.
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Many young people born into racing families develop an affinity with horses from a very early age. Not the case with Craig Widdison.

12/11/2025

Trainer Brad Widdup has been getting impatient of late waiting for Sunset Park to deliver the talent he knew she possessed. The imported mare put it all together in freezing conditions at Flemington to blow the opposition away in the Matriarch Stakes. Brad shares the backstory.
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“I was waiting for the horse transport when it returned to my Hawkesbury stables after the Rosehill barrier trials one day in July of last year,” recalled Brad Widdup.

11/11/2025

This week we profile Sunset Park and her trainer Brad Widdup. On the podcast, we welcome trainer Craig Widdison. We also share Steve Hart’s interview with Tommy Berry. Brought to you by . View the stories at www.johntapp.racing

Hawkesbury trainer Brad Widdup was oblivious to the rain and biting wind as his imported mare Sunset Park led all the way to score a dominant win in Saturday’s GR 2 Matriarch Stakes at Flemington. Brad had long held the belief that the daughter of Sea The Stars was better than her form suggested.

The trainer pays tribute to long time stable client Adrian Whittingham who’s proving to be a very good judge of overseas horses. Brad shares the backstory of the well bred mare whose racing debut was put on hold following a floating accident last year.

On the podcast is Wodonga trainer Craig Widdison who spends more time on southern NSW tracks than he does in his home state of Victoria. Craig is a regular at places like Albury and Wagga, and only recently turned up at Cootamundra with a winner.

The forty six year old admits he was far more interested in a sporting career early in life, but the tide turned when he was offered a job in a leading Ballarat stable in 2000. It was 2016 before he decided to go it alone as a professional trainer. Craig’s winning run was halted by a major setback in 2020. He speaks openly about his two year ban.

Despite a hectic schedule in October jockey Tommy Berry graciously found the time to talk to Steve Hart about the highs and lows of his productive career. This chat coincided with the “maiden run” of Steve’s new video camera. We’ve included the interview in this week’s content.

07/11/2025

We’ve posted a touching letter released in Queensland by veteran caller Tony McMahon. The 73 year old had recently dismissed his future prospects as a race caller following a number of seizures, but made a cracking return at Gladstone on Cox Plate day.
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One of my favourite podcasts this year was the one we presented in June with the extraordinarily versatile Queensland racing identity Tony McMahon.

06/11/2025

Ballina trainer Stephen Lee joins us on the podcast to review his 30 years in the business. A winning trot in October took him to 850 career wins. It’s a good yarn with a trainer who gives his horses a lot of time on the beach.
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It's always a pleasure to welcome a bush trainer to the podcast. Our guest this week is Stephen Lee who chips away diligently from his Ballina base season after season with consistent results.

05/11/2025

Tash Burleigh held back the tears as stable warrior Pokerjack destroyed a handy field in Saturday’s BM78. It was win number eight for the veteran gelding, including six in town. Tash explains what the win meant to her.
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Tash Burleigh doesn’t usually get emotional when one of her horses goes past the post in front, but it all got the better of the Goulburn trainer in the moments after Pokerjack’s emphatic win in the 1100m BM78 at Randwick.

04/11/2025

This week we profile trainer Tash Burleigh, and on the podcast, we welcome trainer Stephen Lee. We also share a touching letter by Tony McMahon. Brought to you by . View the stories at www.johntapp.racing

Bush trainers savour a win at Royal Randwick any day of the week. To do it on Golden Eagle day at the historic venue is mind boggling stuff. Goulburn’s Tash Burleigh was reduced to tears when her stable favourite Pokerjack didn’t just win but bolted home in the BM78 Bisley Workwear Sprint on Saturday.

Tash has trained the eight year old for all of his 45 starts taking him to 8 wins and 8 placings for over half a million dollars in prize money. The former jockey rides Pokerjack in his trackwork and is across all of his little quirks. Tash was still processing her day of days when we called on Sunday morning.

While on the subject of bush trainers we welcome Stephen Lee to the podcast. The Ballina based horseman has maintained a steady strike rate since commencing operations thirty years ago. A recent winning trot sees Stephen sitting on a very healthy 850 career wins. He attributes much of his recent success to the benefits of working his horses on the pristine South Ballina Beach.

We’ve added to this week’s content a letter posted recently by Queensland all rounder Tony McMahon. The veteran expresses delight with his return as a race caller at the Cox Plate day meeting at Gladstone, following several worrying seizures. Tony’s letter triggered an amazing response when posted on Facebook and popular online publication Racing Around Queensland.

31/10/2025

I enjoyed this conversation with Ian Hawkins on The Sport Is Life Podcast. Watch here: The Sport Is Life Podcast with Ian Hawkins

If you want to get support directly from us to remove your repetitive self-doubt, join our FREE community: The Sport Is Life Movement - https://www.facebook....

30/10/2025

Jessica Owers is a hugely talented freelance writer who every once in a while finds the time to complete a book. Her third has just been launched - Magic Millions - The Rise, Fall And Extraordinary Rise Of An Iconic Australian Company. Jess is on the podcast to tell us more about an amazing story.
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Jessica Owers was well established as a feature writer for several respected racing publications before being invited to tackle her first book in 2011.

29/10/2025

Joe Pride was quick off the mark in his role as one of Godolphin’s nine new trainers. He won with Kerguelen three weeks after commencing duties and last Saturday delivered a Gr 1 for the global racing giant. Joe reflects on the surprise offer.
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“I was both surprised and delighted when asked to be part of an interview process when Godolphin changed direction a few months ago,” said in form trainer Joe Pride.