John Tapp Racing

18/12/2025

We join the many other platforms to pay tribute to Ray Thomas following his retirement after 35 years with the Daily Telegraph. He was a sports mad kid who fell in love with racing when captivated by a radio call of the 1971 Caulfield Cup. Ray’s on the podcast.
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Ray Thomas’ recent decision to quit his high pressure role triggered a flood of tributes for the hugely popular media identity.

17/12/2025

Training duo Richard and Will Freedman won races on three tracks over the weekend. The stable’s best result was a win with Pocketing at Randwick. Richard says a week on the family farm worked wonders with the Yulong gelding.
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“This kid has a very rare talent,” was co-trainer Richard Freedman’s comment after Braith Nock’s win on Pocketing in Saturday’s Bob Ingham AO Hcp at Randwick.

16/12/2025

This week we profile Pocketing and trainers Richard and Will Freedman. On the podcast, we welcome recently retired Daily Telegraph Racing Editor Ray Thomas. Brought to you by . View the stories at www.johntapp.racing

Richard and Will Freedman have developed a very workable training operation since joining forces in 2022. Will manages a forty horse team at Rosehill Gardens with his dad in attendance on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Richard lives on his 200 acre farm “Yellow Rock” at historic Broke in the Hunter Region.

Whenever one of the Rosehill based horses appears in need of a “freshen,” off to the farm it goes. Richard has the job of readjusting the mindsets of up to twelve horses at a time. Pocketing showed the benefit of a recent “sea change” on the property by scoring impressively at Randwick on Saturday. We caught up with Richard over the weekend.

Many sections of sports media have paid tribute to ace journalist Ray Thomas following his recent retirement from the role of Daily Telegraph Racing Editor. I’d like to add my sentiments about Ray’s stellar career by having him as a special guest on this week’s podcast.

The Ray Thomas story is almost as spellbinding as some of the great racing tales he’s penned over 35 years with the famous tabloid. Let Ray take you back to his early life in Hong Kong and a move to Perth with his family at age 7. His early fascination with Aussie Rules and cricket was slowly overtaken by a burgeoning passion for horse racing - a passion inflamed by the impact of one particular race call in 1971.

11/12/2025

In this week’s podcast we take a trip down memory lane with 91 year old Inverell trainer John Berger. Those who were around in John’s time remember him as an astute horseman whose horses always came first.
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My thanks to Luke Berger who suggested we should take a trip down memory lane with his grandfather John, who’s remembered as one of the best country trainers of his generation.

10/12/2025

The crowd was small at the Kenso meeting last Friday, but it seemed like Everest day to Canberra trainer Rob Potter who saddled up his first winner at the historic precinct. Rob talks about the training change that has given Laurel Hill a new lease of life.
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“Even though the race was run on the Kensington track I’m claiming it as my first Randwick win,” said Canberra trainer Rob Potter

09/12/2025

This week we profile Laurel Hill and her trainer Rob Potter. On the podcast, we welcome former trainer John Berger. Brought to you by . View the stories at www.johntapp.racing

The TAB Hcp on the Kenso track last Friday afternoon attracted very little attention in racing circles, but it meant the world to Canberra trainer Rob Potter. The former farrier has won 160 races in ten years of training, but this was his first success at historic Royal Randwick albeit on the inside circuit.

Rob’s milestone moment was provided by six year old mare Laurel Hill who made it back to back wins. Rob explains a recent change in the mare’s training routine which has had the desired effect. We profile the very interesting background of the farrier turned horse trainer.

I’ve always enjoyed the reminiscences of veteran trainers. This week we’re joined on the podcast by 91 year old John Berger who spent his 35 year training career in the New England region of NSW, winning many races on a wide range of tracks.

John never got to train a top class galloper but made the most of every opportunity to come his way. Many jockeys and trainers from John’s era speak highly of his training skills. My thanks to his grandson Luke Berger who suggested I should talk to the veteran horseman. It’s a great trip down memory lane.

04/12/2025

Clint Lundholm wins races on western districts tracks with amazing consistency. On the rare occasions he comes to town, his horses are respected by punters. Clint’s on the podcast to talk about his fleeting career as a jockey and a predictable transition to the training ranks.
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Clint Lundholm stands 182 cm and weighs in at 80kgs but continues to ride regular trackwork at Dubbo. It’s hard to believe the same bloke was a professional jockey for close to three years in which time he posted 218 wins

03/12/2025

There’s a good story behind the Country Classic winner Blacklist. Sourced out of Victoria by Luke Berger Racing, skilfully set for the race by Mack Griffith and expertly ridden by Tim Clark. Luke and Mack share their versions of the story.
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Luke Berger calls himself a racehorse ownership group manager rather than a syndicator.

02/12/2025

This week trainer Mack Griffith and Luke Berger share their story of Blacklist. On the podcast, we chat with trainer Clint Lundholm. Brought to you by . View the stories at www.johntapp.racing

Tim Clark has long held a reputation as a masterful rider of front runners, something that gets up his nose from time to time. The jockey maintains he’s equally effective on a back marker and relishes the opportunity to prove it from time to time. His come-from-behind ride to win the Country Classic on Blacklist was as good as it gets.

This four year old gelding is an interesting story - sourced out of Victoria by Luke Berger Racing and given to experienced Mack Griffith to train. From the moment he walked into Mack’s Mudgee stables, the Country Classic was his mission. The long range plan came off like clockwork. Mack and Luke Berger share their sides of the story.

On the podcast is third generation horse trainer Clint Lundholm who’s a regular in the winner’s circle on western districts tracks. In 2022/2023 he had a team of fifty horses in work and travelled huge mileage to win 75 races in NSW. Nowadays he’s back to 20 horses, enjoying the job much more and winning the lion’s share of races. Clint tried his hand as a jockey and rode 218 winners before being overtaken by increasing weight. Today he’s very much the quintessential country trainer.

27/11/2025

On the podcast is Braith Nock, last season’s champion Sydney apprentice. This young man has transitioned from bull riding to race riding in spectacular fashion. He talks of his burgeoning career with typical humility.
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Racing’s best judges were predicting a big future for Braith Nock long before he ever rode in a race. How right they were!

26/11/2025

Jason Coyle got a pleasant surprise on arriving at Kembla to learn two things - pre post favourite Zealously had been scratched from The Warra and the track was holding up to the weather. He decided to run Catch The Glory, and the rest is history. Jason shares the story.
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As Jason Coyle travelled to the Kembla Grange meeting on Saturday he was at sixes and sevens regarding a start for Catch The Glory in The Warra, the $300,000 Gr 3 co-feature to the The Gong.

25/11/2025

This week we profile Catch The Glory and her trainer Jason Coyle. On the podcast, we chat with jockey Braith Nock. Brought to you by . View the stories at www.johntapp.racing

Talented Warwick Farm trainer Jason Coyle was in two minds about starting Catch The Glory in The Warra, right up until his arrival at Kembla Grange. The weather report was ominous, and he was doubtful that his mare could beat the Peter Snowden trained Zealously.

He was pleasantly surprised to learn that the track was holding up, and that Snowden had scratched Zealously. Suddenly everything had changed. Catch The Glory went out and scored an emphatic win in the $300,000 Gr 3 defeating favourite The Black Cloud. Had a chat with Jason on Sunday morning.

Good judges were tipping a bright future for Braith Nock long before he rode in races, and they were spot on. The gifted youngster has transitioned from bull riding to the race riding craft in brilliant fashion.

He won at his first race ride and hasn’t looked back. Braith stamped his potential with a dominant win in last season’s Sydney apprentice’s premiership. It’s all systems go for the quietly spoken moustachioed young jockey. He joined us on the podcast after a busy three days of race riding.