John Tapp Racing

21/08/2025

On the podcast is vastly experienced country trainer Mack Griffith who’s sitting on 643 career wins. Following a decade with the Goree Stud enterprise, Mack has opted to stay in Mudgee. The trainer shares the story of his life with thoroughbreds.
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Mack Griffith has long been regarded as one of the most astute country based trainers in the state. He learned the trade from his late father John. (CLICK ON IMAGE FOR MORE PHOTOS)

20/08/2025

Good to see expat Irish horseman Steve O’Halloran land his first Saturday metro training win at Rosehill. Steve talks of his solo training career and tells the fascinating backstory about his all important win with Mal Coupe.
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Steve O’Halloran’s Irish accent was more lilting than ever as he responded to our phone call on Sunday morning.

20/08/2025

This week we profile trainer Steve O’Halloran, and on the podcast, we chat with country trainer Mack Griffith. Brought to you by . View the stories at www.johntapp.racing

Saturday’s Rosehill meeting will be long remembered by expat Irishman Steve O’Halloran who experienced his first Saturday metro training success with Mal Coupe. It’s just over three years since Steve went solo as a commercial trainer at Hawkesbury, following a stint as private trainer at Paul Fudge’s lavish B**g B**g Farm operation on the Southern Highlands.

We talk to Steve about his early racing aspirations in Ireland and a sudden impulse to try his luck in Australia. He landed a job almost immediately with Tulloch Lodge and spent seventeen years as one of G*i Waterhouse’s busiest trackwork riders. Steve shares the amazing backstory to Saturday’s winner Mal Coupe.

On the podcast is a man who has long been regarded as one of the most astute country based trainers in the state. Mack Griffith and brother Luke learned the basics of the craft from father John, a talented trainer in his own right. Mack talks of several childhood years in the northern territory and north Queensland before the family finally settled back in Scone.

The trainer took out his own trainer’s licence on his 18th birthday and has been around thoroughbreds ever since. He’s credited with 643 career wins so far, and at just 55 there are many more in the pipeline. Mack talks of a very rewarding decade as Spelling and Pre-Training manager for the famous Gooree Stud. Great to catch up with a man who’s had a fascinating journey in racing.

14/08/2025

David McColm was greatly humbled by his Kosciuszko win last year with Far Too Easy who’d been placed in the previous two editions of the race. David joins us on the podcast to review a lifetime in racing and the reason for his recent move from Murwillumbah to the Gold Coast.
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David McColm’s handling of media commitments after the 2024 Kosciuszko won him many friends. It was well documented that his talented horse Far Too Easy had endured several setbacks. (CLICK ON IMAGE FOR MORE PHOTOS)

13/08/2025

With no Sydney metropolitan meeting on Saturday regular punters quickly turned their attention to the eight race card at Newcastle where a H10 track rating was posted. Training honours went to Adam Duggan who had two runners for two winners. The Gosford trainer profiles both horses.
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The Newcastle Jockey Club received an unexpected boost to TAB turnover when Saturday’s Randwick meeting was called off.

13/08/2025

This week we profile trainer Adam Duggan, and on the podcast, we chat with trainer David McColm. Brought to you by . View the stories at www.johntapp.racing

Adam Duggan stole training honours at the Newcastle meeting with a perfect score - two runners for two winners. Both Duggan runners Erina and Divine Bene were very effective on the H10 going. Adam believes Divine Bene is several lengths better on rain affected ground than he is on a firm track. The Gosford trainer won’t be too disappointed if the rain hangs around a little longer.

Both Erina and Divine Bene are late bloomers. Erina was having her first race start as a four year old. Divine Bene actually appeared at the official two year old trials in 2022 but didn’t race for another eighteen months. The five year old was having only his thirteenth start on Saturday. Adam shares the backstories behind both horses.

Our podcast guest this week is David McColm who recently relocated from Murwillumbah to the Gold Coast. His move to another state will preclude his star galloper Far Too Easy from contesting a fourth Kosciuszko in October. Following minor placings in 2022 and 2023, Far Too Easy blew the opposition away last year.

David McColm endeared himself to many racing fans on and off course, immediately after the biggest win of his forty year training career. The sixty four year old started his racing life as an apprentice jockey knowing full well his riding career wouldn’t last long. He managed to ride 70 winners before rapidly increasing weight sent him in another direction. Great to catch up with a totally dedicated horseman.

08/08/2025

We have a brief look at Saturday’s Jockey’s Reunion at Rosehill. Co-organiser and gun photographer Steve Hart caught many candids of the jockeys of yesteryear.
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It was former race photographer Steve Hart who first floated the idea of a Sydney reunion to NSW Jockey’s Association CEO Tony Crisafi.

07/08/2025

Pain and discomfort from an old shoulder injury has forced veteran jockey Darryl McLellan into retirement. The fifty four year old aggravated the injury in a Port Macquarie fall last December and has struggled ever since. “Digger” reviews his successful career on our podcast.
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Darryl McLellan’s recent retirement announcement caught a few racing mates by surprise. It was well known that the 54 year old was still enjoying his riding and happy to travel big mileage if the mounts were there. (CLICK ON IMAGE FOR MORE PHOTOS)

06/08/2025

A trainer’s first city win creates indelible memories. Denim Wynen sampled that special feeling on Saturday when Sunshine Law won at Rosehill. The 29 year old mother of two shares her touching story.
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Denim Wynen arrived at Rosehill on Saturday with mixed feelings about her decision to bring Monkhana and Sunshine Law to the races.

06/08/2025

This week we profile trainer Denim Wynen. On the podcast we chat with recently retired jockey Darryl “Digger” McLellan. We also share photos from the annual Jockeys Reunion. Brought to you by . View the stories at www.johntapp.racing

For a professional horse trainer, a maiden metropolitan win provides an indelible memory. Most trainers remember the venue, the jockey, the track, and where their horse was during the run. Wyong trainer Denim Wynen will remember every last detail of Sunshine Law’s win in Saturday’s Fillies and Mares BM78 at Rosehill Gardens - her first city win since getting serious about horse training in 2022.

Denim learned the ropes from Kristen Buchanan before kicking off on a hobby basis at Port Macquarie in 2016. Six years later she acquired four boxes on Wyong racecourse and quietly launched her professional career. She rarely has more than six horses in work, but has established a very healthy strike rate. Denim was still on cloud nine when we contacted her on Sunday morning.

Darryl “Digger” McLellan caught many people off guard when he quietly announced his retirement in mid July. The 54 year old aggravated an old shoulder injury in a Port Macquarie spill last December and was out for close to five months. He’d had only twenty two rides on the comeback trail before the shoulder discomfort returned.

The veteran jockey was still enjoying his race riding and looked as polished as ever when winning on Zelestial recently at Coffs Harbour. “Digger” joins us on the podcast to review a career that brought him more than 1700 Australian wins and a large number in Macau. He won two Gr 1’s and a few others which have since been promoted to Gr 1 status. It’s a good yarn with an evergreen and thoroughly dedicated Aussie jockey.

Sydney’s prolonged “big wet” kept a few country based veterans away from Rosehill on Saturday, but 65 former riders turned up for the annual Jockeys Reunion. Nostalgia reigned supreme as the jockeys of yesteryear looked back on days gone by. We’ve posted a selection of “snaps” taken by co-organiser Steve Hart.

31/07/2025

Older racing fans will enjoy a trip down memory lane with former star Queensland jockey Graham Cook. The eighty two year old joins us on the podcast to reflect on a career that brought him 2464 winners including 9 Gr 1’s and a swag of black type victories.
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Queensland has long been regarded as a nursery for budding champion jockeys. Prime examples are George Moore and Neville Sellwood who both rode English Derby winners in addition to their stellar Australian careers. (CLICK ON IMAGE FOR MORE PHOTOS)