Thanks for checking in on Tappy’s Racing Yarns.

In an era when older jockeys are very much back in favour with owners and trainers, Jon Grisedale is having the time of his life. The 62 year old had to call on all of his vast experience to get Cap D’Ail home at Kembla Grange on Saturday for local trainer Diane Poidevin Laine. Jon and trainer/wife Donna only recently returned to the Kembla training precinct after seven years away at Coffs Harbour.

Originally apprenticed to Bede Horan in the late 1970’s, Grisedale enjoyed a very successful junior term finishing second to Darren Beadman in one Sydney apprentices premiership. As a fully fledged jockey he rode for several leading Sydney stables and was third jockey for the powerful Nebo lodge operation in the late 1980’s. A few years later he was one of Chris Waller’s “go-to” riders when the expat Kiwi launched his Sydney stable. Had a chat with Jon on Sunday morning.

I know few people in racing administration who’ve had a more diversified career than Bill Charles. Now approaching his 80th birthday Bill continues to engage in some part time managerial work for prominent trainers John Thompson and Matthew Smith. After beginning his working life with the National Bank, young Charles soon found a niche in the racing industry.

He made a modest start as a clerk with the Sydney Turf Club and for the next 45 years would fill several roles in racing, two of them outside Australia. He knew many of racing’s great characters and obviously picked up a million stories along the way. Bill shares a few of his favourite tales on this week’s podcast.

Had a lovely email recently from a harness racing fan who’d scoured the website in search of some material on Victorian trots trainer Peter Manning. He wasn’t aware of a visit I paid to the Manning property at Great Western 25 years ago. At the time Peter had emerged as Australia’s most revolutionary trainer. He had some unorthodox methods and employed them on a most unusual training track. We located the story in the archives and it’s a pleasure to give it another run on “Inside Racing Flashbacks”.

Tappy

(Banner image courtesy Steve Hart Photographics.)