Thanks for checking in on Tappy’s Racing Yarns.

Former jockey Ben Vassallo had good reason to be jumping for joy after Savvy Hallie’s win in Saturday’s Gr 2 Light Fingers Stakes at Randwick. Ben is a long time Racing Manager for the filly’s major owners BK Racing and just happens to share in the ownership. Ben actually identified the Hellbent filly at the 2024 Inglis Classic Sale and engineered her purchase for $320,000.

Saturday’s win took her total prize money tally to $844,000. Her potential value has been greatly enhanced by two wins at Gr 2 level. Ben Vassallo’s story is the kind that makes racing tick. From a non racing Maltese family Ben had to work his tail off to become a professional jockey. He loved every minute of his time in the saddle and regards himself as one lucky man to have been given a wonderful “after racing” opportunity by Brad and Kylie Hunt, founders of BK Racing. The Ben Vassallo story is an inspiring one.

Kiwi born Richard Litt had worked for three high profile Sydney trainers by the time he made the decision to encourage his trainer/father Jim to bring horses to Sydney ten years ago. The duo acquired boxes at Warwick Farm and got started on the formidable task of trying to break into the fiercely competitive Sydney training ranks. They’d barely started to make their marks when a family tragedy back in NZ changed their lives.

Jim made the decision to return to Hawera after the sudden passing of Richard’s older brother Jay. At his father’s insistence Richard acquired his own training brief and plunged headlong into his new and challenging role. Nine years on he has 200 winners on the board including three at Gr 1 level. He’s now firmly established in the stables previously occupied by Clarrie Conners and wouldn’t change a thing. Richard takes us through an amazing decade on this week’s podcast.

Shane Arden developed an interest in the riding career of Brian York during his years with the Waikato Times in Hamilton NZ. Many years later the pair connected by Facebook before a face to face meeting was organised in Queensland. The upshot of that meeting was a new book entitled “Yorky”, which is now available for racing fans. Keep scrolling and we’ll tell you more about it.

Tappy

(Banner image courtesy Steve Hart Photographics.)