John Tapp Racing

Great to catch up with trainer Noel Mayfield-Smith who recently pulled up stakes and relocated from Hawkesbury to sunny Coffs Harbour. He explains why he settled on the north coast. Noel talks of his new association with “Stable Of Stars”, a syndication company which offers horses for lease rather than sale. The trainer explains the concept. The trainer pays tribute to wife Emma who has ridden the bulk of his trackwork for most of their married life. Noel talks of his reconnection with Jon Grisedale who at one stage was number three Nebo Lodge jockey. Now in his mid fifties Grisedale is riding better than ever, and rides an enormous amount of trackwork at Coffs. We go back to young Noel’s days as a bank teller and the surly customer who was indirectly responsible for his move to another job. Noel reflects on his move to Sydney when his brother Brian was offered the number one training job for the late Millie Fox. He looks back on his decision to go solo at Newcastle in 1991. He talks of his very first w