John Tapp Racing

A fascinating chat with a man whose recent induction into the Australian Racing Hall Of Fame is testimony to his enormous contribution to the sport. Bob begins by revealing the extent of his battle with Covid 19 last year. He talks of his fascinating family background. On the maternal side he’s a member of the Lindsay family which gave so much to the arts in the early 20th century. His maternal grandmother introduced him to a different kind of art- the pursuit of the bookmaker’s money. He pays tribute to his paternal grandfather Phillip Charley who was a member of the syndicate which discovered the greatest silver lode in Australian history. Bob talks of school days and the influence of two classmates who shared his interest in racing. He talks of a youthful desire to train a racehorse. He acquired a mare from a Sydney stable and won a race with her at Newcastle. He also got to ride her trackwork on one occasion. Bob talks of an unsuccessful attempt to break into race broadcasting and his short stint as