John Tapp Racing

Great to catch up with one of Victoria’s best liked horsemen. Robbie begins by revealing that he’s just getting over some long overdue shoulder surgery. He recalls having met South African training wizard Mike De Kock at a Melbourne horse sale. He says he was surprised when Mike asked him to show his son Matthew around the state of the art Cranbourne training centre. Robbie explains his reasons for creating the first training partnership between an Aussie and a South African. The talented horseman speaks openly about the health scare he endured last year when it was discovered he had a dangerous brain aneurysm. Robbie pays tribute to his brother Rodney a former champion Melbourne jockey. He looks back on his apprenticeship to Bob Scarlett and the thrill of his first win. He rode two more winners over the next two days. Rob also remembers his first outright city winner. The trainer reminisces about his early days at the defunct Epsom training precinct, and pays tribute to two of its legendary trainers.