John Tapp Racing

In Part 1 the former champion jockey talks about life out of the saddle. He has spent almost 8 years with Racing Queensland, counselling and mentoring jockeys in need of a helping hand. Shane looks back on the days when he had to take short breaks from riding in order to retain his enthusiasm. He looks back on his childhood involvement with horses. His sister loved the more elegant riding disciplines. Shane loved the speed events at pony club. Shane recalls the first trainer he approached about an indentureship knocked him back. He eventually got a start with an astute Eagle Farm trainer called Tom Dawson. The former star jockey recalls his first winner. He rode a double in fact, and one of the races was restricted to quarter horses. Scriven had to come to Sydney to win his first Group 1, on a filly called Tingo Tango trained by Doug Bougoure of Strawberry Road fame. He talks of the trainer destined to be his father in law.