John Tapp Racing

It’s always a delight to chat with Darren Gauci who won a million friends during his magnificent riding career. He begins by looking back on his twilight years in the saddle when opportunities were diminishing. Darren will long remember the send off he was accorded at Caulfield in Feb 2017. He responded in the best possible way by riding a winner. Emotions ran high through the day. He talks of his current routine as a jockey mentor for Racing Victoria, and the services available to up and coming young riders. Darren talks of the natural instinct some hopefuls have for riding. He mentions one modern day champion who didn’t have that instinct. The former champion rider looks back on early wins and his first Group 1 at eighteen years of age. He rated the horse very highly. Darren remembers the surprise he got when an enthusiastic fan club started to appear at Melbourne race meetings. He reflects on the wisdom of his master Frank King who devised a simple way to keep his feet on the ground. Darren looks bac