Idol Horse Podcast

George Boughey chats to Andrew Le Jeune about his preparations for the big races at Royal Ascot this week. 

Callan Murray speaks to Andrew Le Jeune about his riding career and his recent triumphant return to South Africa. 

Ger Lyons joins Andrew Le Jeune for a wide-ranging chat on racing, including discussion on training strategies and horse development, quality versus quantity in training, hypocrisy in horse welfare, and champion jockey Colin Keane.

Rob Heathcote joins the Andrew Le Jeune to talk about his journey from Contiki tour guide to horse trainer and his veteran sprinter Rothfire. 

Irish trainer Joseph O'Brien chats with Idol Horse about his journey from jockey to trainer and what comes next. 

Popular Australian horse Mr Bightside is headed to Hong Kong for the G1 Champions Mile on April 27. Mr Brightside's co-trainer Ben Hayes joins Andrew Le Jeune for a wide-ranging chat. 

Tom Charlton chats to Andrew Le Jeune on his journey from UK to Australian racing and becoming co-trainer to John O'Shea. 

Superstar jockey William Buick joins the Idol Horse Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation with Andrew Le Jeune, including his partnership with champion globetrotter Rebel's Romance and memories of 2018 Pakistan Star's famous QEII Cup victory. 

Welcome to the first episode of the new Idol Horse Podcast, "News Desk", where each week host Andrew Le Jeune will chat with Idol Horse journalists about the biggest stories in world racing. 

South African trainer Sean Tarry has won more than 70 G1 races. He speaks to the Idol Horse Podcast on all things South African racing, including market trends, the country's growing horse syndication market and the best days to go racing in South Africa. 

New Zealand trainer Shaun Clotworthy joins the Idol Horse podcast to discuss his journey in horse training, the partnership with his wife Emma, and their preparations for the upcoming New Zealand Derby with their horse Willydoit. He shares insights into their training methods, the micro-share syndicators My Racehorse and the current state of the New Zealand racing industry. 

00:00 Introduction to Shaun Clotworthy and Willydoit

05:14 Shaun's Background and Transition to Horse Training

09:55 The Role of Shaun's Wife Emma and Their Training Partnership

14:59 Willydoit's Journey and Ownership Structure

Tom Dabernig has had a fascinating journey in horse racing. The grandson of Australian horse training legend Colin Hayes and nephew of David and Peter Hayes. Tom discusses the importance of facilities, training techniques, and the influence of his early career experiences. He reflects on his successful partnership with David Hayes at Lindsay Park and the transition to independent training, emphasising the significance of quality over quantity in his current stable. He also touches on future aspirations and the potential for international racing opportunities.

In this episode, Luke Ferraris, a rising star in Hong Kong racing, shares his journey from the South African Jockeys Academy to becoming a successful jockey in Hong Kong. The son of former Hong Kong trainer David Ferraris, Luke discusses his early influences, the challenges of adapting to the competitive racing environment in Hong Kong, and his goals and aspirations for the future, including his partnership with a potential 'flagship' horse in the form of the Mark Newnham-trained Hong Kong Classic Mile winner My Wish.

Legendary South African jockey and now a successful trainer Michael Roberts reflects on his illustrious career, the transition from riding to training, and the current state of horse racing in South Africa. 

Roberts has leading chance See It Again in this weekend's Cape Met. 

Zac Purton reflects on his illustrious career in Hong Kong. He shares insights into the 'cutthroat' nature of the racing scene, the evolution of local trainers and his fierce rivalry with Douglas Whyte  Looking ahead, he expresses excitement for future races and the emergence of Ka Ying Rising.
 
 
 Chapters

00:00 Zac Purton's journey in Hong Kong racing
03:18 "Cutthroat" ... the relentless nature of Hong Kong racing
06:35 The rise of local trainers and changing dynamics of Hong Kong racing 

09:30 Family 

10:15 Relationship with Douglas Whyte  
11:57 Zac's prank gone wrong on Dougl...

Andrew Le Jeune catches up with Alistar Cohen to talk all things South African racing. 

They discuss the current state of South African horse racing, and the upcoming King's Plate and the Cape Town MET on January 25. Also on the podcast, the impact of World Pool, the aspirations of South African racing on the global stage and who are the emerging talents in the jockey and training ranks? 

What is the state of South American horse racing? We catch up with Brazilian racing journalist and Chief Handicapping Representative for South America Ricardo Ravagnani. 

We talk about the impact of international events like the recent Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini and its partnership with World Pool. The discussion also delves into the challenges faced by the industry, including competition from other sports, breeding quality, and the importance of promoting the sport to a wider audience. 

As the excitement of the Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) week builds we catch up with Hong Kong Mile contender Antino's Hong Kong-based owner Jeetu Ramchandani. 

Jeetu shares insights into his passion for horse racing, the challenges and joys of owning a racehorse, and the anticipation leading up to the big race. The discussion also touches on the future plans for Antino and the potential for international racing opportunities.
 
 
 Chapters:

00:00 The Excitement of HKIR Week

10:51 Antino's Journey and Owner's Passion

16:22 Future Plans and International Aspirations

Trainer David Hayes has the most exciting prospect in Hong Kong racing: Ka Ying Rising will be favourite in the Hong Kong Sprint on December 8, but what next for the emerging superstar? 

The Hong Kong International Races are nearly here and the Idol Horse team is right across all four races. 

Andrew Le Jeune, David Morgan and Andrew Hawkins analyse the Sprint, Mile, Cup and Vase ahead of HKIR on December 8. 

Andrew Le Jeune speaks with trainer Richard Freedman about the Melbourne Cup, the importance of vet protocols and the rise of the mega stable. Freedman reflects on the glory days of "F.B.I." and the challenges faced by the next generation of trainers. 

In this engaging conversation, legendary jockey Brett Prebble shares insights from his illustrious career, including his transition to a media role, the emotional challenges of retirement and his intense rivalry with Douglas Whyte in Hong Kong. He reflects on the importance of connections with horses and trainers, particularly John Size, and discusses the qualities that make a champion horse. Prebble's candid anecdotes and reflections provide a unique perspective on Hong Kong racing. 

Brett shares his experiences as a jockey in Hong Kong, discussing notable horses like Sacred Kingdom, Bullish Luck, and Lucky Nine. He reflects on the i...

In this episode of the Idol Horse Podcast, host Andrew Le Jeune speaks with  jockey Oisin Murphy about his recent successes, including his fourth British Jockey' Championship. Murphy opens up on balancing commitments across various racing circuits, the importance of setting goals and the physical demands of being a jockey. The star jockey also shares insights on the upcoming Breeders' Cup, some of the best horses he has ridden and the differences in racing rules across countries, particularly the contentious whip rules. 

Racing in Macau stopped six months ago but former trainer Geoff Allendorf still goes to the stables every morning, just like he has since childhood, taking care of his horses. 

Allendorf’s three decades-plus career in Asian racing ended when the Macau Jockey Club ran its last races on March 30 this year but Allendorf remains here on a promise to owners and through his own love of horses. 

“The owners all went into a panic because they love their horses,” Allendorf told the Idol Horse Podcast. “So I said to them, I...

When it was announced that Mark Newnham would be headed to Hong Kong at age 55 he was adamant it was a 'one way ticket' and he would train there until he retired. 

Mark had worked in Sydney racing for the previous 40 years, in stables, as a mature-aged apprentice, then jockey, assistant and trainer, so we thought he'd be the perfect person to provide some perspective on racing in New South Wales, where prizemoney is booming, but independent and educated industry views are sometimes hard to find. 

Mark also talks about the whip: do jockeys need to...

A conversation with Andrew Rule, an accomplished crime author and investigative journalist, covers his passion for horse racing and his involvement in the film 'A Horse Called Winx'. The film tells the story of the legendary racehorse Winx and her trainer Chris Waller. 

Rule shares his experience in horse racing journalism and the changes he has witnessed in the industry. He also shares his views on the challenges the sport faces in the modern age and what needs to be done to combat them. 

Afterwards, Idol Horse Editor Michael Cox chats with journalist Cameron Williams, wh...

David Eustace faces a daunting task ahead of his first season in Hong Kong. He speaks to Andrew Le Jeune about his plans for the 2024/25 season, why he will be taking a patient approach and the trainers he has sought advice from in Hong Kong. 

02:23 David's family connection to Hong Kong racing.
06:04 Adapting training methods to Hong Kong.
09:20 Seeking advice from rival trainers. 
14:12 Bloodstock strategy. 
17:16 First season goals.

Idol Horse tackles the biggest events on the world horse racing calendar. Expect to hear interviews from the biggest names in the sport and insight, breaking news and forthright opinion from the Idol Horse team.