James Joseph Atkins is a revered name in Queensland racing, but for those who knew him, it was the way the legendary trainer went about his craft which defined him more than the winners he had on the track. In the final Written In the Stars, Jessica Owers talks to those who knew JJ, and witnessed, with fascination, his "old ways".
Rothfire caused a Doomben 10,000 boilover with Robert Heathcote's cult sprinter adding a second Group 1 triumph, nearly six years after his first.
Peter Moody and Luke Nolen combined for yet another Group 1 win in The Goodwood with Desert Lightning, one of two feature Australian winners for Pride Of Dubai on Saturday.
Born into one of Australia's most famous racing families, Sam Hayes had no shortage of career advice growing up, but it was the words of ice hockey legend Wayne Gretzky, plus the inspiration of his late father Peter, which led him to step in his own direction.
Kiwi import Wigmore caused a major Group 1 upset in the South Australian Derby, giving trainer Phillip Stokes and owners OTI a second-straight win in the Classic.
Chris Waller and James McDonald continued their Group 1-winning run in the Australasian Oaks, while a Tasmanian mare, trained by a Kiwi prevailed in a thrilling Robert Sangster Stakes.
In an industry full of unsung heroes, Basil Nolan doesn’t know why he was singled out for induction into the Queensland Racing Hall Of Fame. But as Jessica Owers reports, Nolan’s experiences in 54 years running Raheen Stud have shaped a perspective which has helped him give back to the thoroughbred industry.
Over 14 years, Emma Cully has become an indispensable and important part of the success of Star Thoroughbreds - the quiet constant beside Denise Martin. So how did this Irish-born daughter of a national hunt trainer end up in the heartbeat of one of Australia’s leading syndication companies? Jessica Owers finds out.
Apache Cat was born to stand out, be it on the racetrack, in the paddock or in retirement, as an ambassador for the industry. As the first equine subject of Written In the Stars, Jessica Owers found out from those closest to him that he was never destined to be "just another brown horse".
Soft-spoken and studiously modest, Adrian Bott has spent a decade alongside Gai Waterhouse shaping Tulloch Lodge’s modern chapter. He talks to Jessica Owers about balancing pressure and expectation, all the while proving the quietest voices in racing can still command the highest respect.
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