Matt Stewart

Michael Freedman was still in high school when the Freedman brothers emerged as a new force in Australian racing. Forty years later, the youngest Freedman is driving the latest chapter, with the help of his new assistant, Hall of Fame brother Lee.

From jockey to shearer to trainer to his home state’s Hall of Fame, Tony McEvoy has traversed the country in a 50-year career that will be honoured by the South Australian Racing Hall of Fame. He reflected on his racing journey with Matt Stewart.

New names at the top of racing premierships around Australia are a pointer to how the face of the sport is changing in Australia, writes Matt Stewart.

Leon Corstens is one of the remaining active links to a legendary Flemington era, which has his old boss, Bart Cummings, at its centre. At 80, he is still a key background figure, now in the resurgence of fortunes of the stable he shares with his son Troy, and Will Larkin.

Colour theory, papal visits and that Arc near-miss are all part of the legend of Brian Smith, who retires from training at age 84 this month. Matt Stewart caught up with the legendary horseman, who said he’s done with “thinking too much”.

In a couple of years in Hong Kong, Brenton Avdulla’s fortune and fame have exploded. But while he is enjoying the rock star profile, he tells Matt Stewart that there are other charms of working in one of world racing’s most competitive jurisdictions.

The Hall of Fame Legend elevation of Black Caviar and Winx may have created some debate, but in Hungary, there remains no doubts as to who was the greatest of them all, and as Matt Stewart reports from Budapest, the legend of Kincsem remains strong, 138 years after her death.