Luke Pepper is a trainer on the move this season, thanks in some way to the experience he gained as a figure in one of Australian racing’s best rags-to-riches stories.
From behind the scenes, Luke Pepper had one of the best front-row seats to a moment in racing that made a mockery of the impossible.
It’s a story of the Australian turf like no other. A part-time trainer struggling to make ends meet as a cab driver, Joe Janiak ended up about $6 million richer and mingled with royalty.
Jay Ford was catapulted from the middle-of-the-road riding ranks in Sydney to find his champion and a place on the greatest stages.
But it was Pepper who kept Takeover Target ticking over as his trackwork rider, charged with signing off on campaigns that established the sprinter as one of the great travellers of the racing world.
This post is for our free members
Thanks for your interest in The Straight. It looks like you are trying to access a free members article via an in-app browser on X, Facebook or LinkedIn. For the best experience, and instant access, sign on via the Social Sign In links below. You should only need to do this once.
If you wish to access or create an email-based account, please provide your email below. You will receive a link to click by email which will then open in your device’s native browser.
