Tara Talks Racing on Breednet

With spring hotting up Group One racing has started but it's still really only the build up. We go through who we think is building up the best as the proper targets get closer. Is there any hope for any joy for anybody who's not part of Camp Ka Ying in the Everest? And a Tara family favourite is sailing off into the sunset. Short and sharp this week but plenty to keep us interested.

We welcome Joe O'Neill from Prime Thoroughbreds. Joe's been syndicating horses successfully for nearly 30 years with current mares Cavalry Girl and Shadhaver flying the flag brilliantly. It's a wide ranging and chat about his selection processes, pedigrees, his thoughts on two-year-old and three-year-old racing and the changes his seen and the challenges ahead for racing. And of course we get in to the feature racing. The brilliant ones and the plain ones from the weekend. Tara much more forgiving than Clocker on some of them. He's got the pen out already! And the Hunter Valley stud parades - we take a quick fire look through the first season horses standing this year.

Tara’s back from a fun filled Victorian stud tour which started with a speeding ticket but got much better - we attempt to condense 4 days into 10 minutes. Not only the eye-catching stallions but who makes the gun Espresso Martini, where to get the best feed in Yass and the biggest red flag for a bad driver that exists! Also the spring 3YO’s kicked off last week - we have our opinions of where that landed. And this weekend is all about Group One Winx Stakes – a rating that is up for question but it’s going to be good. We hope you enjoy.

We’re back for spring! A look at the early season barrier trials; the big bangers, the good, the queries, the not so obvious potential topliners. Winter horses to follow – is there another Half Yours? And from the same camp? We talke Everest hopefuls outside the obvious. The Cox Plate and how to find a winner off the noms. Sire tables. Stud tours. Missile Stakes hopes. And the colour yellow – where is the limit? Also the rambling other stuff – it's great to be back and in to another spring! We hope you enjoy.

The Sydney Autumn carnival is done, the last Group One taken by Beiwacht in the All Aged Stakes. We delve into him, and the other four Darley Group One winning three-year-old colts with two now retired and one gelded. And what of the two-year-olds going forward? How good are they? Which ones might be the right ones to stick with? History would suggest it’s often not the winners. Have we even seen next season’s 3YO star? We come up with our favourite races and performances of the carnival, and look at the South Australian Group Ones this season.

The Championships Day 2 threw up two performances that were in rare air. Tara reflects on how Autumn Glow had already over-achieved on her pedigree, and Clocker is in awe of the C Williams ride on Sir Delius. So, is there a place for him on Australian stud rosters? And then there’s Tempted. It’s a golden period – enjoy!

We’re joined by Henry Field from Newgate Farm – with Campione D’Italia winning his first Group One race in the Inglis Sires and Extreme Choice dominating the Easter Yearling Sale it was the perfect time. A great chat covering the yearling sales with an eye to a future stallion, managing a sub-fertile champion stallion, the tried horse market, playing the long game with elite broodmares and quite a bit more There’s also Henry’s first impression of Extreme Choice after buying into him sight unseen as a promising two-year-old – fair to say he looks at him with rosier glasses these days! We also have a look at the other big races last weekend and what we think of this week. Is Autumn Glow maybe beatable at the 2000m? and by what? The quality, or otherwise of the Oaks and the Queen Of The Turf Stakes – a race chock full of class.

This week we’re talking Inglis Easter, Championships Day 1 and have found a horse named from a great movie that can win on debut this Saturday. Can Blue Door write the next chapter in the decades long Singo and Gai on again off again story? We think she might. Also Sheza Alibi will need to be good to win… Sunline good!

What did we make of the Slipper Day – always one of the year’s great days and it certainly didn’t disappoint this year. Which was the best run in the Slipper? Were there hard luck stories or did the sectionals suggest otherwise? Autumn Boy, Aeliana and Autumn Glow’s were brilliant wins with the focus now on where they’re heading. We’ve got an opinion or two there. Tara found one at 100 to one which ran out of its skin and into the placings. Some regular podcast listeners might have had a little joy there too. She did give it a big wrap a couple of weeks back. And of course we look forward to another week of Group One racing and Inglis Easter kicks off.

Golden Slipper week! It’s been one of the great days of racing in Australia for generations and nothing has changed. Every week during the Slipper build up has seemed to bring a new hope to the fore and kick one to kerb. Time for us to have our go at finding the winner, and sorting the ones that can from the ones that can’t after a barrier draw that threw plenty of curve balls. We also reminisce on some of our favourites from years past and have a look at a Rosehill race card for the ages this weekend stacked with class and excitement. There's some William Reid and last week's racing stuff in there too.

The Golden Slipper picture is taking shape after two of the major lead up races on the weekend but is the late comer about to throw himself into the final reckoning? Can Frankel sire a Golden Slipper winner? We delve into where we think the juveniles are at now we are right at the pointy end. The richest race on the weekend was in New Zealand, and nearly a boilover - there was blood in a nostril. We take a look at those NZ majors with Australian trips in the plan for some of the winners. In the Australian Group Ones we saw two outstanding auction purchases produce stunning results in Caballus and the “pedigree fluke” Sheza Alibi. And of course there’s all the love for Tom Kitten. There’s a lot covered this week. Even a bit of Milton Show action!

Another week where we remain fascinated but confused by the Golden Slipper picture. A new contender has emerged though so long as everything goes right. We have a think on the future after the weekend’s racing. Can Aeliana build a post-Autumn Glow picket fence or can Sir Delius spoil her party? And this weekend’s races: A fascinating Randwick Guineas. The two major Slipper lead ups. Has the handicapper thrown a bone to the Tentyris opposition in the Newmarket? – Tara’s got a roughie. And why you need to do the form in the All Star Mile. We also have a look at the final stats on the 2025 covering season from Studbook, and the Milton Show is imminent. A lot of territory covered.

Two-year-olds - after Streisand’s win in the Blue Diamond, are we any clearer on the Golden Slipper picture? Is a late bloomer set to seize the moment off the trials? Who’s the value chance under the radar. We unpack the week of racing. There was a boy that‘s become a man, blue hens, high quality races, some maybe not so. And into the future – one of the races of the carnival coming up and is there only two chances in the Derby this far out?

Could the Autumn be setting up any better? It’s going to be vintage. There’s Autumn Glow, Tentyris, Joliestar - just stunning starts on Saturday, but there was so much more going on behind so we have our crack at making sense of it. Tara’s forgiving a couple, Clocker not so much. We also talk value sires that keep delivering, bad knees, Blue Diamond, and other important 2YO matters etc.

Big on the babies again with four very interesting 2YO races including the $2mil Inglis Millennium, was it up to par? and the Blue Diamond Previews – were they likewise? We discuss. We also discuss the argument that Godolphin have yet to hit the jackpot with a homebred stallion but have they ever had a better bunch of colts? Plus other random matters that interest us from Observer to Nature Strip. And we touch on a mighty interesting weekend coming up.

Feb 2: The 2YO’s, where are we at? The weekend changed the picture markedly and the next week promises to do the same so what are we thinking for now? Who are the players? Who are the dark horses? Who can we kick to the kerb? And we’re excited – it’s the year of the horse and this autumn is looking mighty interesting. We skim that surface on trials and this week's noms.

An end of year Christmas quickie to take a look at the two-year-olds now things are heating up and heading in to the Magic Millions. And we ponder the horses we're most looking forward to in 2026 without saying the words Autumn Glow!

The Flemington spring is done for another year and what a week. The Cup, The Oaks, Champions Day – who’d we think were the champs? Who do we want to be with into Autumn. We ponder where things sit between NSW and Vic with the two-year-olds at this early stage. The stakes racing conundrum… again! And looking forward – G1 racing again this weekend, a bit of Perth and the sales are upon us. NZ Ready To Run this week and the Magic Millions catalogue is out for January.

Another brilliant Derby Day alongside the Golden Eagle. Tentyris shows who’s best, a filly and gelding second and third. The Derby goes to the best horse. The disappointing three-year-olds of the spring. Pride Of Jenni – when the good one turns up she’s stunning but that version isn’t always around. And of course the amazing Autumn Glow. Then on to the Melbourne Cup of course. Our favourite Cup horses and moments from the past and who we reckon can and can ‘t win this year along with our final tips. Whether you choose to back them or mark them down with the scratchings is entirely up to you.

Of course we delve into the Cox Plate – Via, Bucky, how bad was Aeliana? But there’s plenty more to discuss. Who do we think was the best performance on the day? and it’s not the Cox Plate. The Spring Champion in Sydney with a couple of rising stars, on a day where the late, great Lonhro starred. And there’s Derby Day coming up. The Coolmore 3YO’s have had their final hitouts. The Derby horses have shown their hands. In Sydney it’s the Golden Eagle. Probably Autumn Glow’s toughest test. Can the international raiders bring her down? Or a local? We love our weekly chat. Hope you do too.