It's worth checking out the John Tapp Inside Racing interview with him if you haven't seen it on Sky. He'd have to be one of the nicest blokes in racing, and probably one of the unluckiest.
A few things off the top of my head after watching the interview...
- Rides Weekend Hussler in it's first ever start (a win), and never gets back on it.
- Had the ride on Sunburnt Land (won on it 7 times) when it got killed by a lightning strike.
- Thrown off in the Sandown Seagull incident.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/Horse-Racing/Seagulls-put-jockeys-in-hospital/2005/03/30/1111862461673.html- Was riding Crystal Lily (pre-Slipper), but picked up a suspension. He personally called Brett Prebble to take the next ride/s on her thinking that he'd be returning to Hong Kong (and not coming back for the slipper), so he'd be able to get back on her. Prebble keeps the ride, comes back, and wins the Slipper.
- Won a couple of races on Toorak Toff in Melbourne before the Slipper. The owners then tell him that they want a Sydney jockey for the Slipper, and of course it wins. He said he understood the owners decision, but was hoping they'd put him back on when it returned to Melbourne. The horse returns to Melbourne, but he doesn't get put back on it.
- Does a ton of charity work. Loves animals, and has built an enclosure on his property for ones that are homeless or injured. Goes around to schools and speaks to kids about the Racing Industry because he saw that nobody else was doing it.
I'm surprised he hasn't won a Group 1 yet, but I know I'll be cheering him on in every G1 in future.
