Louis and Michael speak to the New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing chief executive Bernard Saundry.

Louis and Michael speak to trainers Robbie Patterson & Allan Sharrock, along with jockey Danielle Johnson.

Carey Hobbs joins Louis and Michael to preview today's races in New Plymouth.

41 Seasons in the saddle is more than a fair effort, it's a mammoth one. For David Walsh though, he loved every second of it.

The extremely respected former hoop held the New Zealand record for most riding wins for a number of years post his retirement until the Magic Man Chris Johnson knocked him off late in 2020, in typical Walsh fashion though, he couldn't be happier for Johnson.

The art of spending that long in a profession that is extremely gruelling and emotionally demanding is one Walsh mastered throughout his time race riding.

As to how he managed to make his break and start an upswing he'd never look back from he laughed, "at times my telephone bill was higher than my power bill."

"People that used to turn me down for a ride, I'd just ring them back you see, then I'd ring them the next week and then the next week, basically hounded them."

It all paid dividends for Walsh whose crowning moment was piloting Solvit to the 1994 Cox Plate victory, another horse he got to ride by doing his homework and staying persistent.

Now an apprentice mentor for young riders in the South Island, Walsh is putting his four decades at the top to good use, this time guiding the next generation of jockeys to a career they can too be proud of.

Not many people have seen the racing industry from a vantage point similar to Henry Plumptre's.

Over multiple decades and various continents Henry has forged relationships, professional and personal with racing's most influential, all while becoming one of the most influential.

Currently the CEO of Cambridge Stud, Plumptre has held prominent roles with Arrowfield and Widden Stud's as well as serving as Managing Director during a very successful time in Godolphin's history.

"You can talk about the success, and you can talk about the great horses and I've been lucky enough to be involved with a number of them, but the ones that fashion your career and that really make you the person you are, are the slow ones .. they're the character building ones."

A pearl of wisdom from a man who has seen a lot and is rightly proud of his life in racing.

In the latest edition of Racing Tales Of The Turf, Louis Herman-Watt hears from passionate owner, breeder and contributor David Archer regarding his journey in the industry.

Archer, an insurance broker by trade has had a lifelong passion for horses and has enjoyed some of the highest of highs owning multiple Group One champions throughout the years.

Most notably Archer is associated with 10x Group One winner, two time NZ Horse Of The Year and Hall Of Famer, Mufhasa, which he and his family owned.

Memories of Mufhasa's long and eventful career still mean so much to Archer to the point the race replay of his gallant second behind Pierro in the 2013 George Ryder Stakes evoked great emotion.

"It was special for a number of reasons and brings a tear to the eye just listening to it."

"To me if you say above all Mufhy was a warrior, and he worked through pain and won Group Ones with sore feet etcetera, if he was a warrior, that race showed it Louis and we were so, so proud of him that day," Archer explained.

Mufhasa was inducted into the New Zealand Racing Hall Of Fame this year and Archer's own achievements and contributions to racing on a wider scale are collectively appreciated by many industry figures.

Joe Walls' viewpoint of the New Zealand racing industry over the last five decades is about as unique as could be.

As the country's leading Thoroughbred auctioneer for many years, Walls watched as the breeding industry flourished and developed through many different eras.

The charismatic industry great didn't just sell the horses though, his fingerprints are spread wide throughout New Zealand breeding bloodlines thanks to his work with various stud masters importing some of our greatest stallions and broodmares.

Alongside Sir Patrick Hogan, Walls was instrumental in the acquisition of legendary stallion Sir Tristram for Cambridge Stud and upon reflection, he acknowledges that is who his favourite stallion of all time would be.

"Sir Tristram would have three or four winners in a group one race and he would trifecta it, that was quite phenomenal ... those sort of feats were not even known those days."

"He was an amazing stallion and of course his broodmares bred on as well and his sire sons, we all know about Zabeel, he set up the whole dynasty," Walls explains with pure admiration.

Currently the Chairman of New Zealand Bloodstock, the retired auctioneer is optimistic about the future of Kiwi breeding sector but also realistic that there is a big job that lays ahead which includes the wider racing industry evolving as one.

Not many trainers around the world have accomplished what Dave O'Sullivan manged to over his Hall Of Fame career, winning the biggest races of his era with some of New Zealand's most iconic horses.

In this episode of Racing Tales Of The Turf, Louis Herman-Watt catches up with the master trainer to find out how he built a career that is still unrivalled in New Zealand.

O'Sullivan credits winnings the Japan Cup in 1989 with Horlicks his greatest achievement, it was the richest race in the world at the time and training in partnership with son Paul while other son Lance rode the champion mare made it a total family triumph.

"It is difficult to put in to words, in a race like that all your doing is hoping for the best and that doesn't always occur .. she just kept going, she was a very, very tough horse, never had a brilliant action or anything like that, she was just tough," O'Sullivan fondly recalled.

Horlicks went on to win more Group Ones in an era which the great Matamata trainer and his sons continued to dominate, turning the O'Sullivan name into New Zealand racing royalty.

In this episode of Racing Tales Of The Turf, Louis Herman-Watt is joined by Gerald Fell MNZM to discuss his life in racing which stretches back to 1949 when his father established Fairdale Stud.

Fell's involvement and contribution to racing and breeding has stretched many decades and roles. Being a key administrator for NZ Thoroughbred Racing & the NZ Thoroughbred Breeder's Association as well as with Fairdale stud which has produced a great number of Stakes winners.

One of Fell's proudest accomplishments is along with the late Chris Luoni, establishing the NZ Racing Hall Of Fame. The Hall OF Fame recognises champion Kiwi racing identities and horses alike, of which leading Sydney based trainer Chris Waller is one.

Waller's induction was a special one for Fell as he was right there when the master trainer made decision to leave New Zealand for Australia.

"He (Waller) had an offer to go over to Rosehill.. he came to us and said he's got these horses either on lease or with racing shares and can I take them to Rosehill."

"His partner at the time, now his wife Stephanie, she was a very successful model. I remember saying to Chris and Stephanie, if you go to Australia and give it a go and it doesn't work out at least Stephanie will have more opportunities modelling in Sydney than she will in Foxton."

"One of them was a horse Party Belle and she won quite a few races, and there were several others, I can't say we made him but we did help him get off the ground there," Fell laughed with tongue in cheek.

Gerald fell was made a Member of the NZ Order of Merit for his services to Racing and Breeding and although recognises the racing industry will never be the same beast it once was when he was growing up, does believe New Zealand still breeds as good of racehorses as anywhere else in the world.

In this edition of Tales Of The Turf, Louis Herman-Watt tracks down 39 time Group One winning now retired jockey, Michael 'The King' Coleman.

Coleman recently retired after a nasty fall at the Rotorua trials last year but enjoyed an incredible career in the saddle which took him around the world and to some astounding racing heights.

In this episode of Tales Of The Turf, Coleman reminisces over his old friend Xcellent who he piloted to Group One New Zealand Derby triumph and third in the 2005 Melbourne Cup in which racing icon Makybe Diva completed her famous trilogy.

Coleman doesn't shy away from the controversial topic which dominated the famous day in '05 either, significant watering of the track prior to the race-day has long been thought to have been at aid of the Australian equine icon.

"Yeah I think they left the sprinklers running on the Monday before more than they usually do ... so there was plenty of cut in the track, I'm pretty sure Makybe Diva was well looked after," he quipped.

Coleman also talks freely about the severe injury he suffered which ended his career and is happily retired, not even slightly tempted to attempt a comeback at the veteran age of 51.