1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:02,120 Speaker 1: Michelle Payne, Welcome to straight Talk. 2 00:00:02,440 --> 00:00:03,640 Speaker 2: Thank you, thanks for having me. 3 00:00:03,800 --> 00:00:04,600 Speaker 1: You're most welcome. 4 00:00:04,880 --> 00:00:07,320 Speaker 3: Actually, that's a real honor privilege to have someone like 5 00:00:07,360 --> 00:00:09,080 Speaker 3: you sitting here in front of me. To be frank 6 00:00:09,119 --> 00:00:11,680 Speaker 3: with you, I never thought. I never expected. 7 00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:15,160 Speaker 1: Famous is not a good word. I don't like that 8 00:00:15,200 --> 00:00:16,040 Speaker 1: word famous. 9 00:00:16,280 --> 00:00:18,800 Speaker 3: But have someone as highly respected as you and having 10 00:00:19,800 --> 00:00:24,400 Speaker 3: achieved the levels you've achieved, and you know, I don't 11 00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:26,280 Speaker 3: mean this in a condescending way, but being female as 12 00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:29,360 Speaker 3: well in a male sport, which you know, that's something 13 00:00:29,360 --> 00:00:33,440 Speaker 3: that I never envisaged. And and thanks to our great 14 00:00:33,479 --> 00:00:36,959 Speaker 3: friend Naneah Melton. I'm so happy that you're here. And 15 00:00:38,680 --> 00:00:42,160 Speaker 3: bear with me because I mean everyone in Australia follows 16 00:00:42,159 --> 00:00:44,760 Speaker 3: Melbourne Cup. Everyone Australia has a bit of a bet. 17 00:00:45,159 --> 00:00:48,159 Speaker 3: But I don't know much about your game or the 18 00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:50,720 Speaker 3: game you used to be in now you're a trainer. 19 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:54,160 Speaker 3: We just bear with me a little bit because maybe 20 00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:55,760 Speaker 3: this is even better that I don't know, because I'm 21 00:00:55,760 --> 00:00:57,840 Speaker 3: going to ask some questions you might think a bit naive, 22 00:00:58,960 --> 00:01:03,160 Speaker 3: but the things I'm really curious about, and before, but 23 00:01:03,240 --> 00:01:06,199 Speaker 3: before I do that part, there's something else I'm really 24 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:06,760 Speaker 3: curious about. 25 00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:08,440 Speaker 1: What it's like. 26 00:01:09,040 --> 00:01:12,840 Speaker 3: And I watched the Netflix show on you you know, 27 00:01:14,680 --> 00:01:16,160 Speaker 3: and you know, I saw all that sort of stuff, 28 00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:17,760 Speaker 3: But I'm so glad I actually got you here in 29 00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:21,319 Speaker 3: front of me. What is it like to be the 30 00:01:21,400 --> 00:01:27,160 Speaker 3: youngest of ten kids? I mean, that's like mental I 31 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:29,600 Speaker 3: just can't imagine. I just can't imagine what it'd be like, 32 00:01:30,360 --> 00:01:33,360 Speaker 3: especially as well not having your mom there. From from 33 00:01:33,440 --> 00:01:36,680 Speaker 3: you probably never would never really knew it. I will never 34 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:40,040 Speaker 3: had a chance of knowing you. What's that like when 35 00:01:40,040 --> 00:01:41,200 Speaker 3: you reflect back. 36 00:01:41,319 --> 00:01:43,760 Speaker 2: Well, it's funny you say that. Like, as I'm older now, 37 00:01:43,920 --> 00:01:45,959 Speaker 2: I realized how unusual that is to have such a 38 00:01:45,959 --> 00:01:49,400 Speaker 2: big family. But obviously I didn't know any different growing up, 39 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:52,160 Speaker 2: so it was it was all we knew. It was 40 00:01:52,200 --> 00:01:55,360 Speaker 2: a madhouse. My dad did his best, raising all ten 41 00:01:55,400 --> 00:01:58,600 Speaker 2: of us on his own. When Mom passed away, I 42 00:01:58,640 --> 00:02:00,360 Speaker 2: didn't have a room for the first seven years of 43 00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:01,800 Speaker 2: my life, didn't have a bed, so I just found 44 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:05,680 Speaker 2: somewhere to sleep. And then after that I shared with Stevie, 45 00:02:05,680 --> 00:02:08,760 Speaker 2: my the second youngest, older brother, who has Down syndrome, 46 00:02:08,919 --> 00:02:11,680 Speaker 2: and that in itself, you know, had it challenges because 47 00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:16,400 Speaker 2: he would snore and talk to himself and whatever. But yeah, 48 00:02:16,440 --> 00:02:20,440 Speaker 2: it was. It was fast paced kids everywhere. When I 49 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:23,880 Speaker 2: was born, my oldest sister, two older sisters were already 50 00:02:23,919 --> 00:02:26,880 Speaker 2: riding in races, so they were fifteen and sixteen, so 51 00:02:26,919 --> 00:02:28,880 Speaker 2: they were off to the races. So as I grew 52 00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:32,320 Speaker 2: a lot of the other kids below them started racing. 53 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:35,080 Speaker 2: So we had a house full of jockeys. And my 54 00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:38,280 Speaker 2: dad was a horse trainer, so up early training the 55 00:02:38,280 --> 00:02:41,560 Speaker 2: horses with him. Us younger kids stayed in the house 56 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:43,360 Speaker 2: and cleaned it. We all had our chores while the 57 00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:45,840 Speaker 2: older ones went out and did the stable work and 58 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:49,280 Speaker 2: got the horses done. So it was just a working family. 59 00:02:50,240 --> 00:02:52,480 Speaker 2: My dad loved it. He said it was some of 60 00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:54,440 Speaker 2: the best years of his life, even though he had 61 00:02:54,480 --> 00:02:57,600 Speaker 2: obviously lost my mum, which was devastating. That a really 62 00:02:57,840 --> 00:03:01,880 Speaker 2: good marriage and loving marriage. But yeah, it was. It 63 00:03:01,919 --> 00:03:03,280 Speaker 2: was pretty fun, I have to say. 64 00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:05,320 Speaker 1: It was fun. Always fun. 65 00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:08,320 Speaker 2: Not always fun. You know, when we went to school 66 00:03:08,360 --> 00:03:10,639 Speaker 2: and we were tired, falling asleep at school because we're 67 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:12,919 Speaker 2: up early doing our jobs, and thought we were a 68 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:14,959 Speaker 2: little bit hard done by that. We had to work 69 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:17,959 Speaker 2: in our school friends, you know, were having a sleep 70 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:21,359 Speaker 2: in and just had to get ready and off to school. 71 00:03:21,639 --> 00:03:24,080 Speaker 2: But when we look back, we had so much fun. 72 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:30,040 Speaker 2: We were always you know, outside playing games and activities, 73 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:33,120 Speaker 2: and I think sometimes we look back and think we 74 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:36,720 Speaker 2: survived because obviously hard for dad to keep track of 75 00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:39,360 Speaker 2: ten kids. He just had to let us go. Stevie 76 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:42,360 Speaker 2: and I were the youngest two, and he was, you know, 77 00:03:42,440 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 2: older than me but down syndrome. So you know, we 78 00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:47,440 Speaker 2: were off doing whatever we did out on the farm 79 00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:50,160 Speaker 2: and having the time of our lives. But you know, 80 00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:52,960 Speaker 2: looking back, you know it was probably a bit dangerous 81 00:03:52,960 --> 00:03:55,920 Speaker 2: in a way, but at the same time a wonderful childhood. 82 00:03:56,280 --> 00:03:59,640 Speaker 3: It's because not only were you one of ten, which is, like, 83 00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:03,400 Speaker 3: as I not normal even back in that time, when 84 00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:06,080 Speaker 3: if we go back twenty thirty years, that wasn't normal 85 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:11,840 Speaker 3: there neither. But then of course, no mother, your dad. 86 00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:16,960 Speaker 3: I mean I got four kids, four sons, and I 87 00:04:17,040 --> 00:04:18,880 Speaker 3: pretty much raised my four sons on mine. They live 88 00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:23,520 Speaker 3: with me for a whole lot of complicated reasons, and 89 00:04:23,560 --> 00:04:26,719 Speaker 3: that was enough for me. But I had, you know, 90 00:04:26,760 --> 00:04:29,640 Speaker 3: a nanny and a driver pick him up from school 91 00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:32,240 Speaker 3: to drop him to sport. Has someone to come and 92 00:04:32,279 --> 00:04:34,560 Speaker 3: do all the washing and sort of all I did 93 00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:36,720 Speaker 3: was go to work and have dinner with them at night. 94 00:04:39,120 --> 00:04:42,960 Speaker 3: Your dad, do you sit back and reflect on how 95 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:43,880 Speaker 3: the hell did you do it? 96 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:49,400 Speaker 2: Absolutely? Obviously the older you get, you realize. And he's 97 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:52,760 Speaker 2: a pretty amazing man in his own way. Like I said, 98 00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:55,040 Speaker 2: to even be relaxed enough to let us go out 99 00:04:55,080 --> 00:04:56,960 Speaker 2: and play here, he had to. I think he couldn't 100 00:04:56,960 --> 00:04:59,719 Speaker 2: have survived if he was worrying about every one child. 101 00:05:00,440 --> 00:05:01,880 Speaker 2: In a way, a bit of luck went our away 102 00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:04,400 Speaker 2: with that, because you know, somebody could have got injured, 103 00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:06,960 Speaker 2: sort of having that free rain on the farm, Like 104 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:10,159 Speaker 2: we had motorbikes and like four wheelers. There was a 105 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:12,640 Speaker 2: channel that ran beside our dairy farm, which we had 106 00:05:12,760 --> 00:05:16,039 Speaker 2: at one point growing up, and yeah, you know, we 107 00:05:16,040 --> 00:05:17,440 Speaker 2: didn't even know how to swim, but we learned to 108 00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:20,279 Speaker 2: swim in the channel by ourselves. So a little bit 109 00:05:20,320 --> 00:05:23,280 Speaker 2: of luck come his way as well. But yeah, when 110 00:05:23,279 --> 00:05:25,560 Speaker 2: I look back and think what he did, you know, 111 00:05:26,040 --> 00:05:29,600 Speaker 2: running the family, running the business, obviously having the dairy farm, 112 00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:33,880 Speaker 2: which is relentless work, you know, morning and night. Not 113 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:39,720 Speaker 2: only with that, though, he raised us by giving us competitions, geography, competitions, spelling, 114 00:05:39,839 --> 00:05:44,560 Speaker 2: these maths, competitions. He was never too tired to do 115 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:46,440 Speaker 2: that with us, and I just think that is amazing 116 00:05:46,640 --> 00:05:49,080 Speaker 2: raising ten kids, running a business and being able to 117 00:05:49,080 --> 00:05:52,400 Speaker 2: do that as well. I honestly take my hat off 118 00:05:52,440 --> 00:05:55,600 Speaker 2: to him. And with that as well, he always made 119 00:05:55,600 --> 00:05:57,200 Speaker 2: sure we had really good manners. You know, if you 120 00:05:57,279 --> 00:05:59,080 Speaker 2: meet somebody, shake the hand with them in the eye, 121 00:05:59,160 --> 00:06:01,640 Speaker 2: give them a good, firm handshake. He was never too 122 00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:06,039 Speaker 2: tired to do that. And he is a remarkable man. 123 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:09,120 Speaker 3: What was his superpower when you think about it, he 124 00:06:09,160 --> 00:06:12,039 Speaker 3: must have some sort of superpower, Like I mean, that's 125 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:14,480 Speaker 3: something like it looks like sound by the sound of it, 126 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:16,760 Speaker 3: and obviously from what I saw from the show, and 127 00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:19,360 Speaker 3: I've heard nothing other than what I saw on the show, 128 00:06:20,040 --> 00:06:21,240 Speaker 3: it's like he just jumped. 129 00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:23,800 Speaker 1: Off the cross like he's so good. Well, what was 130 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:24,919 Speaker 1: his natural superpower? 131 00:06:25,120 --> 00:06:30,800 Speaker 3: Was his endurance or was it his his ability to communicate? 132 00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:36,000 Speaker 3: Or was it his ability to like a certain resilience 133 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:37,120 Speaker 3: or stamina that he had. 134 00:06:37,600 --> 00:06:44,680 Speaker 2: I think probably a certain resilience and his capability to 135 00:06:44,720 --> 00:06:49,080 Speaker 2: just handle hard times. Like obviously I used to think 136 00:06:49,080 --> 00:06:50,800 Speaker 2: about when I was growing up and I was having 137 00:06:50,800 --> 00:06:53,479 Speaker 2: tough times writing, had a bad fall or my writing 138 00:06:53,520 --> 00:06:55,200 Speaker 2: career wasn't going as good as I'd like it to be, 139 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:57,839 Speaker 2: or just just down in the dumps. And I would 140 00:06:57,839 --> 00:07:00,040 Speaker 2: think back to that day when they came to the 141 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:02,720 Speaker 2: door and said my mum had been killed taking the 142 00:07:02,800 --> 00:07:05,600 Speaker 2: kids to school in a car accident, and just think, 143 00:07:06,360 --> 00:07:09,440 Speaker 2: how would anybody get through that, and how he did. 144 00:07:09,440 --> 00:07:11,120 Speaker 2: Would have just said to the kids, you know, we've 145 00:07:11,120 --> 00:07:14,520 Speaker 2: got to stick together and get through it together. And 146 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:19,320 Speaker 2: that's his mindset. I've lost two sisters since then, and 147 00:07:19,600 --> 00:07:23,360 Speaker 2: same thing. Devastating, and he's absolutely devastated, but he just 148 00:07:23,360 --> 00:07:26,480 Speaker 2: stays so strong. And I think a big part of 149 00:07:26,480 --> 00:07:29,640 Speaker 2: that is his faith. He is very religious, rare Catholic. 150 00:07:29,720 --> 00:07:32,640 Speaker 2: We would always go to church every Sunday growing up, 151 00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:37,000 Speaker 2: all the kids, and you know, we'd be sitting around 152 00:07:37,240 --> 00:07:40,320 Speaker 2: watching TV or having dinner and he'd say, okay, kids, 153 00:07:40,360 --> 00:07:43,440 Speaker 2: we'll say the Rosary, and we'd stop and say the 154 00:07:43,520 --> 00:07:48,360 Speaker 2: Rosary three times all together, and he'd just always talk about, 155 00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:50,520 Speaker 2: you know, his faith, and I think that is what 156 00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:54,720 Speaker 2: got him through losing my mum and then again my 157 00:07:54,800 --> 00:07:58,200 Speaker 2: two sisters that followed, and I think it's it's definitely 158 00:07:58,200 --> 00:08:00,920 Speaker 2: helped me through my career as well, because you know, 159 00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:06,040 Speaker 2: life is tough and having that faith is certainly a 160 00:08:06,080 --> 00:08:07,160 Speaker 2: way of coping. For sure. 161 00:08:07,440 --> 00:08:12,040 Speaker 3: With your older siblings, particularly the female ones, are they 162 00:08:12,800 --> 00:08:17,000 Speaker 3: much more matriarchal to say the younger kids. 163 00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:19,760 Speaker 1: As a result of your moum not being there. Do 164 00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:21,320 Speaker 1: you think do they think they took. 165 00:08:21,240 --> 00:08:25,800 Speaker 3: Up the flag for your dad realizing there was no 166 00:08:27,720 --> 00:08:29,920 Speaker 3: leading woman in the family, so to speak, and that 167 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:31,960 Speaker 3: they knew that they had to do the work of 168 00:08:32,040 --> 00:08:33,480 Speaker 3: what their mother would have had to do if the 169 00:08:33,559 --> 00:08:34,440 Speaker 3: mother had been around. 170 00:08:34,720 --> 00:08:39,280 Speaker 2: Definitely, they were remarkable, I think, having had the presence 171 00:08:39,320 --> 00:08:42,640 Speaker 2: of her as they were growing up, and from what 172 00:08:42,679 --> 00:08:44,880 Speaker 2: I've been told by Dad, she was an amazing lady. 173 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:49,280 Speaker 2: She had ten children, she ran the books of the business, 174 00:08:49,480 --> 00:08:54,240 Speaker 2: She cooked and cleaned. Amazing cook They said she was 175 00:08:54,240 --> 00:08:56,560 Speaker 2: Swiss and she cooked a lot of Swiss meals. And 176 00:08:57,800 --> 00:09:00,559 Speaker 2: we had a cow. She'd milk the cow for the kids, 177 00:09:00,559 --> 00:09:02,880 Speaker 2: and then she take the leftover milk into the homeless 178 00:09:02,920 --> 00:09:06,640 Speaker 2: shelter in Ballarat. That just you know, and I don't 179 00:09:06,640 --> 00:09:08,680 Speaker 2: know what spare time, you know, obviously it had a 180 00:09:08,760 --> 00:09:12,200 Speaker 2: million clothes to watch with ten kids, So she sounded 181 00:09:12,280 --> 00:09:14,200 Speaker 2: like a pretty amazing woman and I think, you know, 182 00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:18,520 Speaker 2: my sister's had that role model growing up. And when 183 00:09:18,720 --> 00:09:21,520 Speaker 2: I remember being sort of four as young as I 184 00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:23,560 Speaker 2: can remember, sort of four or five, and my dad 185 00:09:23,559 --> 00:09:25,319 Speaker 2: always used to talk about her. I think he wanted 186 00:09:25,320 --> 00:09:28,280 Speaker 2: me to feel that presence of her and used to 187 00:09:28,320 --> 00:09:30,160 Speaker 2: tell me every day, you know, how much he loved her, 188 00:09:30,200 --> 00:09:31,719 Speaker 2: and how much she missed her, and how much she 189 00:09:31,760 --> 00:09:35,160 Speaker 2: wished he told her more that he loved her. And 190 00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:37,840 Speaker 2: then I think, yeah, my sisters saw the need to 191 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:42,240 Speaker 2: be nurturing to us younger kids, and especially probably the 192 00:09:42,280 --> 00:09:45,480 Speaker 2: second oldest Trees, she really took the role of being 193 00:09:45,800 --> 00:09:48,000 Speaker 2: the mother. She made sure we always had a meal 194 00:09:48,040 --> 00:09:50,880 Speaker 2: on the table. She was full time race riding at 195 00:09:50,880 --> 00:09:53,400 Speaker 2: the time, herself only a kid at the same time, 196 00:09:53,480 --> 00:09:58,000 Speaker 2: and just remarkable. And I remember sort of being in 197 00:09:58,280 --> 00:10:01,120 Speaker 2: younger primary school years and Mother's Day at school, I'd 198 00:10:01,120 --> 00:10:02,920 Speaker 2: buy her a Mother's Day gift. I didn't feel like 199 00:10:03,200 --> 00:10:04,599 Speaker 2: I didn't have a mom to buy a gift for. 200 00:10:04,720 --> 00:10:08,440 Speaker 2: It was just I'd buy one for Trees. So, you know, 201 00:10:08,840 --> 00:10:11,520 Speaker 2: I feel so lucky to have had their presence in 202 00:10:11,920 --> 00:10:14,839 Speaker 2: our lives because their mothers now and get to watch that, 203 00:10:14,920 --> 00:10:18,720 Speaker 2: and yeah, just remarkable. To think how they took that 204 00:10:18,840 --> 00:10:20,599 Speaker 2: role on it at such a young age. 205 00:10:21,640 --> 00:10:26,480 Speaker 3: Do those things in turn and have those things in turn, 206 00:10:26,600 --> 00:10:29,600 Speaker 3: like your dad's resilience and these sort of mental toughness 207 00:10:30,280 --> 00:10:35,120 Speaker 3: and your sister's ability to nurture the whole family? Do 208 00:10:35,160 --> 00:10:37,600 Speaker 3: those Do you think those things stood by? Because you know, 209 00:10:37,640 --> 00:10:39,440 Speaker 3: often parents tell kids, you've got to be this, and 210 00:10:39,440 --> 00:10:40,120 Speaker 3: you can't do that, and. 211 00:10:40,040 --> 00:10:40,640 Speaker 1: You've got to do that. 212 00:10:41,160 --> 00:10:43,520 Speaker 3: But actually kids watch what their parents are doing, and 213 00:10:43,679 --> 00:10:46,559 Speaker 3: or older brothers sisters for that matter too, and they 214 00:10:46,640 --> 00:10:48,480 Speaker 3: tend to do what they see as opposed to what 215 00:10:48,520 --> 00:10:51,720 Speaker 3: they're here. And do you reckon in some of those 216 00:10:51,840 --> 00:10:53,920 Speaker 3: darker times that you've had, like when you've been injured, 217 00:10:53,960 --> 00:10:56,240 Speaker 3: et cetera, when you're being rejected, or when you're trying 218 00:10:56,280 --> 00:11:03,080 Speaker 3: to get on a group one that those observations stood 219 00:11:03,080 --> 00:11:06,360 Speaker 3: by And was it conscious? Did you consciously think of that? 220 00:11:07,080 --> 00:11:09,760 Speaker 3: My dad's done pretty tough. I owe it to him 221 00:11:10,880 --> 00:11:11,240 Speaker 3: up here. 222 00:11:12,520 --> 00:11:15,720 Speaker 2: Absolutely. I think I couldn't remember from as young as 223 00:11:15,760 --> 00:11:18,480 Speaker 2: seven years old being out in the stables cleaning, you know, 224 00:11:18,559 --> 00:11:21,920 Speaker 2: doing learning the chores and cleaning the boxes and just 225 00:11:22,000 --> 00:11:25,160 Speaker 2: watching trees for example. Of all of them, she stood 226 00:11:25,160 --> 00:11:28,080 Speaker 2: out to me the most because she was so no fuss. 227 00:11:28,120 --> 00:11:30,400 Speaker 2: She'd get in there, she'd get the boxes done so 228 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:33,000 Speaker 2: quickly and efficiently. And I remember at that age, look, 229 00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:34,600 Speaker 2: you know, thinking that is just amazing. 230 00:11:34,840 --> 00:11:37,800 Speaker 1: He was cleaning the crab out basically, yeah, but quick. 231 00:11:37,720 --> 00:11:41,600 Speaker 2: No fuss, just get in there, get it done. And 232 00:11:41,640 --> 00:11:45,040 Speaker 2: I honestly remember thinking at the time, you know, how good. 233 00:11:45,240 --> 00:11:48,400 Speaker 2: And that was my role model. So I always thank 234 00:11:48,679 --> 00:11:51,240 Speaker 2: you her for a lot of my success and my 235 00:11:51,480 --> 00:11:55,600 Speaker 2: other brothers and sisters, because especially my sisters, because you know, 236 00:11:55,640 --> 00:11:59,240 Speaker 2: it was tough. It was much tougher for them riding 237 00:11:59,400 --> 00:12:03,000 Speaker 2: back sort of ten years before I started, or even 238 00:12:03,040 --> 00:12:05,360 Speaker 2: fifteen years before I started, because there wasn't many of them. 239 00:12:05,520 --> 00:12:07,480 Speaker 2: Sometimes I didn't have a jockey's room to go into 240 00:12:07,480 --> 00:12:09,679 Speaker 2: that there was like a trailer or something for them 241 00:12:09,720 --> 00:12:13,080 Speaker 2: to change and prepare for their race. But they were 242 00:12:13,200 --> 00:12:15,959 Speaker 2: just no fuss. They get out there, they go to 243 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:19,440 Speaker 2: the races. They didn't see themselves, you know, as a 244 00:12:19,440 --> 00:12:23,160 Speaker 2: female jockey, and not poor me. Sometimes I get a 245 00:12:23,200 --> 00:12:27,920 Speaker 2: bit frustrated because my brother Patrick would pinch their rights 246 00:12:28,000 --> 00:12:30,720 Speaker 2: and they'd be a fair bit of swearing and carrying 247 00:12:30,720 --> 00:12:34,120 Speaker 2: on at home. But you know, I think their presence 248 00:12:34,160 --> 00:12:37,560 Speaker 2: and you know, watching and learning from them was just 249 00:12:37,600 --> 00:12:39,840 Speaker 2: the best start I could have had to going into 250 00:12:39,880 --> 00:12:42,520 Speaker 2: a career that is, you know, or was very very 251 00:12:42,840 --> 00:12:43,600 Speaker 2: male dominated. 252 00:12:43,800 --> 00:12:46,000 Speaker 3: I mean, I don't mean to be condescending when I 253 00:12:46,040 --> 00:12:47,600 Speaker 3: look back at when I look at what I know 254 00:12:47,720 --> 00:12:51,560 Speaker 3: of your history and your life, it's just full of challenges, 255 00:12:51,600 --> 00:12:55,199 Speaker 3: but more importantly full of conquering challenges, like just one 256 00:12:55,240 --> 00:12:57,640 Speaker 3: half the other. So mom passed away when you're a 257 00:12:57,640 --> 00:13:01,560 Speaker 3: young baby, not just pastway tragic accident, you're one of 258 00:13:01,640 --> 00:13:04,320 Speaker 3: ten kids, that itself is a challenge. Then you've got 259 00:13:04,480 --> 00:13:07,640 Speaker 3: you know, you observe your father dealing with that challenge, 260 00:13:08,120 --> 00:13:09,920 Speaker 3: and that itself would have been a challenge because you 261 00:13:09,920 --> 00:13:11,920 Speaker 3: probably feel guilty on occasions that had to do things 262 00:13:11,960 --> 00:13:14,400 Speaker 3: that you know wouldn't ordinarily be wouldn't be asked of 263 00:13:14,440 --> 00:13:19,120 Speaker 3: a father. While some might think is a challenge you had, Stevie, 264 00:13:19,280 --> 00:13:20,640 Speaker 3: probably not a challenge because my. 265 00:13:22,160 --> 00:13:22,880 Speaker 1: Interaction with. 266 00:13:24,880 --> 00:13:27,040 Speaker 3: Boys and or girls or got men who have had 267 00:13:27,400 --> 00:13:31,480 Speaker 3: who have had who have Down syndrome, they just tend 268 00:13:31,520 --> 00:13:34,839 Speaker 3: to be some of the most loving, simple people get 269 00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:35,839 Speaker 3: life really simple. 270 00:13:35,880 --> 00:13:36,400 Speaker 1: They get it. 271 00:13:37,000 --> 00:13:39,400 Speaker 3: They're generally speaking, they are the best to deal with. 272 00:13:40,000 --> 00:13:44,680 Speaker 3: I have a great empathy for those children and adults 273 00:13:44,720 --> 00:13:47,640 Speaker 3: in that situation, but some would see that as another challenge. 274 00:13:47,640 --> 00:13:49,120 Speaker 1: But somehow you managed to conquer it. 275 00:13:49,160 --> 00:13:51,000 Speaker 3: Out of all your brothers and sisters, it seems like 276 00:13:51,040 --> 00:13:53,840 Speaker 3: you've got the closest relationship. Do you think that's because 277 00:13:53,960 --> 00:13:56,440 Speaker 3: you were closest in age or just you two just 278 00:13:56,880 --> 00:13:57,440 Speaker 3: hit it off. 279 00:13:57,880 --> 00:14:00,520 Speaker 2: Definitely because we were close in age with little kids. 280 00:14:01,120 --> 00:14:03,400 Speaker 2: Wasn't even Stevie Michelle. It's just like, has anyone seen 281 00:14:03,400 --> 00:14:05,640 Speaker 2: the little kids? If one was somewhere, the other little 282 00:14:05,640 --> 00:14:09,720 Speaker 2: girl's there, Yeah, little girl. So we just were together 283 00:14:09,800 --> 00:14:13,800 Speaker 2: all the time, basically more so because the kids that 284 00:14:13,800 --> 00:14:15,959 Speaker 2: were a bit older than us said, oh you sare 285 00:14:16,000 --> 00:14:17,760 Speaker 2: any and go you know we did. We were too 286 00:14:17,800 --> 00:14:20,360 Speaker 2: little to play their games with them, so it was 287 00:14:20,400 --> 00:14:23,040 Speaker 2: just Stevie and I and obviously I didn't know the difference, 288 00:14:23,080 --> 00:14:26,840 Speaker 2: so it was nothing for me. And to be honest, 289 00:14:26,960 --> 00:14:30,480 Speaker 2: like you spoke about with down syndrome, so're the most beautiful, 290 00:14:30,600 --> 00:14:34,080 Speaker 2: loving people in the world. And how lucky was I 291 00:14:34,280 --> 00:14:37,760 Speaker 2: to grow up with Stevie and the empathy and everything 292 00:14:37,800 --> 00:14:41,680 Speaker 2: he has. For example, this is what happens in a 293 00:14:41,680 --> 00:14:43,560 Speaker 2: big family and where dad let us go a bit. 294 00:14:44,520 --> 00:14:48,440 Speaker 2: Our brother bought us boxing goals for Christmas because we 295 00:14:48,480 --> 00:14:50,280 Speaker 2: thought it would be funny if he put it up 296 00:14:50,320 --> 00:14:53,520 Speaker 2: them on us to fight. Yep. I was five, Stevie 297 00:14:53,560 --> 00:14:55,720 Speaker 2: was seven. And then they made a ring with all 298 00:14:55,760 --> 00:14:57,440 Speaker 2: the kids because it was enough to make it a 299 00:14:57,480 --> 00:15:00,040 Speaker 2: big enough ring for us, and had us fighting. And 300 00:15:00,080 --> 00:15:02,360 Speaker 2: Steve didn't want to hit me because he just didn't 301 00:15:02,360 --> 00:15:04,480 Speaker 2: want to, like it's not in his nature. And I 302 00:15:04,560 --> 00:15:07,720 Speaker 2: get Steve getto and I'm like running around trying to 303 00:15:07,720 --> 00:15:11,240 Speaker 2: poke one into him, and he got me connected and 304 00:15:11,280 --> 00:15:14,160 Speaker 2: I started crying. Obviously he hurt me, and he felt 305 00:15:14,200 --> 00:15:16,000 Speaker 2: that bad. I remember looking up at his face and 306 00:15:16,040 --> 00:15:20,200 Speaker 2: he just devastated that he got me. Yeah, just an 307 00:15:20,240 --> 00:15:23,040 Speaker 2: amazing person to share my life and grow up with. 308 00:15:23,160 --> 00:15:26,640 Speaker 2: And you know, we've played you know, games together and 309 00:15:26,680 --> 00:15:29,800 Speaker 2: we just had the best fun. And sometimes we'd be 310 00:15:29,880 --> 00:15:32,080 Speaker 2: playing a game of cards and I might give him 311 00:15:32,120 --> 00:15:33,760 Speaker 2: one card to start with and I'd have the pack 312 00:15:33,800 --> 00:15:36,680 Speaker 2: because I knew that I was able to learn faster, 313 00:15:37,240 --> 00:15:40,040 Speaker 2: but he caught up eventually. Now we play one on 314 00:15:40,040 --> 00:15:44,120 Speaker 2: one fair even game and he's just remarkable and what 315 00:15:44,240 --> 00:15:47,720 Speaker 2: I've been able to watch him face his challenges and 316 00:15:47,840 --> 00:15:52,520 Speaker 2: grow and overcome things is just unbelievable, and even now 317 00:15:52,560 --> 00:15:57,520 Speaker 2: like he's forty forty two and just continues to grow, 318 00:15:57,600 --> 00:16:03,400 Speaker 2: get smarter. He's hilarious, He's so funny, quick witted, knows 319 00:16:03,480 --> 00:16:06,000 Speaker 2: you know the right moments to say things. He can 320 00:16:06,040 --> 00:16:08,640 Speaker 2: read people a lot better than a lot of people 321 00:16:08,720 --> 00:16:12,560 Speaker 2: without a challenge have. So honestly, we're just so lucky 322 00:16:12,600 --> 00:16:14,960 Speaker 2: to have him in our lives, especially me being so 323 00:16:15,000 --> 00:16:18,360 Speaker 2: close with him. We own our farms together now, and 324 00:16:18,400 --> 00:16:21,240 Speaker 2: he's just a pleasure and a privilege to be around 325 00:16:21,280 --> 00:16:22,040 Speaker 2: and to have. 326 00:16:22,800 --> 00:16:24,240 Speaker 3: And I hope you don't mind me just ask a 327 00:16:24,240 --> 00:16:27,520 Speaker 3: couple of questions, because I'm actually fascinated by Stevie, And 328 00:16:27,720 --> 00:16:32,120 Speaker 3: you know, like Stevie, you fascinating me. And you're right. 329 00:16:32,920 --> 00:16:34,880 Speaker 3: I mean, I only know him from from the movie. 330 00:16:35,600 --> 00:16:41,080 Speaker 3: I don't know him. But do you think that I know, 331 00:16:41,120 --> 00:16:43,000 Speaker 3: I don't want to get too weird about God and 332 00:16:43,040 --> 00:16:45,280 Speaker 3: stuff like that and your mom and your late mother, 333 00:16:45,320 --> 00:16:48,800 Speaker 3: but do you think that to some extent, those people 334 00:16:49,320 --> 00:16:52,000 Speaker 3: like Stevie who have such a good heart and have 335 00:16:53,040 --> 00:16:55,440 Speaker 3: are so inspirational. I actually put there for a reason 336 00:16:56,680 --> 00:17:00,400 Speaker 3: for you to think to yourself, get on with it 337 00:17:00,600 --> 00:17:04,439 Speaker 3: and what you learn from those people if someone like Stevie, 338 00:17:04,480 --> 00:17:07,399 Speaker 3: Like it seems to me that someone like Stevie can 339 00:17:07,440 --> 00:17:10,840 Speaker 3: teach us all a lot of stuff, is it? Do 340 00:17:10,880 --> 00:17:13,960 Speaker 3: you ever thank your mother for that outcome? 341 00:17:14,680 --> 00:17:17,760 Speaker 2: I just think, like we say many times, he's a 342 00:17:17,760 --> 00:17:20,560 Speaker 2: blessing and honestly, like in a way, a miracle to 343 00:17:20,600 --> 00:17:23,480 Speaker 2: have in our lives. He's now home with Dad. Dad's 344 00:17:23,480 --> 00:17:26,199 Speaker 2: eighty nine. I had a family, a house full of 345 00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:28,959 Speaker 2: ten kids. Imagine, you know, being left alone and lonely. 346 00:17:29,359 --> 00:17:33,000 Speaker 2: He has Stevie there living with him. They get on 347 00:17:33,359 --> 00:17:36,840 Speaker 2: unbelievably well. Dad teases Stevie like you wouldn't believe. I 348 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:40,119 Speaker 2: know he's down syndrome, but we've never treated him like 349 00:17:40,160 --> 00:17:42,720 Speaker 2: he's down syndrome. And I think that's that's really been 350 00:17:42,760 --> 00:17:45,280 Speaker 2: the making of him and something I think that should 351 00:17:45,280 --> 00:17:49,440 Speaker 2: be maybe more documented, because he's so capable and can 352 00:17:49,480 --> 00:17:52,520 Speaker 2: handle so much responsibility because he's been given that chance 353 00:17:52,520 --> 00:17:56,240 Speaker 2: in life. And they, yeah, they just have the best time. 354 00:17:56,359 --> 00:17:59,960 Speaker 2: So for how the circumstances have unfolded with Mom pass 355 00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:03,679 Speaker 2: away and Dad obviously being left all the kids have 356 00:18:03,760 --> 00:18:06,720 Speaker 2: left home to now have him there with him is 357 00:18:07,760 --> 00:18:11,520 Speaker 2: unbelievable and again like to have him there on the 358 00:18:11,600 --> 00:18:14,040 Speaker 2: day of the Melbourne Cup strapping Prince of hens Ouce. 359 00:18:14,359 --> 00:18:17,800 Speaker 2: You know, to imagine that could have ever possibly happened, 360 00:18:17,800 --> 00:18:21,040 Speaker 2: you would give yourself tim into one chance growing up 361 00:18:21,160 --> 00:18:23,560 Speaker 2: or even more than that. So it is in a 362 00:18:23,600 --> 00:18:25,080 Speaker 2: way a bit of a blessing. 363 00:18:24,840 --> 00:18:26,639 Speaker 1: And a miracle and fairy tale. 364 00:18:26,720 --> 00:18:28,280 Speaker 2: Yeah it is. It's a fairy tale. 365 00:18:29,200 --> 00:18:32,240 Speaker 3: I mean when I think of your dad at eighty nine, 366 00:18:32,240 --> 00:18:34,600 Speaker 3: and my father got to eighty nine, and you know 367 00:18:34,640 --> 00:18:38,240 Speaker 3: that eighty nine, they're a little frail and you know, 368 00:18:39,600 --> 00:18:41,560 Speaker 3: you know there's a lot that needs to be done 369 00:18:41,560 --> 00:18:41,760 Speaker 3: for them. 370 00:18:41,800 --> 00:18:43,760 Speaker 1: They need a lot of assistance at that stage. And 371 00:18:43,760 --> 00:18:44,920 Speaker 1: also they feel a bit. 372 00:18:44,840 --> 00:18:48,560 Speaker 3: Mentally frail because you know it's getting on and you 373 00:18:48,560 --> 00:18:51,360 Speaker 3: know they're not as strong as they were before. And 374 00:18:51,480 --> 00:18:53,720 Speaker 3: for the fact that someone like Stevie can be there 375 00:18:53,960 --> 00:18:57,199 Speaker 3: as his companion, so to call, is he still doing strapping? Like? 376 00:18:57,320 --> 00:18:59,040 Speaker 1: Is he still strapping horses? Stevie? 377 00:18:59,520 --> 00:19:01,800 Speaker 2: He hasn't in the last few years. He needs a 378 00:19:01,840 --> 00:19:05,240 Speaker 2: knee operation, so he's not at the moment. He's still can, 379 00:19:05,400 --> 00:19:08,560 Speaker 2: but he's just a bit slower. But even that in 380 00:19:08,600 --> 00:19:11,760 Speaker 2: itself is amazing because the horses sense it and they 381 00:19:11,800 --> 00:19:14,680 Speaker 2: just slowed down for him. And it's funny story. I 382 00:19:14,720 --> 00:19:17,280 Speaker 2: think it was last year him and I took one 383 00:19:17,280 --> 00:19:19,639 Speaker 2: of our horses to the races at Renney Valley and 384 00:19:20,600 --> 00:19:22,960 Speaker 2: I laid it in with him, thinking, I'll just see 385 00:19:22,960 --> 00:19:24,760 Speaker 2: if it's going to be too strong, because earlier in 386 00:19:24,840 --> 00:19:27,560 Speaker 2: the day it was charging around and I was struggling 387 00:19:27,560 --> 00:19:28,879 Speaker 2: to keep up, and I thought it might be a 388 00:19:28,920 --> 00:19:31,800 Speaker 2: bit quick for him, and took it into the mounting 389 00:19:31,880 --> 00:19:33,399 Speaker 2: under said if you need a hand, I'll just be 390 00:19:33,440 --> 00:19:35,560 Speaker 2: in the middle watching it, and he's like you a rose. 391 00:19:36,520 --> 00:19:39,600 Speaker 2: The horse was like twenty thirty meters behind the one 392 00:19:39,600 --> 00:19:41,320 Speaker 2: in front of it slowed down that much just so 393 00:19:41,359 --> 00:19:44,320 Speaker 2: Stevie could comfortably keep up with it and just sense that, 394 00:19:44,560 --> 00:19:48,320 Speaker 2: you know, his you know, challenges. And one of the 395 00:19:48,320 --> 00:19:51,280 Speaker 2: most amazing things about working with you know, the horses, 396 00:19:51,560 --> 00:19:55,760 Speaker 2: the horses, how intuitive they are and how amazing you 397 00:19:55,800 --> 00:19:57,880 Speaker 2: know his connection with them is can. 398 00:19:57,800 --> 00:20:00,480 Speaker 3: I explore that because I don't know, I've never had experience. 399 00:20:00,920 --> 00:20:03,120 Speaker 3: I have a bit of experience. It's in Turnial Park 400 00:20:03,160 --> 00:20:06,119 Speaker 3: when I was younger, like going to the stables there 401 00:20:06,160 --> 00:20:08,399 Speaker 3: and getting somebody to give us a horse and take 402 00:20:08,480 --> 00:20:10,160 Speaker 3: us a tour around ten year old park, et cetera. 403 00:20:10,200 --> 00:20:12,480 Speaker 1: But horses are. 404 00:20:13,920 --> 00:20:19,040 Speaker 3: Like an amazing looking animal, unbelievably athletic. They're big, muscular. 405 00:20:20,040 --> 00:20:21,879 Speaker 3: On one hand, they're really you know, you have a 406 00:20:21,880 --> 00:20:23,399 Speaker 3: great amount of respect for them. But on the other 407 00:20:23,400 --> 00:20:25,879 Speaker 3: they can be a bit scary too because they're so big, 408 00:20:26,400 --> 00:20:28,879 Speaker 3: and you know, you're by no means a titan in 409 00:20:28,960 --> 00:20:33,760 Speaker 3: terms of size. You're a jockey former jockey, and they're 410 00:20:33,880 --> 00:20:36,720 Speaker 3: the opposite. They are titans in the animal kingdom, and 411 00:20:36,800 --> 00:20:40,760 Speaker 3: they can do everything in an athletic sense. How is 412 00:20:40,800 --> 00:20:44,680 Speaker 3: it that you seemed about it and someone like stupid too, 413 00:20:44,680 --> 00:20:46,320 Speaker 3: and probably your brothers and sisters. I don't know much 414 00:20:46,320 --> 00:20:49,520 Speaker 3: about them, but have the ability to sort of have 415 00:20:49,640 --> 00:20:52,800 Speaker 3: command in relation to horses. About is it the fact 416 00:20:52,800 --> 00:20:55,520 Speaker 3: that you have great knowledge of how they think and operate, 417 00:20:55,640 --> 00:20:57,520 Speaker 3: or you have an empathy towards them, whether they have 418 00:20:57,560 --> 00:20:58,640 Speaker 3: an empathy towards you. 419 00:20:59,440 --> 00:21:02,480 Speaker 1: What does that old like? I don't understand it. 420 00:21:02,920 --> 00:21:05,480 Speaker 2: I think it's a whole range of things. Really, we 421 00:21:05,920 --> 00:21:08,760 Speaker 2: were brought up with them, so second nature to be 422 00:21:08,840 --> 00:21:12,600 Speaker 2: around them, even though they are huge animals. As you said, 423 00:21:12,720 --> 00:21:15,040 Speaker 2: But we were taught from a young age that they 424 00:21:15,119 --> 00:21:17,680 Speaker 2: need to respect you. So there's that level of respect 425 00:21:17,920 --> 00:21:19,840 Speaker 2: and then trust, they need to trust you as well. 426 00:21:19,880 --> 00:21:22,439 Speaker 3: And actually, when you said you were taught from a 427 00:21:22,480 --> 00:21:25,320 Speaker 3: young age that they need to respect you, which no 428 00:21:25,400 --> 00:21:28,119 Speaker 3: doubt is what your dad told you. What does that 429 00:21:28,200 --> 00:21:31,080 Speaker 3: mean they need to respect you? Like, is that an 430 00:21:31,280 --> 00:21:33,240 Speaker 3: advice on as to how to approach the. 431 00:21:33,200 --> 00:21:37,160 Speaker 2: Horse, how to handle them? Like if they just think 432 00:21:37,240 --> 00:21:40,239 Speaker 2: they can pull you around, they'll just do that, like 433 00:21:40,600 --> 00:21:43,040 Speaker 2: not not because they're bad animals, it's just because they 434 00:21:43,680 --> 00:21:46,880 Speaker 2: that's you know, you just need to firm that form, 435 00:21:46,960 --> 00:21:49,199 Speaker 2: that connection that they're not going to be able to 436 00:21:49,200 --> 00:21:51,240 Speaker 2: get away with doing whatever they want to want to do. 437 00:21:51,359 --> 00:21:55,959 Speaker 2: And even you know, from a five year old, no 438 00:21:56,000 --> 00:21:59,399 Speaker 2: matter how big they were, they still respect if you 439 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:02,720 Speaker 2: show them that you're you know, strong enough and you'll 440 00:22:02,760 --> 00:22:04,600 Speaker 2: stand up to them. But they'll sense fear in a 441 00:22:04,640 --> 00:22:10,280 Speaker 2: second that they're unbelievably intuitive, Like obviously dogs are incredibly intuitive, 442 00:22:10,280 --> 00:22:13,520 Speaker 2: but every much, every every bit as much that as them. 443 00:22:13,640 --> 00:22:17,160 Speaker 2: So it's all about that they they and then once 444 00:22:17,160 --> 00:22:20,240 Speaker 2: you've got that, it's about mutual respect and then they 445 00:22:20,240 --> 00:22:23,159 Speaker 2: trust you and once you have their trust. It's the 446 00:22:23,160 --> 00:22:25,880 Speaker 2: most amazing feeling in the world, Like you could ride 447 00:22:25,880 --> 00:22:28,520 Speaker 2: a horse on a piece of cotton when when it, 448 00:22:29,000 --> 00:22:32,400 Speaker 2: you know, responds to you. And that feeling is one 449 00:22:32,400 --> 00:22:34,639 Speaker 2: of the best things about, you know, being a jockey, 450 00:22:34,680 --> 00:22:38,600 Speaker 2: because you need everything to be going your way in 451 00:22:38,640 --> 00:22:41,560 Speaker 2: a race. It's it's a game of inches. It's dangerous 452 00:22:42,840 --> 00:22:45,879 Speaker 2: and pardon parcel of that is having a horse that 453 00:22:45,920 --> 00:22:48,199 Speaker 2: will do what you want to do at you know, 454 00:22:48,280 --> 00:22:51,600 Speaker 2: split second decisions and stuff like that. So it makes 455 00:22:51,640 --> 00:22:53,480 Speaker 2: it a great sport in a way. In that way 456 00:22:53,520 --> 00:22:57,240 Speaker 2: because you're working with an animal and not just any animal, 457 00:22:57,359 --> 00:23:01,240 Speaker 2: you know, six hundred kilo beast And that's part of 458 00:23:01,240 --> 00:23:03,800 Speaker 2: what I love so much about writing, because it's not 459 00:23:03,920 --> 00:23:06,040 Speaker 2: easy and you have to work hard at it and 460 00:23:07,200 --> 00:23:09,359 Speaker 2: one of the most beautiful things about working with the 461 00:23:09,359 --> 00:23:10,840 Speaker 2: animals that we do. 462 00:23:10,840 --> 00:23:13,560 Speaker 3: Do you know, we've just gone through maybe five factors 463 00:23:13,640 --> 00:23:18,360 Speaker 3: or so, you know, at the risk of repeating myself, 464 00:23:19,480 --> 00:23:22,159 Speaker 3: mother passed away at the age of six months, the 465 00:23:22,160 --> 00:23:27,280 Speaker 3: youngest of teen kids. An unbelievable relationship with your down 466 00:23:27,320 --> 00:23:35,040 Speaker 3: syndrome older brother too's older. Becoming a jockey, small, smallish 467 00:23:35,040 --> 00:23:39,840 Speaker 3: person dealing with a massive beast. Every thing I've asked 468 00:23:39,880 --> 00:23:42,600 Speaker 3: you about, most people would see as a challenge, some 469 00:23:42,640 --> 00:23:45,080 Speaker 3: would feel feeling and there's a number of other challenges 470 00:23:45,160 --> 00:23:47,800 Speaker 3: we're going to talk about a moment. Some people would 471 00:23:47,800 --> 00:23:50,800 Speaker 3: feel as on some occasionally the victim. But for some reason, 472 00:23:51,000 --> 00:23:53,080 Speaker 3: every one of them, you've turned into a good thing, 473 00:23:54,119 --> 00:23:58,159 Speaker 3: like it's some sort of blessing. Like everyone, where the 474 00:23:58,160 --> 00:24:00,199 Speaker 3: hell do you get that sort of mindset from? That's 475 00:24:00,240 --> 00:24:02,840 Speaker 3: a mindset game? You're born that way? Or would you 476 00:24:02,880 --> 00:24:05,720 Speaker 3: develop that way? Or did your dad drum it into 477 00:24:05,720 --> 00:24:08,520 Speaker 3: you or did you dream about it? Is it part 478 00:24:08,520 --> 00:24:09,000 Speaker 3: of your faith? 479 00:24:09,040 --> 00:24:09,479 Speaker 1: What is it? 480 00:24:10,080 --> 00:24:12,639 Speaker 2: Not sure? From a very young age, I was really 481 00:24:12,800 --> 00:24:15,840 Speaker 2: a quiet kid. I think probably being the youngest of 482 00:24:15,960 --> 00:24:18,879 Speaker 2: ten you'll put back into place pretty quickly. So I 483 00:24:18,920 --> 00:24:21,160 Speaker 2: watched and learned and listened a lot, and I think 484 00:24:21,240 --> 00:24:24,360 Speaker 2: that's a big thing. You obviously learn a lot more 485 00:24:23,640 --> 00:24:28,320 Speaker 2: when you're quiet and you're listening. And I had a 486 00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:30,640 Speaker 2: lot of brothers and sisters wanting to teach me too, 487 00:24:30,720 --> 00:24:33,280 Speaker 2: like I was a little one, and they just wanted 488 00:24:33,320 --> 00:24:36,440 Speaker 2: to help where they could. And I really am blessed 489 00:24:36,440 --> 00:24:38,560 Speaker 2: to have had the upbringing that I've had because of that. 490 00:24:39,440 --> 00:24:42,440 Speaker 2: But yeah, I think just you know, just sitting back 491 00:24:42,560 --> 00:24:45,320 Speaker 2: watching it all, also believing I could do it. I 492 00:24:45,359 --> 00:24:48,040 Speaker 2: think that was one of the biggest things. There's one 493 00:24:48,080 --> 00:24:50,000 Speaker 2: line that I've said a few times about my dad 494 00:24:50,000 --> 00:24:52,480 Speaker 2: and that he used to walk around the house saying, 495 00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:55,160 Speaker 2: just daily, the girls are as good as the boys, 496 00:24:55,160 --> 00:24:58,280 Speaker 2: they just need the opportunities. And you know, he was 497 00:24:58,320 --> 00:25:00,400 Speaker 2: just saying it because my older sisters are right and 498 00:25:00,480 --> 00:25:02,760 Speaker 2: they won't get in the riots. He thought sometimes they should, 499 00:25:02,800 --> 00:25:06,280 Speaker 2: and he just would say it off the cuff, not thinking, 500 00:25:06,600 --> 00:25:09,040 Speaker 2: you know, I would listen or take me so random. Yeah, ye, 501 00:25:09,640 --> 00:25:13,920 Speaker 2: and yeah, I just grew up listening to those words, thinking, well, 502 00:25:14,160 --> 00:25:17,480 Speaker 2: that sounds pretty good to me, sounds pretty right, so exactly, 503 00:25:17,560 --> 00:25:20,760 Speaker 2: and I grew up thinking, you know, why couldn't I be, 504 00:25:20,960 --> 00:25:23,520 Speaker 2: you know, as good as the boys. I work hard, 505 00:25:23,560 --> 00:25:26,440 Speaker 2: I've grown up with all my life, watched my older 506 00:25:26,480 --> 00:25:29,840 Speaker 2: sisters who did very well and just needed the opportunities 507 00:25:29,880 --> 00:25:34,520 Speaker 2: to prove that. And I think that, you know, simple 508 00:25:34,600 --> 00:25:37,640 Speaker 2: line of that as a young kid just embedded into 509 00:25:37,640 --> 00:25:40,280 Speaker 2: my brain and gave me the confidence to believe in myself. 510 00:25:40,440 --> 00:25:42,440 Speaker 3: So you're saying to me, he didn't sit you down 511 00:25:42,640 --> 00:25:45,920 Speaker 3: and say to you, you can be as good as anybody, 512 00:25:46,040 --> 00:25:48,040 Speaker 3: or you know you can if you get the opportunity, 513 00:25:48,040 --> 00:25:49,640 Speaker 3: you can be as good as the boys or any boy. 514 00:25:50,320 --> 00:25:52,760 Speaker 3: But you just sort of randomly hurt it like as 515 00:25:52,840 --> 00:25:55,600 Speaker 3: part of his let's call it his pattern. You know 516 00:25:55,680 --> 00:25:58,440 Speaker 3: that the way he spoke, and you obviously heard it 517 00:25:58,480 --> 00:26:02,080 Speaker 3: a lot, and then there's something about your belief system 518 00:26:02,119 --> 00:26:06,600 Speaker 3: and so you believed him. What is it that has 519 00:26:06,840 --> 00:26:09,560 Speaker 3: gets a young kid? What do you think in your 520 00:26:09,600 --> 00:26:13,080 Speaker 3: case at least, is that for you as a young child, 521 00:26:13,400 --> 00:26:17,200 Speaker 3: believed in your dad Because you know, some times you 522 00:26:17,400 --> 00:26:18,040 Speaker 3: tell kids. 523 00:26:17,920 --> 00:26:19,440 Speaker 1: Things, you know, I said, we are four kids. 524 00:26:19,480 --> 00:26:22,119 Speaker 3: I mean, they don't they say, yeah right, dad, Especially 525 00:26:22,200 --> 00:26:26,199 Speaker 3: these days, they don't believe everything I say. You know, 526 00:26:26,240 --> 00:26:30,040 Speaker 3: they believe in everything I say, particularly these days they 527 00:26:30,040 --> 00:26:32,679 Speaker 3: are older. But when even when they were kids, and 528 00:26:32,800 --> 00:26:35,560 Speaker 3: in fact, some personalities out of my son's would go 529 00:26:35,600 --> 00:26:38,399 Speaker 3: the opposite direction no matter what I said, but I 530 00:26:38,440 --> 00:26:41,399 Speaker 3: tended to say it to them as opposed to just 531 00:26:41,640 --> 00:26:45,680 Speaker 3: sort of randomly saying it. What is it about you 532 00:26:45,800 --> 00:26:48,440 Speaker 3: that allowed you to believe that what your dad said 533 00:26:48,520 --> 00:26:49,040 Speaker 3: was correct? 534 00:26:49,240 --> 00:26:51,880 Speaker 1: Because that's the biggest challenge that you've overcome. 535 00:26:52,440 --> 00:26:54,680 Speaker 2: I think he wasn't, like you said, he wasn't saying 536 00:26:54,680 --> 00:26:57,280 Speaker 2: it directly to me or any of us. And he 537 00:26:57,320 --> 00:26:59,560 Speaker 2: probably even didn't even know I was listening, because we 538 00:27:00,119 --> 00:27:00,480 Speaker 2: was busy. 539 00:27:00,520 --> 00:27:00,680 Speaker 1: It was. 540 00:27:00,920 --> 00:27:03,640 Speaker 2: It was an noisy household. There was always fights and 541 00:27:03,840 --> 00:27:08,360 Speaker 2: you know, kids everywhere. So if I asked him, yeah, 542 00:27:08,400 --> 00:27:10,320 Speaker 2: I doesn't even know I tell that story because and 543 00:27:10,400 --> 00:27:12,400 Speaker 2: if I asked him that, he probably wouldn't even nearly 544 00:27:12,480 --> 00:27:16,440 Speaker 2: remember or think. You know, I was sitting there like, oh, yeah, right, 545 00:27:16,480 --> 00:27:20,520 Speaker 2: that sounds pretty right, and yeah, probably just that fact. 546 00:27:20,560 --> 00:27:23,240 Speaker 2: And you know, like I said, it was a busy household. 547 00:27:23,840 --> 00:27:26,640 Speaker 2: Kids were coming and going all the time. There's cars 548 00:27:26,680 --> 00:27:32,720 Speaker 2: everywhere in the front yard, race bags everywhere, saddles and 549 00:27:33,119 --> 00:27:35,800 Speaker 2: stuff like it. It's hard to even explain, to imagine. 550 00:27:35,840 --> 00:27:39,080 Speaker 2: The movie couldn't depict how crazy it really was, even 551 00:27:39,080 --> 00:27:44,080 Speaker 2: though they tried. So, yeah, just in that madhouse, and 552 00:27:44,160 --> 00:27:46,160 Speaker 2: you know, kids are coming home from the races. How'd 553 00:27:46,160 --> 00:27:48,840 Speaker 2: you go today? You don't know? Good got taken off 554 00:27:48,840 --> 00:27:51,479 Speaker 2: this one? So we were hearing all of those I 555 00:27:51,560 --> 00:27:53,520 Speaker 2: was hearing all of those things, you know, of just 556 00:27:53,600 --> 00:27:57,680 Speaker 2: every day working life. And you know, it wasn't pretend 557 00:27:57,840 --> 00:28:02,040 Speaker 2: everything was you know, survival and you know, a real 558 00:28:02,080 --> 00:28:05,600 Speaker 2: life job, and it's a tough job. You've got people 559 00:28:05,640 --> 00:28:08,480 Speaker 2: putting a lot of money into their horses, people gambling 560 00:28:08,480 --> 00:28:11,160 Speaker 2: on them, people yelling out over the fence at them, 561 00:28:11,240 --> 00:28:15,520 Speaker 2: you know, giving them grief or whatever. So I think 562 00:28:15,680 --> 00:28:18,359 Speaker 2: it was just a way of him supporting my older sisters, 563 00:28:18,520 --> 00:28:21,920 Speaker 2: you know, to you know, you can be as good 564 00:28:21,920 --> 00:28:24,760 Speaker 2: as the guys. You just need the opportunities and hopefully 565 00:28:24,800 --> 00:28:27,240 Speaker 2: one will come their way. And he also trained a 566 00:28:27,320 --> 00:28:29,560 Speaker 2: number of horses. I think he had around twenty five 567 00:28:29,640 --> 00:28:33,080 Speaker 2: and shared them as best he could between them all 568 00:28:33,119 --> 00:28:35,119 Speaker 2: as well. So he just needed a good horse to 569 00:28:35,440 --> 00:28:39,200 Speaker 2: give them that. And one story that blows me away 570 00:28:39,440 --> 00:28:43,040 Speaker 2: is my older sister Tree, So I spoke about she 571 00:28:43,680 --> 00:28:46,800 Speaker 2: was fourteen when she started racing, which I started at fifteen, 572 00:28:46,840 --> 00:28:49,000 Speaker 2: and I was such a baby. I thought I was ready. 573 00:28:49,040 --> 00:28:51,720 Speaker 2: And you get thrown into the world of racing and 574 00:28:51,760 --> 00:28:54,360 Speaker 2: you're inner field on this six hundred killer, out of 575 00:28:54,400 --> 00:28:58,560 Speaker 2: control because you're still getting stronger, getting pushed around from 576 00:28:58,560 --> 00:29:01,640 Speaker 2: pillar to post by the older job and I remember 577 00:29:01,680 --> 00:29:04,280 Speaker 2: thinking stuff, Oh my god, I didn't think this. I 578 00:29:04,400 --> 00:29:07,480 Speaker 2: wasn't going to be prepared because I've watched so many races. 579 00:29:08,120 --> 00:29:11,520 Speaker 2: She rode as a fourteen year old, and she was 580 00:29:11,600 --> 00:29:13,960 Speaker 2: riding for six months and dad had a horse going 581 00:29:13,960 --> 00:29:16,000 Speaker 2: for the Adelaide Cut, which is a two mile race 582 00:29:17,800 --> 00:29:20,600 Speaker 2: Group one at that point, which is top level, and 583 00:29:21,200 --> 00:29:23,440 Speaker 2: he needed a rider at forty seven kilos and he 584 00:29:23,520 --> 00:29:26,760 Speaker 2: was struggling to find somebody, and so he thought, I'll 585 00:29:26,760 --> 00:29:29,200 Speaker 2: put trees on. So by this stage she was fourteen 586 00:29:29,240 --> 00:29:31,480 Speaker 2: and a half years old've been riding six months going 587 00:29:31,520 --> 00:29:33,800 Speaker 2: into a two mile race on a stallion, which is 588 00:29:34,280 --> 00:29:39,320 Speaker 2: even bigger and stronger. To me, that blows me away 589 00:29:39,640 --> 00:29:41,640 Speaker 2: that you know she was able to do that, And 590 00:29:41,640 --> 00:29:43,040 Speaker 2: I asked her about it, she says, I was all right, 591 00:29:43,120 --> 00:29:45,160 Speaker 2: she just just went out there and did it. So 592 00:29:45,680 --> 00:29:48,560 Speaker 2: that was upbringing I had watching, you know, those those 593 00:29:48,600 --> 00:29:51,280 Speaker 2: sort of things and wouldn't be heard of today. I 594 00:29:51,280 --> 00:29:53,400 Speaker 2: think the younger ship can start riding at sixteen. So 595 00:29:55,040 --> 00:29:55,800 Speaker 2: just remarkable. 596 00:29:56,200 --> 00:29:58,360 Speaker 1: You just said just as it was forty seven and 597 00:29:58,440 --> 00:29:59,320 Speaker 1: a half kilos. 598 00:29:59,360 --> 00:30:01,520 Speaker 2: I think you said had forty seven, so she would 599 00:30:01,560 --> 00:30:03,080 Speaker 2: have been around forty five forty. 600 00:30:02,880 --> 00:30:06,480 Speaker 1: Five killows and just just on that. 601 00:30:07,280 --> 00:30:08,840 Speaker 3: Just so we get a bit of an insight into 602 00:30:09,880 --> 00:30:14,080 Speaker 3: a jockey's life and I'd like to actually cover off, 603 00:30:14,120 --> 00:30:16,720 Speaker 3: you know, the training regimes, et cetera, in terms of 604 00:30:16,760 --> 00:30:19,200 Speaker 3: time and all that sort of stuff and the competition 605 00:30:19,240 --> 00:30:23,800 Speaker 3: around it. But just in terms of being forty five kilos, 606 00:30:24,240 --> 00:30:25,800 Speaker 3: even a. 607 00:30:26,400 --> 00:30:27,720 Speaker 1: Diminutive woman. 608 00:30:28,960 --> 00:30:31,360 Speaker 3: Would struggle at forty four to get to forty five kilos. 609 00:30:33,080 --> 00:30:35,120 Speaker 3: What does it actually mean like in terms of how 610 00:30:35,120 --> 00:30:37,600 Speaker 3: you lead your life. Maybe for the week before the 611 00:30:38,160 --> 00:30:40,760 Speaker 3: race and maybe maybe and I don't know, do you 612 00:30:40,800 --> 00:30:42,840 Speaker 3: need to train at do you need to take the 613 00:30:42,880 --> 00:30:45,240 Speaker 3: horse for training around the. 614 00:30:45,240 --> 00:30:46,520 Speaker 1: Paddock at forty five as well? 615 00:30:46,600 --> 00:30:48,600 Speaker 3: Or or the it' say okay for you to be 616 00:30:48,680 --> 00:30:50,920 Speaker 3: much heavier before you lose weight, And what's the weight 617 00:30:51,040 --> 00:30:52,160 Speaker 3: loss program look like? 618 00:30:52,600 --> 00:30:53,680 Speaker 1: How intense and hectic? 619 00:30:53,920 --> 00:30:56,240 Speaker 2: So for her, she was fourteen, so she was really light. 620 00:30:56,960 --> 00:30:59,760 Speaker 2: For example, when I started racing, was forty seven at fifteen, 621 00:30:59,800 --> 00:31:02,960 Speaker 2: so sort of the build of our family and at 622 00:31:03,000 --> 00:31:05,480 Speaker 2: that age is still growing and you know she might 623 00:31:05,560 --> 00:31:10,080 Speaker 2: be fifty fifty five now for kill those still small. Yeah, 624 00:31:10,760 --> 00:31:14,480 Speaker 2: we're still small people. But as you get older and 625 00:31:14,800 --> 00:31:18,240 Speaker 2: you're mature and you get to your full size, that's 626 00:31:18,280 --> 00:31:22,080 Speaker 2: when the challenge comes to maintaining weight and being at 627 00:31:22,080 --> 00:31:25,640 Speaker 2: the right weight on the day. That can be a 628 00:31:25,720 --> 00:31:28,200 Speaker 2: whole range of challenges, and people do it in different 629 00:31:28,200 --> 00:31:30,960 Speaker 2: ways to suit themselves, suit their bodies the best way 630 00:31:30,960 --> 00:31:33,320 Speaker 2: that they're going to perform on the day. You have 631 00:31:33,360 --> 00:31:35,120 Speaker 2: to sort of work that out along the way. One 632 00:31:35,160 --> 00:31:38,120 Speaker 2: thing might work for somebody. Yeah, one thing might work 633 00:31:38,120 --> 00:31:41,400 Speaker 2: for somebody not another. So yeah, it all just depends 634 00:31:41,400 --> 00:31:44,560 Speaker 2: on the individual. But you're watching your learn things and 635 00:31:44,680 --> 00:31:47,080 Speaker 2: you try if that works, that works, If it doesn't, 636 00:31:47,160 --> 00:31:47,920 Speaker 2: try something else. 637 00:31:48,080 --> 00:31:50,560 Speaker 3: Did you ever do anything that sort of resulted in 638 00:31:50,600 --> 00:31:53,040 Speaker 3: you being not ready to write as a result of 639 00:31:53,400 --> 00:31:56,040 Speaker 3: maybe pulling the punt in the punch, pulling the wrong 640 00:31:56,120 --> 00:31:58,680 Speaker 3: rain on your own weight loss, So you know, like 641 00:31:58,720 --> 00:32:01,360 Speaker 3: if you're not experiencing this sort of stuff and for 642 00:32:01,400 --> 00:32:02,840 Speaker 3: some reason you decided, well, I'm just not going to 643 00:32:02,880 --> 00:32:04,480 Speaker 3: drink any water for two days. And by the way, 644 00:32:04,880 --> 00:32:06,960 Speaker 3: that top of weed stuff does happen in other sports, 645 00:32:08,000 --> 00:32:10,360 Speaker 3: but it affects your brain. You thought by process is 646 00:32:10,360 --> 00:32:13,600 Speaker 3: your strength, your ability to respond, your time to respond, 647 00:32:13,800 --> 00:32:16,040 Speaker 3: which all those things are critical in what you were doing. 648 00:32:16,760 --> 00:32:18,600 Speaker 1: Did you ever stuff it up? 649 00:32:20,240 --> 00:32:24,160 Speaker 2: One time that I can recall is I had my 650 00:32:24,240 --> 00:32:28,960 Speaker 2: first ride in the Corfield Cup at fifty kilos. I 651 00:32:29,000 --> 00:32:33,320 Speaker 2: think I was twenty four at the time, and the 652 00:32:33,360 --> 00:32:36,720 Speaker 2: fifty kilos I hadn't ridden for six years in the 653 00:32:36,800 --> 00:32:38,600 Speaker 2: lead up to it, but it was one of my 654 00:32:38,640 --> 00:32:41,280 Speaker 2: biggest opportunities to ride in a race like that. That 655 00:32:41,560 --> 00:32:43,280 Speaker 2: then went on to race in the Melbourne Cup, so 656 00:32:43,760 --> 00:32:46,400 Speaker 2: I definitely wasn't saying no, but getting to that was 657 00:32:46,760 --> 00:32:49,200 Speaker 2: just one of the toughest things I've had to go through. 658 00:32:49,280 --> 00:32:51,040 Speaker 2: I think the last half a kilo on the day 659 00:32:51,080 --> 00:32:53,160 Speaker 2: took me seven hours to get off. It just wouldn't 660 00:32:53,160 --> 00:32:56,080 Speaker 2: come off my body. Eventually got to the weight and 661 00:32:57,240 --> 00:32:59,600 Speaker 2: rode the horse. She ran well, She ran top eight, 662 00:32:59,640 --> 00:33:03,200 Speaker 2: which was really good. And then the next week I 663 00:33:03,280 --> 00:33:06,640 Speaker 2: was riding. It was for champion trainer Buck Cummings, and 664 00:33:06,960 --> 00:33:10,480 Speaker 2: you know, it was an unbelievable opportunity to ride for 665 00:33:10,520 --> 00:33:13,280 Speaker 2: such a trainer of his caliber. And I was riding 666 00:33:13,280 --> 00:33:15,000 Speaker 2: again for him the next week in the Mini Valley 667 00:33:15,000 --> 00:33:17,120 Speaker 2: Cup and it had fifty one kilos and I thought 668 00:33:17,200 --> 00:33:20,120 Speaker 2: that should be right. I've just ridden fifty should be 669 00:33:20,160 --> 00:33:23,360 Speaker 2: piece of Kate get into fifty one. Anyway, the morning 670 00:33:23,360 --> 00:33:25,280 Speaker 2: of the race, I had, I think a kilo to 671 00:33:25,320 --> 00:33:27,200 Speaker 2: lose and I thought that was in range I usually 672 00:33:27,240 --> 00:33:29,080 Speaker 2: could lose up to a killer and a half if 673 00:33:29,120 --> 00:33:32,080 Speaker 2: I had to anyway, my body would not let go. 674 00:33:32,200 --> 00:33:34,280 Speaker 2: I could not lose the weight, and I was running 675 00:33:34,280 --> 00:33:36,760 Speaker 2: out of time. Ended up having to make my way 676 00:33:36,800 --> 00:33:39,480 Speaker 2: to the track and I rang the foreman at the time, 677 00:33:39,560 --> 00:33:41,480 Speaker 2: Redge Fleming, and I said, Redge, I'm not going to 678 00:33:41,520 --> 00:33:43,080 Speaker 2: be able to make the weight. I don't even think 679 00:33:43,080 --> 00:33:44,520 Speaker 2: I can be half over. I think I'm going to 680 00:33:44,520 --> 00:33:46,880 Speaker 2: be a killer over. And he said, oh, but it's 681 00:33:46,920 --> 00:33:48,600 Speaker 2: not going to be happy. We might have to try 682 00:33:48,640 --> 00:33:51,240 Speaker 2: and find a replacement. But if there's not a replacement, 683 00:33:51,240 --> 00:33:54,120 Speaker 2: you obviously have to ride it. But anyway got there, 684 00:33:54,160 --> 00:33:55,560 Speaker 2: no one could ride the horse, so I wrote it 685 00:33:55,600 --> 00:33:58,280 Speaker 2: a kill over. She ran third, she ran really well. 686 00:33:58,560 --> 00:34:00,520 Speaker 2: I don't think it effective where she because she was 687 00:34:00,560 --> 00:34:03,480 Speaker 2: beaten too far for a second. But I did lose 688 00:34:03,480 --> 00:34:05,920 Speaker 2: the ride, I know the next start, but was then 689 00:34:06,000 --> 00:34:08,200 Speaker 2: lucky enough to go on and ride the same horse 690 00:34:08,239 --> 00:34:10,799 Speaker 2: for bart in the Melbourne Cup from the Corfield Cup 691 00:34:10,840 --> 00:34:13,160 Speaker 2: at fifty and a half. But I had ten days 692 00:34:13,160 --> 00:34:14,919 Speaker 2: then to try to get back down to that weight. 693 00:34:15,040 --> 00:34:18,719 Speaker 2: So that's the whole thing about learning your body. I 694 00:34:18,760 --> 00:34:21,080 Speaker 2: didn't realize because I'd done it so tough to get 695 00:34:21,120 --> 00:34:22,920 Speaker 2: to the fifty my body didn't want to let go 696 00:34:22,960 --> 00:34:25,680 Speaker 2: to get to fifty one the next week. So just 697 00:34:25,719 --> 00:34:29,960 Speaker 2: things like that. A Yeah, crazy that it can make 698 00:34:30,000 --> 00:34:30,640 Speaker 2: such a difference. 699 00:34:30,640 --> 00:34:31,640 Speaker 1: And does it affect you sleep? 700 00:34:33,320 --> 00:34:36,080 Speaker 2: You're exhausted, has a jockie, You're up at three three 701 00:34:36,080 --> 00:34:39,480 Speaker 2: point thirty, you ride, ride all morning, you come home, 702 00:34:39,520 --> 00:34:41,279 Speaker 2: you might get an hour's nap. You might not even 703 00:34:41,320 --> 00:34:42,799 Speaker 2: get that. You go to the race all day, get 704 00:34:42,800 --> 00:34:46,520 Speaker 2: home seven, eight, nine o'clock. So sleeping was the right 705 00:34:46,640 --> 00:34:47,120 Speaker 2: of them. 706 00:34:47,320 --> 00:34:49,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, when you're exhausted, be you've. 707 00:34:49,280 --> 00:34:51,120 Speaker 2: Go to bed hungry, you go to hit bed with 708 00:34:51,160 --> 00:34:53,160 Speaker 2: this stomach churning most of the time. 709 00:34:54,400 --> 00:34:57,560 Speaker 3: Do you feel as though sometimes whilst you choose, you 710 00:34:57,640 --> 00:35:02,600 Speaker 3: choose at life everything to sort. Wow, I don't need 711 00:35:02,640 --> 00:35:05,920 Speaker 3: permanent damage to myself from living that life during that 712 00:35:06,520 --> 00:35:10,120 Speaker 3: sort of critical period of growth, growing, et cetera. Especially 713 00:35:10,480 --> 00:35:12,360 Speaker 3: I shouldn't say it, but I'm going to say especially 714 00:35:12,400 --> 00:35:13,960 Speaker 3: for a woman, because there's lots of other things going 715 00:35:13,960 --> 00:35:15,440 Speaker 3: on for a female at the time. 716 00:35:15,880 --> 00:35:21,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, Look, I think definitely in some ways it's you know, 717 00:35:21,080 --> 00:35:25,400 Speaker 2: it's tough. You're starving yourself sometimes it's healthier than eating 718 00:35:25,440 --> 00:35:29,320 Speaker 2: bad things though. That's true, So it's probably the extreme 719 00:35:29,800 --> 00:35:32,080 Speaker 2: way of looking after yourself. But you're healthy. You've got 720 00:35:32,120 --> 00:35:34,880 Speaker 2: to be healthy to perform it. You're an athlete, you know, 721 00:35:35,200 --> 00:35:37,600 Speaker 2: like you said before, you've got to be thinking split 722 00:35:37,640 --> 00:35:40,520 Speaker 2: second decisions, decisions. You've got to be sharp, you've got 723 00:35:40,520 --> 00:35:42,680 Speaker 2: to be alert, you've got to be strong. You're writing 724 00:35:42,719 --> 00:35:45,120 Speaker 2: a six hundred killer animal, you're in a race. You've 725 00:35:45,120 --> 00:35:47,640 Speaker 2: got to be agile. Everything has to work together. So 726 00:35:50,280 --> 00:35:52,319 Speaker 2: whilst you know it could be seen as unhealthy in 727 00:35:52,320 --> 00:35:54,720 Speaker 2: a way, I think it probably is not the worst 728 00:35:54,800 --> 00:35:57,720 Speaker 2: way of living. But as a female, it can affect 729 00:35:57,760 --> 00:36:02,280 Speaker 2: your cycle just because you're underweight. I haven't had any kids, 730 00:36:02,320 --> 00:36:04,480 Speaker 2: but my sisters have had no trouble having kids and 731 00:36:04,760 --> 00:36:08,719 Speaker 2: they live the same sort of similar life. And yeah, 732 00:36:08,920 --> 00:36:11,600 Speaker 2: hopefully it's not going to be any effect on me. 733 00:36:11,719 --> 00:36:17,040 Speaker 2: But yeah, in a way, I think overeating and eating 734 00:36:17,080 --> 00:36:19,920 Speaker 2: bad foods is more unhealthy and going up partying than 735 00:36:19,960 --> 00:36:21,239 Speaker 2: probably the life we were living. 736 00:36:21,400 --> 00:36:22,879 Speaker 3: It's a good way to look at it. I mean, 737 00:36:22,920 --> 00:36:24,440 Speaker 3: it's not the way I was thinking, but it's a 738 00:36:24,440 --> 00:36:27,279 Speaker 3: good way to look at it. As typical from just 739 00:36:27,360 --> 00:36:30,400 Speaker 3: this half hour conversation. So far, you look at everything 740 00:36:30,400 --> 00:36:33,960 Speaker 3: from the bright side. You're optimistic about everything. I often 741 00:36:34,000 --> 00:36:36,799 Speaker 3: want to know when you're sitting there ready to the 742 00:36:36,880 --> 00:36:39,120 Speaker 3: race about to start and you're getting ready, are you 743 00:36:39,200 --> 00:36:42,680 Speaker 3: excited or nervous or shitting yourself? 744 00:36:42,760 --> 00:36:43,560 Speaker 1: What was going on? 745 00:36:43,680 --> 00:36:45,160 Speaker 2: You know? Oh my god, I could tell you a 746 00:36:45,160 --> 00:36:47,440 Speaker 2: whole range of feelings. The amount of thought you can 747 00:36:47,440 --> 00:36:51,960 Speaker 2: have interest many times amazing, all of them exactly. So 748 00:36:52,560 --> 00:36:54,600 Speaker 2: learning to deal with nerves was one of the biggest 749 00:36:54,640 --> 00:36:57,600 Speaker 2: things that I found from a young age because I 750 00:36:57,680 --> 00:37:00,440 Speaker 2: wanted it so bad. I tribe my whole life to 751 00:37:00,440 --> 00:37:03,000 Speaker 2: be jockey and the best I could be. And finally 752 00:37:03,000 --> 00:37:05,560 Speaker 2: you get opportunities and good ones and good races, your 753 00:37:05,560 --> 00:37:08,600 Speaker 2: horses favorite. You're like, right, and you know nerves is 754 00:37:08,640 --> 00:37:10,919 Speaker 2: going to, you know, get in the way of your thinking. 755 00:37:10,960 --> 00:37:13,040 Speaker 2: You haven't got time to be nervous and have that 756 00:37:13,120 --> 00:37:15,680 Speaker 2: cloud your judgment. In a race, You've got a second, 757 00:37:15,719 --> 00:37:18,400 Speaker 2: split second to make a decision, sometimes quarter of a second. 758 00:37:18,600 --> 00:37:22,359 Speaker 2: Should you take that run? Should you wait? So I 759 00:37:22,440 --> 00:37:24,600 Speaker 2: knew from a young age had to conquer it because 760 00:37:25,040 --> 00:37:27,399 Speaker 2: it was going to kill my game. And I love 761 00:37:27,440 --> 00:37:31,640 Speaker 2: the tactical side of writing. It's one of my favorite things. Exactly. Yeah, 762 00:37:31,680 --> 00:37:36,760 Speaker 2: So clear thinking is basically one of the most important things. 763 00:37:36,800 --> 00:37:39,640 Speaker 2: So behind the barriers, I used to get so nervous. 764 00:37:40,120 --> 00:37:44,040 Speaker 2: Just deep breaths, think like, just slow down your breathing, relax. 765 00:37:44,520 --> 00:37:47,480 Speaker 2: Whatever happens happens. If it's unlucky, if you don't get 766 00:37:47,480 --> 00:37:49,399 Speaker 2: the run you want to have, you'll be okay after 767 00:37:49,480 --> 00:37:52,640 Speaker 2: the race. Don't worry about it because worrying is not 768 00:37:52,680 --> 00:37:54,359 Speaker 2: going to make you ride the horse, while it's going 769 00:37:54,400 --> 00:37:56,920 Speaker 2: to make your stuff it up. So I years and 770 00:37:57,000 --> 00:38:00,520 Speaker 2: years of practicing that and learning to just calm your 771 00:38:00,560 --> 00:38:02,400 Speaker 2: nerves and not only that, your horse can feel it 772 00:38:02,440 --> 00:38:05,279 Speaker 2: if you're nervous through your legs are that's sensitive, they 773 00:38:05,280 --> 00:38:07,640 Speaker 2: can they can tell if you're a bit on edge. Wow, 774 00:38:07,760 --> 00:38:11,440 Speaker 2: really exactly. Yeah, it's everything, And that's what I was 775 00:38:11,480 --> 00:38:14,000 Speaker 2: trying to explain to you about racing. It's so there's 776 00:38:14,040 --> 00:38:17,080 Speaker 2: so much involved that makes it so amazing and fun. 777 00:38:18,200 --> 00:38:20,479 Speaker 2: So that was one of the biggest things to learn 778 00:38:20,520 --> 00:38:23,480 Speaker 2: and to deal with. The other thing is fear, because 779 00:38:23,520 --> 00:38:28,040 Speaker 2: it is dangerous. So here in the barriers. I think 780 00:38:28,200 --> 00:38:30,520 Speaker 2: I had a bit of PTSD probably through my life 781 00:38:30,520 --> 00:38:32,840 Speaker 2: from having so many bad injuries, and even though I 782 00:38:32,840 --> 00:38:35,839 Speaker 2: have faith, you can't help but think you know what's 783 00:38:35,880 --> 00:38:38,680 Speaker 2: going to go what could go wrong? When exactly when 784 00:38:38,719 --> 00:38:42,680 Speaker 2: things have gone wrong, So that that was one thing 785 00:38:42,719 --> 00:38:45,080 Speaker 2: that my faith come into it. I'd say a little prayer, 786 00:38:45,239 --> 00:38:48,200 Speaker 2: say to mom, oh, wow, I had an older brother 787 00:38:48,239 --> 00:38:50,440 Speaker 2: that passed away when he was three days so called Michael, 788 00:38:50,520 --> 00:38:52,680 Speaker 2: who I was named after. I was born on his birthday, 789 00:38:52,719 --> 00:38:58,759 Speaker 2: so she'll probably so I'd say a little friend of 790 00:38:58,840 --> 00:39:01,080 Speaker 2: Mum and to Michael, and to God, you know, keep 791 00:39:01,080 --> 00:39:02,719 Speaker 2: me safe out there. Please have to make the right 792 00:39:02,760 --> 00:39:05,520 Speaker 2: decisions at the right time, and I instantly feel calm. 793 00:39:05,560 --> 00:39:09,799 Speaker 2: So obviously the faith, you know, would help me through 794 00:39:09,840 --> 00:39:14,520 Speaker 2: those times. But yeah, like because there was times having falls. 795 00:39:14,960 --> 00:39:19,920 Speaker 2: One time in particular, this was I've probably been riding 796 00:39:20,080 --> 00:39:22,800 Speaker 2: I think thirteen years, and it was in the barriers, 797 00:39:22,800 --> 00:39:26,120 Speaker 2: had had it at this point, a fractured skull, fractured vertebrates, 798 00:39:26,880 --> 00:39:27,800 Speaker 2: dessicated ankle. 799 00:39:28,640 --> 00:39:30,800 Speaker 1: Not to welst you're on the horse. You'd had already 800 00:39:30,800 --> 00:39:31,920 Speaker 1: previously had that had. 801 00:39:31,760 --> 00:39:35,200 Speaker 2: These hors on from falls. So I was, you know, 802 00:39:35,280 --> 00:39:39,160 Speaker 2: had had a lot go wrong and in the barriers, 803 00:39:39,200 --> 00:39:41,280 Speaker 2: and this I remember it really clearly. Usually I couldn't 804 00:39:41,280 --> 00:39:44,160 Speaker 2: remember the fall because it was knocked out through concussion 805 00:39:44,239 --> 00:39:46,600 Speaker 2: and everything. But this day I remember, and the horse 806 00:39:46,640 --> 00:39:50,080 Speaker 2: was having its first start in the country in Victoria, 807 00:39:50,280 --> 00:39:52,480 Speaker 2: standing up really straight, ready to go, and I was 808 00:39:52,480 --> 00:39:54,680 Speaker 2: I remember thinking himself, what a lovely little horse, three 809 00:39:54,719 --> 00:39:57,680 Speaker 2: year old young horse given pat a thousand meter race, 810 00:39:57,680 --> 00:40:01,040 Speaker 2: So you go to jump fast, get your spot anyway, 811 00:40:01,320 --> 00:40:04,640 Speaker 2: he for some reason, and I've never seen it before 812 00:40:04,840 --> 00:40:07,560 Speaker 2: after but when he went to jump, he didn't move 813 00:40:07,600 --> 00:40:10,000 Speaker 2: his front legs. They just stayed straight and he just 814 00:40:10,120 --> 00:40:14,680 Speaker 2: absolutely face planted. And usually when they stumble, you can 815 00:40:14,719 --> 00:40:16,160 Speaker 2: pull their head up a bit and you've got a 816 00:40:16,200 --> 00:40:18,000 Speaker 2: little bit of reaction time. But because I went to 817 00:40:18,000 --> 00:40:20,600 Speaker 2: pull his head up, he just he catapuled me face 818 00:40:20,680 --> 00:40:23,960 Speaker 2: first into the ground as fast as you could even imagine, 819 00:40:24,520 --> 00:40:26,799 Speaker 2: and I woke up. So I don't even know if 820 00:40:26,800 --> 00:40:28,040 Speaker 2: I woke up or I'll come to it on the 821 00:40:28,040 --> 00:40:31,640 Speaker 2: track and I couldn't move my legs for about thirty seconds, 822 00:40:32,120 --> 00:40:34,280 Speaker 2: and all the barrier attendants are there and the ambulance 823 00:40:34,320 --> 00:40:35,640 Speaker 2: of there with you straight away, and I was like, 824 00:40:35,640 --> 00:40:37,160 Speaker 2: I can't move my legs. I can't move my legs, 825 00:40:37,200 --> 00:40:39,439 Speaker 2: and they they're like you' all right, don't panic, don't panic, 826 00:40:39,520 --> 00:40:42,040 Speaker 2: or like, don't panic. I can't feel my legs and 827 00:40:42,760 --> 00:40:46,360 Speaker 2: I think it was thirty seconds. It felt like five minutes. 828 00:40:46,480 --> 00:40:49,000 Speaker 2: But the feeling came back, and I don't know whether 829 00:40:49,040 --> 00:40:51,800 Speaker 2: it was shocked the spine or what happened, but I 830 00:40:51,880 --> 00:40:56,359 Speaker 2: ended up fracturing five vertebrates and three ribs. So then 831 00:40:56,600 --> 00:40:59,319 Speaker 2: when I came back from that fall, it couldn't help 832 00:40:59,400 --> 00:41:02,080 Speaker 2: to think that, you know, pickure it up when you 833 00:41:02,120 --> 00:41:03,800 Speaker 2: come out of the barriers. You didn't want to affect 834 00:41:03,840 --> 00:41:06,800 Speaker 2: your horse's start because you were worried about it falling 835 00:41:07,080 --> 00:41:10,680 Speaker 2: or stumbling. But it's very hard, you know, human nature 836 00:41:10,719 --> 00:41:13,719 Speaker 2: protect you protect yourself, so it's hard to get over 837 00:41:13,760 --> 00:41:17,920 Speaker 2: those those sort of things. And there were times when 838 00:41:17,960 --> 00:41:19,560 Speaker 2: I went down the line of talking to a sports 839 00:41:19,600 --> 00:41:23,799 Speaker 2: psychologist to help with that, and amazingly, you know, they 840 00:41:23,800 --> 00:41:25,640 Speaker 2: had little tricks that would help me get through that, 841 00:41:25,880 --> 00:41:30,120 Speaker 2: and obviously also having faith and saying a prayer would help. 842 00:41:31,200 --> 00:41:33,600 Speaker 2: And I didn't want to be scared. I didn't want 843 00:41:33,600 --> 00:41:36,520 Speaker 2: to be giving up my passion and what I loved 844 00:41:36,600 --> 00:41:39,440 Speaker 2: because I was worried that something might happen like that. 845 00:41:39,520 --> 00:41:43,480 Speaker 3: Again, is it Is it a matter of in your case, 846 00:41:45,640 --> 00:41:49,120 Speaker 3: you are you love and you you love racing, You 847 00:41:49,200 --> 00:41:55,360 Speaker 3: love horse racing, you love winning. You just love the 848 00:41:55,400 --> 00:41:57,399 Speaker 3: sport generally, it's in your blood that you've been brought 849 00:41:57,440 --> 00:42:00,600 Speaker 3: up with it. It is so powerful, they're pretty much nothing 850 00:42:00,680 --> 00:42:03,040 Speaker 3: is going to stop me from doing. Whether it's fear, 851 00:42:04,280 --> 00:42:08,560 Speaker 3: you know, the danger, the fact that you're female, you 852 00:42:08,600 --> 00:42:10,840 Speaker 3: know the odds are against you even getting the getting 853 00:42:10,840 --> 00:42:15,279 Speaker 3: the ride in the first place, whether you look after 854 00:42:15,320 --> 00:42:20,320 Speaker 3: your weight you've had number of falls. Is that always 855 00:42:20,480 --> 00:42:23,360 Speaker 3: overriding everything else? The fact that I love the sport 856 00:42:23,400 --> 00:42:26,160 Speaker 3: and that's what I want to do. Yeah, so fun, 857 00:42:26,440 --> 00:42:29,759 Speaker 3: so much conviction towards it and it's fun. Is it 858 00:42:29,800 --> 00:42:32,239 Speaker 3: just because it's fun or is this is me I 859 00:42:32,400 --> 00:42:36,319 Speaker 3: define myself Michelle Paint. I am a jockey and I 860 00:42:36,360 --> 00:42:37,080 Speaker 3: win races. 861 00:42:38,400 --> 00:42:41,600 Speaker 2: To be honest, I always thought after writing I could 862 00:42:41,600 --> 00:42:44,560 Speaker 2: go on and do something else, so many things. I 863 00:42:44,560 --> 00:42:47,239 Speaker 2: don't think that's definitive, but it was something that I 864 00:42:47,280 --> 00:42:51,600 Speaker 2: found the passion in and loved, and I think how 865 00:42:51,680 --> 00:42:54,400 Speaker 2: lucky I was to live a life of excitement like that, 866 00:42:56,239 --> 00:42:58,880 Speaker 2: The feeling that you get when you cross the line, 867 00:42:59,080 --> 00:43:01,760 Speaker 2: you know, you've you've really help that horse to achieve 868 00:43:01,840 --> 00:43:06,560 Speaker 2: and win the race, and all the owners, the amount 869 00:43:06,560 --> 00:43:08,680 Speaker 2: of effort the trainers put in, the stuff at home, 870 00:43:09,760 --> 00:43:12,760 Speaker 2: everything that's involved, and to see that, you know, the 871 00:43:12,840 --> 00:43:16,000 Speaker 2: happiness on their faces when you come back in. You 872 00:43:16,040 --> 00:43:18,480 Speaker 2: can't put a price on that. It's it's unbelievable. And 873 00:43:19,040 --> 00:43:20,840 Speaker 2: to have a job where you go to work and 874 00:43:20,840 --> 00:43:23,280 Speaker 2: you're excited and you can't you know, it's so fun 875 00:43:23,400 --> 00:43:26,399 Speaker 2: like it's you know, not a job. You know, even 876 00:43:26,400 --> 00:43:31,520 Speaker 2: though you basically starving yourself and you're exercising off no 877 00:43:31,719 --> 00:43:34,520 Speaker 2: energy because you can't eat much. And sometimes you might 878 00:43:34,560 --> 00:43:36,239 Speaker 2: be lying on the couch and think I cannot be 879 00:43:36,280 --> 00:43:37,680 Speaker 2: bothered to get off and go for a roun. But 880 00:43:37,719 --> 00:43:39,319 Speaker 2: you just got to will yourself and get out there 881 00:43:39,320 --> 00:43:41,600 Speaker 2: because if you don't make the weight or you're not 882 00:43:41,640 --> 00:43:44,840 Speaker 2: fit enough, you don't have a job. So I just 883 00:43:44,880 --> 00:43:48,239 Speaker 2: can't self so lucky to have found, you know, a 884 00:43:48,239 --> 00:43:51,960 Speaker 2: passion that I could be so excited about. 885 00:43:52,400 --> 00:43:52,680 Speaker 1: Happy. 886 00:43:53,320 --> 00:43:56,640 Speaker 3: Part of being successful is actual fitness, like I'm I 887 00:43:56,640 --> 00:43:59,319 Speaker 3: guess we're talking about aerobic fitness. Grip strength is probably 888 00:43:59,360 --> 00:44:02,239 Speaker 3: pretty important. Strengthen your legs to be able to stay 889 00:44:02,280 --> 00:44:05,960 Speaker 3: on the horse. How important is that in terms of 890 00:44:06,680 --> 00:44:09,400 Speaker 3: like your regime during the week. 891 00:44:09,760 --> 00:44:10,600 Speaker 1: And before the race. 892 00:44:10,920 --> 00:44:13,920 Speaker 3: So I'm assuming you're racing on a Saturday. So I 893 00:44:14,040 --> 00:44:16,960 Speaker 3: say the big races coming up in a month, do 894 00:44:17,040 --> 00:44:19,040 Speaker 3: you like a fighter? You sort of say, Okay, I've 895 00:44:19,040 --> 00:44:20,959 Speaker 3: got a month to get ready for this really big race, 896 00:44:21,120 --> 00:44:24,239 Speaker 3: So I'm going to go into a proper environment. Now 897 00:44:24,239 --> 00:44:26,600 Speaker 3: I'm going to do this every single day of the week. 898 00:44:27,200 --> 00:44:28,920 Speaker 3: You know, if you've got to like a rich wal 899 00:44:29,120 --> 00:44:31,759 Speaker 3: you go through for that month, for example, before the 900 00:44:31,800 --> 00:44:34,520 Speaker 3: Melbourne cuple before whatever big event you're going to go in. 901 00:44:35,840 --> 00:44:37,840 Speaker 2: I think if you want to be a jockey and 902 00:44:37,920 --> 00:44:40,000 Speaker 2: achieve at the top level, you've got to dedicate your 903 00:44:40,080 --> 00:44:43,279 Speaker 2: life to it. One thing I learned which I took 904 00:44:43,320 --> 00:44:45,120 Speaker 2: away from my falls was that you have to have 905 00:44:45,200 --> 00:44:48,160 Speaker 2: a balance. From a young age, I was so determined 906 00:44:48,200 --> 00:44:50,880 Speaker 2: to do well. I didn't want to take any holidays. 907 00:44:50,880 --> 00:44:53,320 Speaker 2: I was just wanting to do you know well, and 908 00:44:53,960 --> 00:44:56,799 Speaker 2: not risk having time away that I get forgotten about. 909 00:44:57,120 --> 00:44:58,960 Speaker 2: All the hard work you put in would be go 910 00:44:59,080 --> 00:45:02,320 Speaker 2: to waste. But having the falls, you had no choice. 911 00:45:02,360 --> 00:45:04,840 Speaker 2: You were forced to have that time and I traveled 912 00:45:05,000 --> 00:45:08,200 Speaker 2: got to see the world and realized that there was 913 00:45:08,239 --> 00:45:10,920 Speaker 2: something in that. Then really thought maybe that happened for 914 00:45:10,960 --> 00:45:13,640 Speaker 2: a reason, Maybe it showed me that there's more to 915 00:45:13,719 --> 00:45:17,080 Speaker 2: life than riding and racing every day. And from then 916 00:45:17,160 --> 00:45:19,239 Speaker 2: I sort of tried to take a holiday every winter 917 00:45:19,280 --> 00:45:22,680 Speaker 2: when I could, and basically nearly every winter from that 918 00:45:22,719 --> 00:45:26,160 Speaker 2: went somewhere different in the world and explored and traveled 919 00:45:26,200 --> 00:45:28,279 Speaker 2: and grew in myself a lot of the time on 920 00:45:28,280 --> 00:45:30,080 Speaker 2: my own, because I thought that would be a better 921 00:45:30,120 --> 00:45:32,000 Speaker 2: way to do it. You meet people, you're forced to, 922 00:45:33,800 --> 00:45:36,759 Speaker 2: so it's all about the balance. But then when you're 923 00:45:36,760 --> 00:45:40,279 Speaker 2: in it, you're totally in it. You don't hard. They 924 00:45:40,320 --> 00:45:43,080 Speaker 2: can go out dinner. You know. I didn't get to 925 00:45:43,080 --> 00:45:46,320 Speaker 2: see my friends from school nearly all of my teenage 926 00:45:46,400 --> 00:45:49,279 Speaker 2: years because I was so dedicated to the job. But 927 00:45:49,680 --> 00:45:51,200 Speaker 2: you want to do well, you have to do well, 928 00:45:51,239 --> 00:45:55,239 Speaker 2: and that's getting up early. You've got to do the 929 00:45:55,239 --> 00:45:57,879 Speaker 2: work behind the scenes to get the opportunities to get 930 00:45:57,880 --> 00:46:01,040 Speaker 2: the race rides, to get your fitness up. There's only 931 00:46:01,120 --> 00:46:03,440 Speaker 2: so much fitness you can get from track work because 932 00:46:03,680 --> 00:46:07,560 Speaker 2: it's not like under race pressure. You're not you're obviously 933 00:46:07,640 --> 00:46:10,239 Speaker 2: training the horse, you're holding them. Your positions in the 934 00:46:10,280 --> 00:46:17,160 Speaker 2: same point. But there's no nerves, the dealer adrenaline. There's 935 00:46:17,200 --> 00:46:19,600 Speaker 2: nothing like race fitness. But you can help yourself at 936 00:46:19,600 --> 00:46:22,120 Speaker 2: home by doing I found for me the best way. 937 00:46:22,320 --> 00:46:24,239 Speaker 2: I'm definitely not a very good athlete, so I to 938 00:46:24,280 --> 00:46:30,440 Speaker 2: train harder, lots of high intensity works, sprint work, short 939 00:46:30,520 --> 00:46:36,560 Speaker 2: sharp intervals, just any basic strength work that related to riding. 940 00:46:36,600 --> 00:46:38,600 Speaker 2: You didn't want to be using false muscles, So you 941 00:46:38,600 --> 00:46:40,480 Speaker 2: didn't want to be building muscles that weren't going to 942 00:46:40,520 --> 00:46:41,360 Speaker 2: help your riding. 943 00:46:41,640 --> 00:46:45,359 Speaker 1: Train specific exactly for what your sport is. 944 00:46:45,520 --> 00:46:47,800 Speaker 2: Exactly, and that's like a lot of core strength, obviously, 945 00:46:47,800 --> 00:46:51,280 Speaker 2: a lot of arm strength, chin ups, you know, really 946 00:46:51,320 --> 00:46:54,680 Speaker 2: have to use all your muscles in your body. Really, 947 00:46:54,880 --> 00:46:57,480 Speaker 2: when you're in that riding position and you're holding the horse, 948 00:46:58,040 --> 00:47:01,759 Speaker 2: you're using everything without your Knowjeven so with that, you've 949 00:47:01,800 --> 00:47:03,640 Speaker 2: got to be very agile because you want to be 950 00:47:03,680 --> 00:47:05,319 Speaker 2: a part of the horse. You don't want them to 951 00:47:05,400 --> 00:47:07,680 Speaker 2: even know you're you're on them. You don't want to 952 00:47:07,680 --> 00:47:09,359 Speaker 2: be like you go for a run and you got 953 00:47:09,600 --> 00:47:13,600 Speaker 2: some keys in your pocket, sort of unbalancing your stride 954 00:47:13,680 --> 00:47:15,399 Speaker 2: or whatever. You want to be with them as one, 955 00:47:15,760 --> 00:47:17,560 Speaker 2: so that you can get the best out of them. 956 00:47:17,640 --> 00:47:20,920 Speaker 2: So for me, the best way I found was to 957 00:47:20,920 --> 00:47:23,080 Speaker 2: do the track work that you had to do. Sometimes 958 00:47:23,120 --> 00:47:25,440 Speaker 2: we had to do too much, like for example, some 959 00:47:25,520 --> 00:47:28,040 Speaker 2: days I'd ride twenty horses in the morning and before 960 00:47:28,080 --> 00:47:30,080 Speaker 2: you go to the races. That was an extreme Before 961 00:47:30,080 --> 00:47:32,239 Speaker 2: you go to the races, Yeah, that was an extreme day, 962 00:47:32,320 --> 00:47:35,200 Speaker 2: like one of you know, the toughest usually be five 963 00:47:35,239 --> 00:47:38,759 Speaker 2: to ten or fifteen, and then you might have a 964 00:47:38,760 --> 00:47:41,080 Speaker 2: little workout at home, have a little sauna or a 965 00:47:41,080 --> 00:47:42,920 Speaker 2: spy to lose the weight that you need to lose. 966 00:47:43,280 --> 00:47:45,560 Speaker 2: Sometimes you felt better if you had that anyway, even 967 00:47:45,600 --> 00:47:47,839 Speaker 2: if you didn't have to lose weight, because you your 968 00:47:47,880 --> 00:47:52,040 Speaker 2: body was more prepared. I found it helped me and 969 00:47:52,080 --> 00:47:55,959 Speaker 2: then yeah, off to the races. But as I got 970 00:47:55,960 --> 00:47:58,759 Speaker 2: older and didn't have to ride as much track work 971 00:47:58,760 --> 00:48:01,799 Speaker 2: to get the opportunity to justly more. Post Mulbourne Cup, 972 00:48:02,040 --> 00:48:06,120 Speaker 2: I realized it was easier to have a balance of 973 00:48:06,200 --> 00:48:09,680 Speaker 2: track work, training yourself and then going to the races. 974 00:48:09,719 --> 00:48:13,800 Speaker 2: So one of the toughest things about being female writers 975 00:48:13,840 --> 00:48:17,120 Speaker 2: you had to really work hard behind the scenes. That's 976 00:48:17,160 --> 00:48:19,560 Speaker 2: why I was riding twenty horses the morning to get 977 00:48:19,560 --> 00:48:22,400 Speaker 2: the opportunities, But your bug advice. Time you get to 978 00:48:22,440 --> 00:48:24,600 Speaker 2: the races, you know there's only so much exercise and 979 00:48:24,640 --> 00:48:27,840 Speaker 2: work your body and your muscles can do, especially on 980 00:48:28,360 --> 00:48:31,840 Speaker 2: very limited food. So all those things you just have 981 00:48:31,880 --> 00:48:34,640 Speaker 2: to work out and learn along the way, and you 982 00:48:34,680 --> 00:48:37,399 Speaker 2: know you have to really want it because you can't 983 00:48:37,400 --> 00:48:39,240 Speaker 2: maintain that kind of lifestyle otherwise. 984 00:48:39,400 --> 00:48:41,719 Speaker 3: If you just talk quickly about the Melbourne Cup win 985 00:48:42,560 --> 00:48:47,239 Speaker 3: Princi Penzance, do you remember the first time you saw 986 00:48:48,520 --> 00:48:52,879 Speaker 3: met the principendance met the horse and did you feel 987 00:48:52,880 --> 00:48:54,840 Speaker 3: an immediate empathy towards that animal. 988 00:48:56,360 --> 00:48:58,480 Speaker 2: I'm not even joking. The first time I saw him 989 00:48:58,560 --> 00:49:01,120 Speaker 2: was it a real little country t called Collac. We 990 00:49:01,120 --> 00:49:04,360 Speaker 2: were doing trials. I was coming back from another injury 991 00:49:05,280 --> 00:49:08,200 Speaker 2: and I said to his trainer, Darren was such, that's 992 00:49:08,239 --> 00:49:10,000 Speaker 2: a nice horse. So he was just on the other 993 00:49:10,040 --> 00:49:11,640 Speaker 2: side of the mountain yard and he said, yeah, he's 994 00:49:11,680 --> 00:49:12,319 Speaker 2: really nice. Threat. 995 00:49:12,320 --> 00:49:14,640 Speaker 1: It's a nice horse. Mean, from your point of view. 996 00:49:14,480 --> 00:49:16,520 Speaker 2: An athlete, you look at it, you can see it 997 00:49:16,560 --> 00:49:19,160 Speaker 2: in three seconds. Do that horse move as well? Like 998 00:49:19,320 --> 00:49:22,799 Speaker 2: everything works together. Got a nice big deep girth, which 999 00:49:22,840 --> 00:49:26,480 Speaker 2: means I've got big lungs, big heart, can fit in there. 1000 00:49:27,920 --> 00:49:31,439 Speaker 2: Everything's just efficient and you could just tell the way 1001 00:49:31,680 --> 00:49:33,640 Speaker 2: he walked, and he was bold. He was really bold 1002 00:49:33,800 --> 00:49:36,719 Speaker 2: and wanted to get on means, wanted to get on 1003 00:49:36,760 --> 00:49:39,279 Speaker 2: with the job. Like he was bought by a guy 1004 00:49:39,320 --> 00:49:41,040 Speaker 2: called John Foot, who bought him because he said he 1005 00:49:41,040 --> 00:49:43,279 Speaker 2: walked through He'd run through a brick wall. He was 1006 00:49:43,320 --> 00:49:46,520 Speaker 2: that bold kind of horse. He said, yeah, No, he's 1007 00:49:46,520 --> 00:49:48,520 Speaker 2: a really nice horse. You can see how it goes. 1008 00:49:48,520 --> 00:49:51,040 Speaker 2: So I was trialing him this day. He hadn't had 1009 00:49:51,080 --> 00:49:54,759 Speaker 2: a race at this point, and we were later in 1010 00:49:54,800 --> 00:49:57,080 Speaker 2: the day and a bit unusual, but the track got 1011 00:49:57,080 --> 00:49:58,759 Speaker 2: a bit slippery as the day went on, and we 1012 00:49:58,760 --> 00:50:01,600 Speaker 2: were out wider so usually on the course as a canber, 1013 00:50:01,680 --> 00:50:03,719 Speaker 2: but because we were out so wide, the campra was 1014 00:50:03,800 --> 00:50:06,360 Speaker 2: running down the other way. As we were around in 1015 00:50:06,360 --> 00:50:09,439 Speaker 2: the corner with the greasy ground, he slipped and lost 1016 00:50:09,480 --> 00:50:12,080 Speaker 2: his balance and I swear I felt my knee and 1017 00:50:12,200 --> 00:50:13,960 Speaker 2: he touched the ground because he went down that far. 1018 00:50:14,040 --> 00:50:16,319 Speaker 2: But he picked himself back up and he was just 1019 00:50:16,360 --> 00:50:20,080 Speaker 2: so athletic and I hadn't come off him, and got 1020 00:50:20,120 --> 00:50:23,239 Speaker 2: himself back into stride in a few strides, picked up 1021 00:50:23,480 --> 00:50:25,960 Speaker 2: sprinted and galltz the line finished second and I was like, 1022 00:50:26,000 --> 00:50:28,360 Speaker 2: oh my god, what is this horse, because they just 1023 00:50:28,400 --> 00:50:32,279 Speaker 2: don't do that, and he said, yeah, he's a nice horse. 1024 00:50:32,360 --> 00:50:35,040 Speaker 2: So he kept try to keep with him because I 1025 00:50:35,080 --> 00:50:37,319 Speaker 2: thought he was pretty special. You know, you don't come 1026 00:50:37,320 --> 00:50:41,160 Speaker 2: across that very often in your career, and I've said 1027 00:50:41,160 --> 00:50:44,279 Speaker 2: many times like through my riding career, road seven and 1028 00:50:44,280 --> 00:50:48,000 Speaker 2: a half thousand races and probably over thirty thousand horses 1029 00:50:48,400 --> 00:50:51,080 Speaker 2: even more in track work and probably five in the 1030 00:50:51,120 --> 00:50:54,279 Speaker 2: lifetime gave you that X factor feel. And he did 1031 00:50:54,280 --> 00:50:58,080 Speaker 2: that right from the start his very first trial, that 1032 00:50:58,160 --> 00:51:00,759 Speaker 2: a road. So he was just a luckable horse, an 1033 00:51:00,880 --> 00:51:04,480 Speaker 2: unbelievable athlete, had a will to win, to want to 1034 00:51:04,480 --> 00:51:07,200 Speaker 2: do it, sometimes too much, he wanted to overdo it. 1035 00:51:07,280 --> 00:51:09,680 Speaker 2: So I think we were a good balance being a 1036 00:51:09,800 --> 00:51:12,920 Speaker 2: sort of soft touch with him and kind and you're 1037 00:51:12,960 --> 00:51:15,040 Speaker 2: always talking to him and patting him and stuff like that. 1038 00:51:15,160 --> 00:51:18,719 Speaker 2: So yeah, it was just an unbelievable journey. And to 1039 00:51:19,360 --> 00:51:21,399 Speaker 2: think I come across a horse like that and later 1040 00:51:21,440 --> 00:51:22,040 Speaker 2: in my career. 1041 00:51:22,440 --> 00:51:25,680 Speaker 3: So when you win something as famous in Australia as 1042 00:51:25,719 --> 00:51:28,279 Speaker 3: the Melbourne Cup and probably believing globally in the horse 1043 00:51:28,360 --> 00:51:34,000 Speaker 3: racing world, what's the deal, like when you is the race, 1044 00:51:34,200 --> 00:51:36,239 Speaker 3: when it's over and you know you can see you won. 1045 00:51:37,080 --> 00:51:39,000 Speaker 3: Is it a bit of an anti climax because most 1046 00:51:39,040 --> 00:51:42,160 Speaker 3: of the thrillers during the race, or do you have 1047 00:51:42,719 --> 00:51:44,480 Speaker 3: or is it as big a thrill when they sort 1048 00:51:44,480 --> 00:51:46,440 Speaker 3: of announced it you're the winner and you know you won. 1049 00:51:46,520 --> 00:51:50,200 Speaker 3: But where's the thrill lie in the race itself and 1050 00:51:50,239 --> 00:51:54,239 Speaker 3: winning it actually taking him through to win. Or is 1051 00:51:54,280 --> 00:51:57,320 Speaker 3: it when it's all over and it's relief. Where's the 1052 00:51:57,320 --> 00:51:57,960 Speaker 3: biggest thrill? 1053 00:51:59,080 --> 00:52:02,239 Speaker 2: Honestly, I see right now today and can tell it 1054 00:52:02,239 --> 00:52:04,600 Speaker 2: gives me like butterflies in my stomach to think that 1055 00:52:04,640 --> 00:52:08,520 Speaker 2: I still have been lucky enough to win a great race. 1056 00:52:08,640 --> 00:52:10,399 Speaker 2: It was a dream of mine from a five year old, 1057 00:52:10,440 --> 00:52:14,239 Speaker 2: so to think twenty five years later I was able 1058 00:52:14,320 --> 00:52:17,680 Speaker 2: to cross that line in front on him, it blows 1059 00:52:17,719 --> 00:52:21,359 Speaker 2: me away. So honestly, I can't say the feelings died down. 1060 00:52:22,560 --> 00:52:24,799 Speaker 2: It was an absolute well wind from the moment I 1061 00:52:24,840 --> 00:52:30,439 Speaker 2: got off, And it's amazing to think that one race 1062 00:52:30,480 --> 00:52:33,319 Speaker 2: can change your life like it has. Obviously film being made, 1063 00:52:34,120 --> 00:52:37,719 Speaker 2: second book that I've written, been part of writing with 1064 00:52:37,760 --> 00:52:43,919 Speaker 2: the writer, and yeah, just incredible. Like honestly, I can't 1065 00:52:43,920 --> 00:52:45,080 Speaker 2: believe it. 1066 00:52:45,120 --> 00:52:46,120 Speaker 1: Did it change a world much? 1067 00:52:46,120 --> 00:52:48,959 Speaker 3: I mean apart from all the opportunities obviously obviously get 1068 00:52:49,000 --> 00:52:52,840 Speaker 3: apart from the factor you you now stand for something 1069 00:52:52,880 --> 00:52:57,120 Speaker 3: in relation to horse racing, with women involved in racing, 1070 00:52:57,160 --> 00:52:58,200 Speaker 3: particularly as jockeys. 1071 00:53:00,200 --> 00:53:03,560 Speaker 1: But how did it defect your life? Was it? Apart 1072 00:53:03,560 --> 00:53:04,799 Speaker 1: from the obvious positives? 1073 00:53:04,600 --> 00:53:06,480 Speaker 3: And many negatives come with that sort of stuff, like 1074 00:53:06,520 --> 00:53:08,319 Speaker 3: being in the limelight, how do you feel about that. 1075 00:53:09,800 --> 00:53:12,840 Speaker 2: I've sort of been prepared for the limelight through my career, 1076 00:53:13,880 --> 00:53:16,480 Speaker 2: just with earlier successes, so I was pretty okay with that. 1077 00:53:17,400 --> 00:53:21,560 Speaker 2: As in media, Yeah, with media, sort of being stopped 1078 00:53:21,600 --> 00:53:23,960 Speaker 2: on the street become something I struggled with because I'm 1079 00:53:23,960 --> 00:53:26,880 Speaker 2: a pretty private person. You know, as a jockey, you're 1080 00:53:26,880 --> 00:53:30,640 Speaker 2: self employed, you really focused, busy at your job, keeps 1081 00:53:30,680 --> 00:53:34,759 Speaker 2: yourself pretty quiet because usually you're hungry, so you don't 1082 00:53:34,840 --> 00:53:39,920 Speaker 2: have much conversation. It's taken away your personality. So I 1083 00:53:39,960 --> 00:53:43,319 Speaker 2: found it really tough, challenging. But the way it looks 1084 00:53:43,320 --> 00:53:44,360 Speaker 2: at it is you've got to take the good with 1085 00:53:44,400 --> 00:53:48,799 Speaker 2: it bad. People were lovely everywhere when you know, congratulations 1086 00:53:48,840 --> 00:53:52,520 Speaker 2: are so exciting, so inspired by When I couldn't believe 1087 00:53:52,520 --> 00:53:56,960 Speaker 2: it you know, the amount of good feeling that I 1088 00:53:57,000 --> 00:54:00,760 Speaker 2: got from it and people's reactions. So yeah, it was tough, 1089 00:54:00,800 --> 00:54:05,520 Speaker 2: but like you said, like I said, sorry, people were 1090 00:54:05,520 --> 00:54:09,320 Speaker 2: amazing and just blew me away. But I got tired also, 1091 00:54:09,400 --> 00:54:12,160 Speaker 2: so I just had to go home and rest a 1092 00:54:12,200 --> 00:54:13,839 Speaker 2: lot of the time because it was just a bit 1093 00:54:13,880 --> 00:54:15,200 Speaker 2: overwhelming to take on. 1094 00:54:15,480 --> 00:54:17,239 Speaker 3: You sort of like have to perform a little bit 1095 00:54:17,239 --> 00:54:19,440 Speaker 3: when you do something really good and everybody sort of 1096 00:54:19,480 --> 00:54:22,239 Speaker 3: wants to acknowledge it and hold up in a bit 1097 00:54:22,280 --> 00:54:22,960 Speaker 3: of a pedestal. 1098 00:54:23,400 --> 00:54:26,239 Speaker 2: That was one thing. Sorry. The people used to be 1099 00:54:26,360 --> 00:54:28,560 Speaker 2: so excited when they met me, and I feel like 1100 00:54:28,560 --> 00:54:30,680 Speaker 2: I let them down because I was like, thanks very much, 1101 00:54:31,040 --> 00:54:33,200 Speaker 2: but I couldn't be impressive right then and there. So 1102 00:54:33,239 --> 00:54:37,200 Speaker 2: I found it quite tough at the time that I 1103 00:54:37,239 --> 00:54:39,080 Speaker 2: was letting them down. They're like, oh my god, but 1104 00:54:39,120 --> 00:54:41,000 Speaker 2: what you did was so excited and again I'd say 1105 00:54:41,000 --> 00:54:43,320 Speaker 2: thank you very much, and they'd say it again sometimes 1106 00:54:43,320 --> 00:54:45,600 Speaker 2: and I'm like, I can't say anything more than thanks 1107 00:54:45,719 --> 00:54:49,160 Speaker 2: very much. Like I felt the pressure to live up 1108 00:54:49,200 --> 00:54:51,800 Speaker 2: to their excitement that that was really draining and tough. 1109 00:54:52,280 --> 00:54:53,960 Speaker 3: Is that because you're sort of a basically a very 1110 00:54:53,960 --> 00:54:57,080 Speaker 3: generous person I'm not sure do you feel do you 1111 00:54:57,080 --> 00:54:58,560 Speaker 3: think generosity is an important thing? 1112 00:55:00,480 --> 00:55:04,319 Speaker 2: Obviously my life's been made great from the generosity of 1113 00:55:04,360 --> 00:55:07,240 Speaker 2: my older brothers and sisters and people through my life. 1114 00:55:08,120 --> 00:55:10,920 Speaker 3: Yeah, so you know, like when and then you can 1115 00:55:10,960 --> 00:55:14,280 Speaker 3: only show gratitude once or twice, because otherwise, if someone's 1116 00:55:14,280 --> 00:55:16,520 Speaker 3: saying to you, how well done you've done, and you 1117 00:55:16,800 --> 00:55:19,600 Speaker 3: feel like you want to show them gratitude. But after 1118 00:55:19,640 --> 00:55:21,480 Speaker 3: your show once, if you're probably trying to show it 1119 00:55:21,560 --> 00:55:23,399 Speaker 3: a second time, you started to feel like you're faking it. 1120 00:55:23,640 --> 00:55:25,440 Speaker 2: Well you I don't know what else they wanted me 1121 00:55:25,480 --> 00:55:25,600 Speaker 2: to do. 1122 00:55:27,280 --> 00:55:30,719 Speaker 1: You can't say too many times? If can we just 1123 00:55:30,719 --> 00:55:31,479 Speaker 1: talk about your book? 1124 00:55:32,480 --> 00:55:35,120 Speaker 3: Obviously there's the Netflix show which I've watched and it's 1125 00:55:35,120 --> 00:55:38,080 Speaker 3: a great show to watch, worth watching. But the book 1126 00:55:38,160 --> 00:55:43,360 Speaker 3: right on, what made you feel as though that you 1127 00:55:43,360 --> 00:55:44,920 Speaker 3: should publish a new book? 1128 00:55:47,280 --> 00:55:51,000 Speaker 2: I think, like you said, I have a very positive, 1129 00:55:51,800 --> 00:55:56,560 Speaker 2: optimistic attitude and if how I got through some of 1130 00:55:56,560 --> 00:56:00,359 Speaker 2: my falls and tragedies could help other people, even if 1131 00:56:00,360 --> 00:56:02,439 Speaker 2: it's just one person, it was well worth the effort 1132 00:56:02,480 --> 00:56:05,040 Speaker 2: of writing the book for that's the main reason. So, 1133 00:56:05,760 --> 00:56:09,200 Speaker 2: you know, lots of people face challenges. Life's tough, and 1134 00:56:10,680 --> 00:56:15,239 Speaker 2: I've had many of them and talking about that, Yeah, 1135 00:56:15,280 --> 00:56:18,840 Speaker 2: like I said, if the way I coped and overcome 1136 00:56:20,320 --> 00:56:22,560 Speaker 2: things in a positive way could help others, And that's 1137 00:56:22,600 --> 00:56:23,200 Speaker 2: the main reason. 1138 00:56:24,040 --> 00:56:27,560 Speaker 3: Do you feel as though, you know sometimes when when 1139 00:56:27,560 --> 00:56:29,040 Speaker 3: I grow up a Catholic too, My min's a rash 1140 00:56:29,080 --> 00:56:33,640 Speaker 3: Catholic And there is this sort of concept in the 1141 00:56:34,040 --> 00:56:36,360 Speaker 3: Catholic family, I don't in the churches, in the family, 1142 00:56:37,560 --> 00:56:41,400 Speaker 3: within your own family, that you should pay forward the 1143 00:56:41,480 --> 00:56:43,759 Speaker 3: luck that you've received or the great things that you've 1144 00:56:44,120 --> 00:56:48,160 Speaker 3: had the opportunity to experience, and you pay forward, And 1145 00:56:48,160 --> 00:56:49,960 Speaker 3: that's sort of like a bit of a gratitude thing. 1146 00:56:50,440 --> 00:56:54,840 Speaker 3: One way showing your gratitude is share it, share others 1147 00:56:54,880 --> 00:56:59,480 Speaker 3: what you've learned. And it's sort of like a nearly 1148 00:56:59,520 --> 00:57:03,840 Speaker 3: like an ethic, a moral obligation from growing up in 1149 00:57:03,840 --> 00:57:06,800 Speaker 3: a Catholic family. Do you feel that too, like a 1150 00:57:06,840 --> 00:57:10,240 Speaker 3: little bit of an obligation to share with people something 1151 00:57:10,239 --> 00:57:12,480 Speaker 3: that might help them improve their lives if they're not 1152 00:57:12,520 --> 00:57:13,560 Speaker 3: as lucky as you. 1153 00:57:13,640 --> 00:57:16,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, for sure, why wouldn't you if you can share 1154 00:57:16,240 --> 00:57:18,680 Speaker 2: something that will help others make their life easier. 1155 00:57:18,840 --> 00:57:21,120 Speaker 3: Some people don't say that though, surely that a lot 1156 00:57:21,120 --> 00:57:23,080 Speaker 3: of people don't think that way. Do you think it's 1157 00:57:23,120 --> 00:57:24,840 Speaker 3: got some the way you were brought up and what 1158 00:57:24,880 --> 00:57:27,520 Speaker 3: you experience and maybe perhaps part of your faith. 1159 00:57:28,240 --> 00:57:33,080 Speaker 2: Definitely, Also like the luck I had in my life, 1160 00:57:33,160 --> 00:57:36,840 Speaker 2: and even though you know, I was unlucky to have falls, 1161 00:57:36,920 --> 00:57:39,200 Speaker 2: I was so lucky to recover from them and get 1162 00:57:39,240 --> 00:57:43,680 Speaker 2: back to doing what I loved. So, you know, probably 1163 00:57:43,720 --> 00:57:47,320 Speaker 2: it is a bit of gratitude for that luck and 1164 00:57:47,760 --> 00:57:49,439 Speaker 2: luck I had. On the day of the Melbourne Cup, 1165 00:57:50,240 --> 00:57:53,560 Speaker 2: in a way, I felt an obligation for being so 1166 00:57:53,680 --> 00:57:58,240 Speaker 2: lucky to then you do good with it. If I 1167 00:57:58,280 --> 00:58:01,840 Speaker 2: can inspire somebody to to look at their job in 1168 00:58:01,880 --> 00:58:05,200 Speaker 2: a different way, to strive to be the best, even 1169 00:58:05,200 --> 00:58:08,360 Speaker 2: if they feel like you know, they for some reason 1170 00:58:08,360 --> 00:58:13,040 Speaker 2: shouldn't or they can't. You know, why wouldn't you if 1171 00:58:13,080 --> 00:58:18,560 Speaker 2: you if you can believe in yourself. Yeah, just so 1172 00:58:18,640 --> 00:58:22,640 Speaker 2: many different reasons. And like I said, with my older 1173 00:58:22,640 --> 00:58:25,120 Speaker 2: brothers and sisters who helped me and taught me, I 1174 00:58:25,160 --> 00:58:27,320 Speaker 2: don't have any little brothers and sisters to help, but 1175 00:58:27,720 --> 00:58:32,920 Speaker 2: anybody else, any young apprentices coming through, you know, absolute 1176 00:58:33,000 --> 00:58:34,480 Speaker 2: privilege and pleasure to do that. 1177 00:58:34,880 --> 00:58:39,560 Speaker 3: Is this Michelle being Thereasa like you know, like paying 1178 00:58:39,600 --> 00:58:43,440 Speaker 3: forward the way your older sister showed you and helped 1179 00:58:43,440 --> 00:58:44,960 Speaker 3: you out to get to where you've got to and 1180 00:58:45,040 --> 00:58:48,880 Speaker 3: as an inspiration I'm talking about motivation. Yeah, definitely, because 1181 00:58:48,920 --> 00:58:51,800 Speaker 3: you don't have any younger brothers and sisters, So maybe 1182 00:58:51,800 --> 00:58:54,360 Speaker 3: it's an opportunity just sort of because we all repeat 1183 00:58:54,720 --> 00:58:57,240 Speaker 3: those good things and unfortunately repeat those bad things that 1184 00:58:57,320 --> 00:58:58,080 Speaker 3: happened in our lives. 1185 00:58:58,160 --> 00:59:00,480 Speaker 1: Unfortunately we just do. Unfortunately we just do. 1186 00:59:01,600 --> 00:59:03,960 Speaker 3: And I'm trust I'm just trying to because you know, 1187 00:59:04,400 --> 00:59:07,000 Speaker 3: I'm trying to get to the bottom of why you 1188 00:59:07,040 --> 00:59:10,400 Speaker 3: would do this book. Some people do these things out 1189 00:59:10,400 --> 00:59:12,440 Speaker 3: of guilt. Some people do these things to make money. 1190 00:59:12,640 --> 00:59:15,280 Speaker 3: Some people do these things to stay relevant. You know 1191 00:59:15,480 --> 00:59:18,880 Speaker 3: that they might have done something in their past, We've 1192 00:59:18,880 --> 00:59:20,840 Speaker 3: made them very famous, and they try to do something 1193 00:59:20,880 --> 00:59:23,480 Speaker 3: that's relevant. My gut feelings, that's not not your case. 1194 00:59:24,000 --> 00:59:26,720 Speaker 3: But also, you know what I did sort of land 1195 00:59:26,720 --> 00:59:31,760 Speaker 3: on was maybe that's that that upbringing obligation. 1196 00:59:31,880 --> 00:59:32,440 Speaker 1: We have to. 1197 00:59:34,280 --> 00:59:37,960 Speaker 3: Share with others what has helped us. And certainly, I 1198 00:59:38,040 --> 00:59:42,040 Speaker 3: mean I've experienced the same thing. So I'm trying to 1199 00:59:42,040 --> 00:59:45,080 Speaker 3: work and work out if that's that's your that's your 1200 00:59:45,120 --> 00:59:48,600 Speaker 3: mantra right now, right now, to. 1201 00:59:50,440 --> 00:59:51,120 Speaker 1: Help others. 1202 00:59:52,120 --> 00:59:55,080 Speaker 2: I think definitely, I think why are we here if 1203 00:59:55,080 --> 00:59:58,640 Speaker 2: we're not here to help others and to do good 1204 00:59:58,720 --> 01:00:01,360 Speaker 2: in life? So if I can use my platform in 1205 01:00:01,400 --> 01:00:05,240 Speaker 2: any way to do good and to help others, you know, 1206 01:00:05,440 --> 01:00:06,880 Speaker 2: why wouldn't I? 1207 01:00:06,960 --> 01:00:10,480 Speaker 3: And are there any particular parts of the book? I 1208 01:00:10,520 --> 01:00:13,440 Speaker 3: mean we, I mean I read the sort of praising 1209 01:00:13,480 --> 01:00:16,960 Speaker 3: of it. You know, we're talking about overcoming and for one, 1210 01:00:17,080 --> 01:00:21,760 Speaker 3: facing tragedy, diversity, and also and triumph triumph something you've got. 1211 01:00:21,680 --> 01:00:22,360 Speaker 1: To face into too. 1212 01:00:22,360 --> 01:00:25,560 Speaker 3: Well, it's not always perfect, but probably I would have 1213 01:00:25,560 --> 01:00:29,120 Speaker 3: added to that overcoming tragedy, diversity, and overcoming triumph too, 1214 01:00:29,160 --> 01:00:32,640 Speaker 3: because there's something you need to overcome. It doesn't define 1215 01:00:32,680 --> 01:00:34,800 Speaker 3: you because it's only there for a second. 1216 01:00:35,440 --> 01:00:36,200 Speaker 1: It happens on. 1217 01:00:36,160 --> 01:00:39,720 Speaker 3: A particular time, on a particular day, on a particular race. 1218 01:00:40,400 --> 01:00:44,320 Speaker 3: That's your big triumph, your biggest triumph, but it's also fleeting. 1219 01:00:44,320 --> 01:00:49,280 Speaker 3: It doesn't last the next day, race over the next year, 1220 01:00:49,320 --> 01:00:51,920 Speaker 3: someone else is going to win it. So overcoming those 1221 01:00:51,960 --> 01:00:55,960 Speaker 3: things is really important. And in writing this and putting 1222 01:00:55,960 --> 01:00:59,560 Speaker 3: this book together, is there a sort of a particular 1223 01:00:59,600 --> 01:01:01,920 Speaker 3: part of a chapter, perhaps a bit a particular part 1224 01:01:01,960 --> 01:01:02,480 Speaker 3: of the book that. 1225 01:01:05,840 --> 01:01:07,800 Speaker 1: Means more to you than any other part of the book. 1226 01:01:11,080 --> 01:01:12,800 Speaker 2: To be honest, I was really proud of it in 1227 01:01:12,840 --> 01:01:17,080 Speaker 2: the end. In the lead up it was something that 1228 01:01:17,120 --> 01:01:19,680 Speaker 2: I wasn't really looking forward to, to be honest. I 1229 01:01:19,680 --> 01:01:21,160 Speaker 2: love living on my farm in peace. 1230 01:01:22,320 --> 01:01:24,919 Speaker 1: That's Notingham Farm, Nottingham Farm, yep. 1231 01:01:26,320 --> 01:01:29,520 Speaker 2: But like I said, if it could do good, it 1232 01:01:29,640 --> 01:01:32,040 Speaker 2: was worth the effort to put in and to go 1233 01:01:32,120 --> 01:01:35,440 Speaker 2: back and to remember something's very traumatic to go back 1234 01:01:35,480 --> 01:01:39,520 Speaker 2: over my falls. Obviously my sister passed away recently. That's 1235 01:01:39,560 --> 01:01:43,720 Speaker 2: in there. And but one of the one of the chapters, 1236 01:01:43,720 --> 01:01:45,800 Speaker 2: which is the first one which I really love, is 1237 01:01:46,360 --> 01:01:49,960 Speaker 2: talking through the Melbourne Cup every thought the strategy, because 1238 01:01:50,800 --> 01:01:52,880 Speaker 2: as I spoke about earlier, I love the tactical side 1239 01:01:52,920 --> 01:01:55,760 Speaker 2: of racing, so many intricate details that can win and 1240 01:01:55,840 --> 01:01:59,080 Speaker 2: lose a race, especially race like the Melbourne Cup. So 1241 01:01:59,520 --> 01:02:02,760 Speaker 2: for me personally reading books sports people's books, was you 1242 01:02:02,800 --> 01:02:05,480 Speaker 2: know their feeling you you know, read an AFL player's 1243 01:02:05,480 --> 01:02:08,080 Speaker 2: book running out onto the field of a Grand final. 1244 01:02:08,160 --> 01:02:10,000 Speaker 2: You know the feeling of the grass under their feet, 1245 01:02:10,120 --> 01:02:14,720 Speaker 2: you know, the crowds growing, just getting the inside insights 1246 01:02:14,760 --> 01:02:16,760 Speaker 2: into their mind. So I wanted to give that to 1247 01:02:16,800 --> 01:02:19,560 Speaker 2: the readers, and I really pushed to have it as 1248 01:02:19,560 --> 01:02:20,040 Speaker 2: the first. 1249 01:02:19,920 --> 01:02:22,240 Speaker 1: Chapter because everything you experienced. 1250 01:02:21,920 --> 01:02:24,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, everything that's going through your mind, the feeling from 1251 01:02:24,960 --> 01:02:26,840 Speaker 2: what I spoke to you about, you know, your muscles 1252 01:02:26,920 --> 01:02:29,160 Speaker 2: being relaxed on Prince ap Penzance because he was a 1253 01:02:29,200 --> 01:02:31,640 Speaker 2: fiery horse anyway. Didn't need to be feeling me nervous 1254 01:02:31,720 --> 01:02:34,320 Speaker 2: on you know, the biggest day of our lives. So 1255 01:02:35,120 --> 01:02:38,200 Speaker 2: all of those things like from the mounting yard to 1256 01:02:38,240 --> 01:02:41,600 Speaker 2: the barriers to through the race tactically, you know, what 1257 01:02:41,640 --> 01:02:44,360 Speaker 2: can happen, what can unfold, like unbring your race, and 1258 01:02:45,280 --> 01:02:48,360 Speaker 2: those split second decisions that you've got to make. I 1259 01:02:48,400 --> 01:02:50,400 Speaker 2: really did my best to give the reader an in 1260 01:02:50,440 --> 01:02:54,440 Speaker 2: depth insight into that. So I'm really proud and I 1261 01:02:54,480 --> 01:02:57,000 Speaker 2: hope that readers will love that and take a lot 1262 01:02:57,000 --> 01:03:00,160 Speaker 2: away from it, especially young writers that are learning to 1263 01:03:00,200 --> 01:03:05,160 Speaker 2: deal with nerves and learning to you know, think about 1264 01:03:05,200 --> 01:03:08,240 Speaker 2: how a race is going to unfold. Sometimes really helped 1265 01:03:08,280 --> 01:03:11,040 Speaker 2: me to just visualize it. Lie down before you know, 1266 01:03:11,120 --> 01:03:15,600 Speaker 2: go to sleep, shut your eyes, visualize it in your brain, 1267 01:03:16,160 --> 01:03:17,880 Speaker 2: jumping from the barriers where you want to where you 1268 01:03:17,880 --> 01:03:20,200 Speaker 2: want to land, how you want the race to unfold, 1269 01:03:20,320 --> 01:03:22,240 Speaker 2: and that for me was a really good way of 1270 01:03:22,600 --> 01:03:26,439 Speaker 2: planning and preparing. So visualization exactly so that can help 1271 01:03:26,680 --> 01:03:30,040 Speaker 2: you know, another writer or even a sports person you 1272 01:03:30,080 --> 01:03:32,160 Speaker 2: know might have a swimmer that will be visualizing their 1273 01:03:32,200 --> 01:03:37,320 Speaker 2: stroke in a swimming race or a runa anything. So yeah, 1274 01:03:37,320 --> 01:03:39,160 Speaker 2: I was I was really keen to put that in 1275 01:03:39,200 --> 01:03:41,480 Speaker 2: the book, and I think we did a good job 1276 01:03:41,520 --> 01:03:44,240 Speaker 2: of it so bestly could come up with, so hopefully 1277 01:03:44,280 --> 01:03:46,400 Speaker 2: the other readers will really take something away from that. 1278 01:03:46,840 --> 01:03:48,840 Speaker 3: And I've only got a sort of a pre copy 1279 01:03:48,880 --> 01:03:50,800 Speaker 3: of it, and what we did was we running through 1280 01:03:50,840 --> 01:03:52,880 Speaker 3: ai by the way, just because I. 1281 01:03:52,800 --> 01:03:54,040 Speaker 1: Didn't get a time to read in it. 1282 01:03:54,080 --> 01:03:56,280 Speaker 3: But I have got the summaries of every chapter and 1283 01:03:56,760 --> 01:03:59,040 Speaker 3: just on that particular chapter that's rising to the occasion 1284 01:03:59,560 --> 01:04:02,960 Speaker 3: you really you relive the twenty fifteen Melbourne Cup win. 1285 01:04:03,400 --> 01:04:05,880 Speaker 3: I'm Prince Depanzence And one of the thoughts that I 1286 01:04:05,880 --> 01:04:09,520 Speaker 3: had when I was reading the summaries was I wonder 1287 01:04:09,560 --> 01:04:14,280 Speaker 3: whether Michelle her senses are so alert, so alert at 1288 01:04:14,280 --> 01:04:17,200 Speaker 3: the time. And I'm talking about all senses, probably even 1289 01:04:17,200 --> 01:04:21,400 Speaker 3: including the sixth sense, but all sense does all of 1290 01:04:21,440 --> 01:04:24,600 Speaker 3: a sudden your sense of smell become really strong, and 1291 01:04:24,640 --> 01:04:28,000 Speaker 3: you can smell the horse, you can smell the grass, 1292 01:04:28,040 --> 01:04:31,560 Speaker 3: you can smell the environment, you can feel things with 1293 01:04:31,600 --> 01:04:34,800 Speaker 3: your fingers. Is that an experience? Is that something that 1294 01:04:34,840 --> 01:04:39,120 Speaker 3: would happen to you when you're perhaps when you're walking 1295 01:04:39,160 --> 01:04:43,000 Speaker 3: to from getting your horse and walking out before you 1296 01:04:43,160 --> 01:04:46,880 Speaker 3: mount the horse. I mean, do your senses become extremely alert? 1297 01:04:47,600 --> 01:04:50,640 Speaker 2: I think you've become so focused in the zone. All 1298 01:04:50,680 --> 01:04:54,400 Speaker 2: that goes you can just focus on what you need 1299 01:04:54,440 --> 01:04:56,880 Speaker 2: to focus on senses through your hands, through your feet, 1300 01:04:56,960 --> 01:04:57,840 Speaker 2: and on the horse. 1301 01:04:59,320 --> 01:05:00,120 Speaker 1: But that's amazing. 1302 01:05:00,640 --> 01:05:04,080 Speaker 3: You are actually able to then put aside all that 1303 01:05:04,160 --> 01:05:08,560 Speaker 3: and actually sort of concentrate those senses that you need, 1304 01:05:08,680 --> 01:05:11,520 Speaker 3: that you know you need. So let's say we got six, 1305 01:05:11,560 --> 01:05:13,600 Speaker 3: you might be able to concentrate those senses into two 1306 01:05:13,680 --> 01:05:18,040 Speaker 3: or three that are just needed for that moment for 1307 01:05:18,080 --> 01:05:18,920 Speaker 3: the next few. 1308 01:05:18,680 --> 01:05:21,400 Speaker 2: Minutes, exactly like the crowd. You can't even hear the crowd. 1309 01:05:21,840 --> 01:05:26,120 Speaker 1: The crowd, well I could, Well, that's that's amazing. 1310 01:05:26,240 --> 01:05:28,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, A lot of writers will say they hear the 1311 01:05:28,000 --> 01:05:30,520 Speaker 2: aurora of the crowd and jumping barriers, But to me, 1312 01:05:31,120 --> 01:05:33,360 Speaker 2: the race is quiet. I could take through every single 1313 01:05:33,360 --> 01:05:37,800 Speaker 2: step of that race but I think there's so much 1314 01:05:37,880 --> 01:05:40,080 Speaker 2: happening in such a short period of time that you 1315 01:05:40,240 --> 01:05:42,440 Speaker 2: have to be able to just zone in on what 1316 01:05:42,840 --> 01:05:43,400 Speaker 2: you need to. 1317 01:05:43,560 --> 01:05:45,200 Speaker 1: And not waste time on other things. 1318 01:05:45,280 --> 01:05:47,080 Speaker 2: Exactly, you don't have time. You might think of a 1319 01:05:47,200 --> 01:05:49,680 Speaker 2: hundred things and you're like, sometimes I've even thought to 1320 01:05:49,680 --> 01:05:52,000 Speaker 2: myself in a race, how do you even think of 1321 01:05:52,040 --> 01:05:54,680 Speaker 2: so many things at one at one time in such 1322 01:05:54,680 --> 01:05:59,800 Speaker 2: a crazy environment of a race. But I think to 1323 01:05:59,840 --> 01:06:02,080 Speaker 2: do well, you have to be able to do that 1324 01:06:02,200 --> 01:06:03,520 Speaker 2: and to zone. 1325 01:06:03,320 --> 01:06:04,560 Speaker 1: In on it. 1326 01:06:04,600 --> 01:06:07,080 Speaker 3: Did at any stage in the race during that race, 1327 01:06:07,760 --> 01:06:10,240 Speaker 3: did you get a surprise of anything you did or 1328 01:06:10,240 --> 01:06:10,840 Speaker 3: anything that. 1329 01:06:10,720 --> 01:06:12,240 Speaker 1: The horse did well? 1330 01:06:12,280 --> 01:06:14,760 Speaker 2: Firstly, he walked down the barriers. We missed a start 1331 01:06:14,760 --> 01:06:16,600 Speaker 2: by three lengths and I was, oh God, can we 1332 01:06:16,600 --> 01:06:21,120 Speaker 2: stop and do that again? But yeah, that's it. It's 1333 01:06:21,200 --> 01:06:24,880 Speaker 2: gone game on. One thing that really surprised me and 1334 01:06:24,920 --> 01:06:27,320 Speaker 2: I didn't prepare for, but I was prepared to be 1335 01:06:27,360 --> 01:06:33,480 Speaker 2: prepared for anything, and that was at around the fourteen 1336 01:06:33,520 --> 01:06:37,120 Speaker 2: hundred twelve hundred meter mark. Our plan was to stay 1337 01:06:37,160 --> 01:06:38,800 Speaker 2: on the back of the horse I was following, which 1338 01:06:38,880 --> 01:06:40,920 Speaker 2: was Max s Darnamite who finished second in the end, 1339 01:06:42,720 --> 01:06:45,680 Speaker 2: but a run presented three off the fence behind the 1340 01:06:45,720 --> 01:06:48,960 Speaker 2: second favorite trip to Paris, and at that point I 1341 01:06:49,000 --> 01:06:51,120 Speaker 2: wasn't prepared to be making a move so far from home. 1342 01:06:51,120 --> 01:06:54,000 Speaker 2: We still had the big sweeping band of Flemington. But 1343 01:06:54,360 --> 01:06:56,760 Speaker 2: after watching so many replays of the Malbourne Cup, you 1344 01:06:56,840 --> 01:06:58,600 Speaker 2: had to be starting to get into the race. The 1345 01:06:58,600 --> 01:07:02,920 Speaker 2: speed had been really slow. He was traveling strong. In 1346 01:07:02,920 --> 01:07:05,680 Speaker 2: my mind, that is the that's the past we were so. 1347 01:07:05,680 --> 01:07:08,320 Speaker 1: You knew that the pace wasn't quick. 1348 01:07:08,480 --> 01:07:09,400 Speaker 2: Pace was very slow. 1349 01:07:09,520 --> 01:07:13,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, how do you know that? Watch? 1350 01:07:13,840 --> 01:07:15,640 Speaker 2: No, you just learned to judge. So when we got 1351 01:07:15,640 --> 01:07:18,240 Speaker 2: to the winning post the first time, after say a 1352 01:07:18,320 --> 01:07:21,160 Speaker 2: thousand meters, it was steady already you could feel that. 1353 01:07:21,680 --> 01:07:24,600 Speaker 2: Then they stayed it up again and I just remember 1354 01:07:24,640 --> 01:07:26,680 Speaker 2: thinking down the backstreet cheezs were going slow. 1355 01:07:28,280 --> 01:07:30,080 Speaker 1: That's good because you know he's got more in his tank. 1356 01:07:30,320 --> 01:07:32,560 Speaker 2: True, but so does everybody else. Yeah, so you need 1357 01:07:32,600 --> 01:07:34,840 Speaker 2: to be getting into a position because the horses up 1358 01:07:34,840 --> 01:07:37,280 Speaker 2: front will sprint because they've had it easy. So we're 1359 01:07:37,320 --> 01:07:40,640 Speaker 2: back in the field. You need to be creeping. So 1360 01:07:40,720 --> 01:07:44,400 Speaker 2: I saw that opportunity, which surprised me because I wasn't 1361 01:07:44,400 --> 01:07:47,160 Speaker 2: prepared to do that. But in the in the pre 1362 01:07:47,320 --> 01:07:51,360 Speaker 2: race preparation. I knew every horse, every runner, and like 1363 01:07:51,400 --> 01:07:53,720 Speaker 2: I said, you only have a split second to make 1364 01:07:53,760 --> 01:07:56,720 Speaker 2: these decisions. And I spotted it behind that run behind 1365 01:07:56,720 --> 01:07:59,240 Speaker 2: trip to Paris and thought, I'm going to have to 1366 01:07:59,240 --> 01:08:02,160 Speaker 2: do that. And I had sort of pretty strict instructions 1367 01:08:02,160 --> 01:08:04,040 Speaker 2: to stay on the back of max Elamite, and I 1368 01:08:04,040 --> 01:08:06,200 Speaker 2: thought that was a good plan. I thought, I'm not 1369 01:08:06,240 --> 01:08:08,120 Speaker 2: going to go with going to change plan here and 1370 01:08:08,440 --> 01:08:10,680 Speaker 2: go to plan B, and that would just work it out. 1371 01:08:11,520 --> 01:08:13,960 Speaker 3: Is that the thought process that you're going you're actually 1372 01:08:13,960 --> 01:08:17,960 Speaker 3: going through that analysis. Whilst you're there holding the horse, 1373 01:08:18,560 --> 01:08:21,799 Speaker 3: everyone else is sort of are they yelling and screaming 1374 01:08:21,840 --> 01:08:24,080 Speaker 3: all the other jockeys? Can you hear people talking to 1375 01:08:24,120 --> 01:08:25,479 Speaker 3: you and say get out of the way. 1376 01:08:25,360 --> 01:08:29,320 Speaker 2: Or yeah, yeah, you're at that point. Look down the 1377 01:08:29,320 --> 01:08:33,320 Speaker 2: back straight. Usually everyone's in there. Spot's quite silent. No 1378 01:08:33,360 --> 01:08:35,960 Speaker 2: one's screaming unless you're trying to bump out or whatever. 1379 01:08:36,000 --> 01:08:38,080 Speaker 2: Everyone's trying to get the horse to relax, to breathe, 1380 01:08:39,320 --> 01:08:42,880 Speaker 2: you know, conserving all energy, so it's very quiet. You'd 1381 01:08:42,920 --> 01:08:48,000 Speaker 2: be surprised to hear the thunder of the hoofs And yeah, 1382 01:08:48,400 --> 01:08:51,519 Speaker 2: at that point, I thought well, I'm going to take 1383 01:08:51,760 --> 01:08:54,040 Speaker 2: you know, make this decision and you have to go 1384 01:08:54,120 --> 01:08:56,280 Speaker 2: with it. You can't you can't tacond guess yourself. Everything 1385 01:08:56,320 --> 01:09:00,559 Speaker 2: has to be done positively. And as we were rounding 1386 01:09:00,600 --> 01:09:02,680 Speaker 2: the corner and coming past the seven hundred, I was 1387 01:09:02,720 --> 01:09:05,519 Speaker 2: absolutely bolting and I thought the sash, she's we're a 1388 01:09:05,680 --> 01:09:09,200 Speaker 2: chance here, and don't get it too excited. Part of 1389 01:09:09,240 --> 01:09:12,360 Speaker 2: my preparation was, you know, if you're in that position, 1390 01:09:13,160 --> 01:09:17,200 Speaker 2: don't get carried away by the occasion and push the 1391 01:09:17,200 --> 01:09:20,760 Speaker 2: button too early. You know, take off. A home race 1392 01:09:20,760 --> 01:09:23,640 Speaker 2: can be won or lost in a second, and you 1393 01:09:23,720 --> 01:09:26,200 Speaker 2: start making contact with other runners, bumping into them, you're 1394 01:09:26,200 --> 01:09:29,080 Speaker 2: taking away your energy of a horse. So it was basically 1395 01:09:29,120 --> 01:09:30,679 Speaker 2: about composure and. 1396 01:09:31,960 --> 01:09:34,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's a good word, composure. 1397 01:09:33,600 --> 01:09:37,080 Speaker 2: Waiting until the time was right, and yeah, it was 1398 01:09:37,400 --> 01:09:41,000 Speaker 2: just all I think the preparation in the pre race 1399 01:09:41,040 --> 01:09:42,280 Speaker 2: that really helped on the day. 1400 01:09:43,200 --> 01:09:45,640 Speaker 3: I'm getting goosebumps thinking about the whole process. I mean, 1401 01:09:45,720 --> 01:09:48,439 Speaker 3: like some people have an opportunity run their business, you know, 1402 01:09:48,720 --> 01:09:51,560 Speaker 3: over a year, and they can make all those decisions 1403 01:09:51,560 --> 01:09:55,479 Speaker 3: over a year. Your business is one race, and you've 1404 01:09:55,479 --> 01:09:57,599 Speaker 3: got to make all those decisions and how many minutes. 1405 01:09:57,640 --> 01:10:02,320 Speaker 1: We're talking about now from beginning to end three minutes. 1406 01:10:02,520 --> 01:10:08,360 Speaker 3: So you're making all these tactical decisions, responding to opportunities, 1407 01:10:08,400 --> 01:10:14,280 Speaker 3: responding to threats, responding to risks, responding to the animal, 1408 01:10:14,360 --> 01:10:17,360 Speaker 3: your infantry, which is the animal you're writing. Then also 1409 01:10:17,439 --> 01:10:21,400 Speaker 3: your competition that's outside of you, it's your brain must 1410 01:10:21,400 --> 01:10:23,200 Speaker 3: be going at a million miles an hour. And the 1411 01:10:23,240 --> 01:10:25,599 Speaker 3: word you use, composure is really important word. And to 1412 01:10:25,600 --> 01:10:27,599 Speaker 3: be frank with you, you. 1413 01:10:26,760 --> 01:10:27,720 Speaker 1: Know, part of the. 1414 01:10:29,280 --> 01:10:32,519 Speaker 3: Importance of a book like this is teaching or sharing 1415 01:10:32,640 --> 01:10:36,240 Speaker 3: people how to maintain their composure under pressure. This is 1416 01:10:36,760 --> 01:10:41,599 Speaker 3: the most extreme version of pressure like you can possibly get. 1417 01:10:41,800 --> 01:10:44,240 Speaker 1: I mean, forget. We talked earlier about all the challenges 1418 01:10:44,280 --> 01:10:46,320 Speaker 1: you got got over and above. 1419 01:10:46,080 --> 01:10:48,680 Speaker 3: Which is great, But this is an example in a 1420 01:10:48,760 --> 01:10:51,080 Speaker 3: businessman should be reading this thing. This is an example 1421 01:10:51,120 --> 01:10:58,320 Speaker 3: of a person exercising composure and judgment under extreme circumstance. 1422 01:10:58,320 --> 01:11:01,640 Speaker 3: This is really extreme circumstances and it's a bit of 1423 01:11:01,640 --> 01:11:04,840 Speaker 3: like sort of it's nearly like climbing a mountain without 1424 01:11:04,880 --> 01:11:07,559 Speaker 3: any harnesses or something like that. And it was sort 1425 01:11:07,560 --> 01:11:09,559 Speaker 3: of to me in my mind, I'm aligning it to that, 1426 01:11:09,960 --> 01:11:13,400 Speaker 3: which is something I would never attempt and I've never 1427 01:11:13,439 --> 01:11:18,320 Speaker 3: really thought about a jockey's job in the way you've 1428 01:11:18,360 --> 01:11:22,160 Speaker 3: just described it in terms of that your mindset, your 1429 01:11:22,160 --> 01:11:24,080 Speaker 3: mindset at the beginning of the race, making sure that 1430 01:11:24,120 --> 01:11:27,120 Speaker 3: you don't you know, not everything's beating it once and 1431 01:11:27,160 --> 01:11:29,160 Speaker 3: you just considering those things that you need to have 1432 01:11:29,240 --> 01:11:31,400 Speaker 3: for the race, the build up to the race, of 1433 01:11:31,479 --> 01:11:35,200 Speaker 3: training programs once you're in the race, of tactics and 1434 01:11:35,520 --> 01:11:38,680 Speaker 3: not getting ahead of yourself, remembering what the I'm going 1435 01:11:38,720 --> 01:11:40,800 Speaker 3: to say, the coach, but the trainers told you to do, 1436 01:11:41,000 --> 01:11:44,360 Speaker 3: and probably the owners and based on But then you've 1437 01:11:44,360 --> 01:11:46,320 Speaker 3: got any expos you intuition because if you don't take 1438 01:11:46,360 --> 01:11:50,280 Speaker 3: that jump when you and you say, well, no, you 1439 01:11:50,320 --> 01:11:51,559 Speaker 3: told me, yeah, well. 1440 01:11:51,439 --> 01:11:53,160 Speaker 2: Did you tell you the truth? There were so many 1441 01:11:53,160 --> 01:11:55,559 Speaker 2: times previously in races where Darren had told me to 1442 01:11:55,600 --> 01:11:57,640 Speaker 2: do stuff and he said, what did you do that 1443 01:11:57,680 --> 01:11:59,280 Speaker 2: for us? You told me to do that because we 1444 01:11:59,439 --> 01:12:01,280 Speaker 2: don't listen to me you're out there. 1445 01:12:01,479 --> 01:12:02,040 Speaker 1: That's my point. 1446 01:12:02,160 --> 01:12:04,840 Speaker 2: Yes, I learned. And that's the funny thing about so 1447 01:12:04,880 --> 01:12:06,960 Speaker 2: many years and the Malvin Cup come at the right 1448 01:12:07,000 --> 01:12:09,599 Speaker 2: time because at the time I thought, I'm not listening 1449 01:12:09,640 --> 01:12:14,439 Speaker 2: to you. This time, Darren, following my judgment, and you 1450 01:12:14,479 --> 01:12:16,320 Speaker 2: know you're out there doing the job. You've got to 1451 01:12:16,600 --> 01:12:18,519 Speaker 2: go to back yourself. If you've done the work and 1452 01:12:18,560 --> 01:12:20,880 Speaker 2: you've done the preparation, that's up to you and you've 1453 01:12:20,880 --> 01:12:22,599 Speaker 2: got to have confidence in yourself to do that. 1454 01:12:22,800 --> 01:12:25,240 Speaker 3: Good only that you sharing all those things for people 1455 01:12:25,439 --> 01:12:27,799 Speaker 3: who pick up the book, and by the ways, an audiobook, 1456 01:12:27,800 --> 01:12:30,559 Speaker 3: because you've just had a text one. 1457 01:12:30,760 --> 01:12:32,920 Speaker 2: It is going to be in an audio audible. We've 1458 01:12:32,920 --> 01:12:35,600 Speaker 2: got Rachel Griffiths has put a hand up to read it. 1459 01:12:35,600 --> 01:12:38,599 Speaker 1: Which is why do it? I did one. I said 1460 01:12:38,600 --> 01:12:40,720 Speaker 1: it is the greatest pain in the neck of all 1461 01:12:40,800 --> 01:12:43,040 Speaker 1: times I had to do. I did a period about it. 1462 01:12:43,560 --> 01:12:45,439 Speaker 3: Takes a long time. It's really difficult to do because 1463 01:12:45,439 --> 01:12:47,840 Speaker 3: you're in a little booth. She's going to do it 1464 01:12:47,840 --> 01:12:49,160 Speaker 3: for it, she is. That's fantastic. 1465 01:12:49,160 --> 01:12:51,240 Speaker 2: I unbelieve. I'm so grateful to her. 1466 01:12:51,479 --> 01:12:53,400 Speaker 3: Yeah, that's great because because a lot of people like 1467 01:12:53,439 --> 01:12:55,560 Speaker 3: to listen to these things these days as opposed to 1468 01:12:55,640 --> 01:12:58,040 Speaker 3: sort of sit down and read stuff and can I 1469 01:12:58,120 --> 01:13:00,559 Speaker 3: just go back to Nottingham Farm. 1470 01:13:01,200 --> 01:13:03,599 Speaker 1: So how's life as a trainer? 1471 01:13:04,520 --> 01:13:08,240 Speaker 2: Amazing? It's really hard when you finish the job, that 1472 01:13:08,240 --> 01:13:10,880 Speaker 2: you're passionate about, like racing obviously explained it to you 1473 01:13:10,960 --> 01:13:15,679 Speaker 2: how fun it is and exciting and exhilarating. So it's 1474 01:13:15,760 --> 01:13:19,439 Speaker 2: tough when you stop, you know, life becomes a bit 1475 01:13:19,479 --> 01:13:22,160 Speaker 2: boring in a way because you've taken away that spark. 1476 01:13:22,320 --> 01:13:26,439 Speaker 2: But still being able to work with these incredible animals 1477 01:13:26,479 --> 01:13:28,640 Speaker 2: that we work with, like beasts that they are. That 1478 01:13:28,840 --> 01:13:31,240 Speaker 2: you get their trust and you see their kind eyes 1479 01:13:31,240 --> 01:13:33,600 Speaker 2: when you walk out to see them in the paddic and. 1480 01:13:33,360 --> 01:13:35,280 Speaker 1: You see kindness in their eyes unbelievable. 1481 01:13:35,320 --> 01:13:37,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, they just soften, you know when you come up 1482 01:13:37,400 --> 01:13:40,400 Speaker 2: to give them a pat and just to have that 1483 01:13:40,560 --> 01:13:43,519 Speaker 2: every day in your life is just an absolute blessing. 1484 01:13:43,640 --> 01:13:46,280 Speaker 2: So training is the next best thing, I guess from 1485 01:13:46,680 --> 01:13:48,800 Speaker 2: riding in a race. You still get that same excitement 1486 01:13:49,479 --> 01:13:52,280 Speaker 2: when you see your horse go out basically for battle 1487 01:13:52,640 --> 01:13:56,360 Speaker 2: for you, and all that work that you've done behind 1488 01:13:56,360 --> 01:14:00,639 Speaker 2: the scenes in preparing them for that, strengthening them physically, mentally, 1489 01:14:00,680 --> 01:14:02,880 Speaker 2: having them prepared to really want to hit the line 1490 01:14:02,880 --> 01:14:05,439 Speaker 2: for you as best they can. So much is involved 1491 01:14:05,439 --> 01:14:07,040 Speaker 2: with that. It's not just a matter of getting a 1492 01:14:07,040 --> 01:14:09,519 Speaker 2: horse fit and sending them to the races. You've got 1493 01:14:09,520 --> 01:14:12,880 Speaker 2: to have them mentally coping and you never hurt them 1494 01:14:12,880 --> 01:14:14,880 Speaker 2: along the way because I remember if they race when 1495 01:14:14,880 --> 01:14:17,840 Speaker 2: they're not fit enough, and you know that they were 1496 01:14:17,920 --> 01:14:20,400 Speaker 2: sort of asked to extend when they didn't have enough 1497 01:14:20,560 --> 01:14:21,800 Speaker 2: enough fitness under their belt. 1498 01:14:21,920 --> 01:14:23,160 Speaker 1: So are they sensitive? 1499 01:14:23,520 --> 01:14:24,200 Speaker 2: So sensitive? 1500 01:14:24,800 --> 01:14:26,880 Speaker 1: I mean not, I guess emotionally as a word, but 1501 01:14:27,160 --> 01:14:27,720 Speaker 1: they are. Are they? 1502 01:14:27,800 --> 01:14:31,360 Speaker 2: Absolutely? Yeah? If you run a horse unfit, you know, 1503 01:14:31,400 --> 01:14:32,920 Speaker 2: it's the best way to teach them not to try, 1504 01:14:32,960 --> 01:14:35,320 Speaker 2: because I'll be like stuff this, you know that hurt 1505 01:14:35,400 --> 01:14:40,719 Speaker 2: less practical Yeah, exactly, so like riding, and it's still 1506 01:14:40,800 --> 01:14:43,720 Speaker 2: racing so much involved in so many intricate details that 1507 01:14:44,240 --> 01:14:46,880 Speaker 2: make you successful. So it just makes it fun and 1508 01:14:46,960 --> 01:14:50,240 Speaker 2: challenging and really rewarding when it all comes together. 1509 01:14:50,439 --> 01:14:53,599 Speaker 3: And if you as a trainer, do you have a 1510 01:14:53,640 --> 01:14:57,559 Speaker 3: soft spot then for a young short pain who might 1511 01:14:57,560 --> 01:15:00,800 Speaker 3: be said about there somewhere looking for a ride and 1512 01:15:01,240 --> 01:15:03,599 Speaker 3: doesn't get it. I mean, how do you play that part? 1513 01:15:03,680 --> 01:15:05,519 Speaker 1: I mean, do you probably a. 1514 01:15:05,479 --> 01:15:08,720 Speaker 2: Bit tough on young riders coming through to you know, 1515 01:15:08,840 --> 01:15:10,720 Speaker 2: go to work hard. It's not just you see all 1516 01:15:10,760 --> 01:15:13,000 Speaker 2: the fun and the glitz and glory that I want 1517 01:15:13,000 --> 01:15:17,040 Speaker 2: to do that. Of course, if somebody really wants to 1518 01:15:17,040 --> 01:15:19,880 Speaker 2: do it and do well, I'll give them every bit 1519 01:15:19,920 --> 01:15:23,599 Speaker 2: of advice and sit them down and talk them through 1520 01:15:23,640 --> 01:15:26,560 Speaker 2: everything that I've learned that could help them. But I 1521 01:15:26,600 --> 01:15:28,479 Speaker 2: also don't want to waste my time if somebody is 1522 01:15:28,520 --> 01:15:32,760 Speaker 2: just all bit airy fairy and thinks it's just, you know, 1523 01:15:33,080 --> 01:15:34,000 Speaker 2: a fun thing. 1524 01:15:33,840 --> 01:15:36,760 Speaker 3: And well that you owe them one because you know, 1525 01:15:36,800 --> 01:15:39,280 Speaker 3: because some people would think that, they would say, well, 1526 01:15:39,960 --> 01:15:42,000 Speaker 3: she had their glory run and she won the milk up, 1527 01:15:42,040 --> 01:15:45,439 Speaker 3: and Michelle's a female and she should be looking after 1528 01:15:45,439 --> 01:15:46,360 Speaker 3: me because I'm a female. 1529 01:15:46,640 --> 01:15:47,479 Speaker 1: It's not about that. 1530 01:15:47,880 --> 01:15:50,759 Speaker 2: Well, look, like I said, I'm happy to help anybody, 1531 01:15:50,800 --> 01:15:55,240 Speaker 2: but busy unless you know busy. But if it's somebody 1532 01:15:55,400 --> 01:15:57,400 Speaker 2: really wants to try hard to do well, give them 1533 01:15:57,400 --> 01:15:59,600 Speaker 2: all the time in the world, because to pass on 1534 01:15:59,680 --> 01:16:02,120 Speaker 2: the knowledge that I've learned over the years, and passing 1535 01:16:02,160 --> 01:16:05,280 Speaker 2: what I was taught is just one of the greatest 1536 01:16:05,320 --> 01:16:07,759 Speaker 2: gifts you can you can have and give people. 1537 01:16:08,080 --> 01:16:11,599 Speaker 1: Does your dad come out to Nodding Nottingham Farm? 1538 01:16:11,720 --> 01:16:13,720 Speaker 2: Yep. Dad lives down the road so you're not far 1539 01:16:13,720 --> 01:16:15,599 Speaker 2: from each other. No, No, that's very great. 1540 01:16:15,640 --> 01:16:17,439 Speaker 1: So Stevie still comes up. 1541 01:16:17,560 --> 01:16:20,400 Speaker 2: Yep. Stevie comes up, rides bike up there and he's 1542 01:16:20,400 --> 01:16:22,200 Speaker 2: got a little cabin on the farm and we own 1543 01:16:22,240 --> 01:16:27,320 Speaker 2: the farm together. So cool. It's it's honestly beautiful to 1544 01:16:27,680 --> 01:16:29,960 Speaker 2: have had the high of winning the Melbourne Cup and 1545 01:16:30,040 --> 01:16:32,000 Speaker 2: the fun and excitement that I get to do, but 1546 01:16:32,040 --> 01:16:34,240 Speaker 2: then go back to the peacefulness of the farm, with 1547 01:16:34,280 --> 01:16:37,439 Speaker 2: the serenity and the quietness. We have no street lights. 1548 01:16:37,479 --> 01:16:39,200 Speaker 1: It's it's that's the best. 1549 01:16:38,960 --> 01:16:42,320 Speaker 2: So quiet. It's honestly living my best life. 1550 01:16:42,600 --> 01:16:46,639 Speaker 3: Well, I guess from from the summaries that I've got 1551 01:16:46,640 --> 01:16:48,720 Speaker 3: too though, it's not just about winning the race on 1552 01:16:48,720 --> 01:16:50,720 Speaker 3: the particular day and how wonderful that was, et cetera. 1553 01:16:50,720 --> 01:16:55,040 Speaker 3: Because life's not just all shiny. Does the book lean 1554 01:16:55,080 --> 01:16:57,679 Speaker 3: into some of the more raw things that have happened 1555 01:16:57,680 --> 01:17:00,439 Speaker 3: to you in your in your career, and androbably even 1556 01:17:00,439 --> 01:17:01,520 Speaker 3: brought more broadly. 1557 01:17:01,240 --> 01:17:01,879 Speaker 1: Just your life. 1558 01:17:02,360 --> 01:17:05,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, definitely does. We didn't want to just focus on 1559 01:17:05,240 --> 01:17:08,760 Speaker 2: all the positive things, because life's tough and people go 1560 01:17:08,840 --> 01:17:11,479 Speaker 2: through tough times, and that's why we I really wrote 1561 01:17:11,520 --> 01:17:14,519 Speaker 2: the book not just for the insights in the Melbourne Cup. 1562 01:17:14,840 --> 01:17:17,160 Speaker 2: That's just the first part of it. The rest of 1563 01:17:17,200 --> 01:17:20,160 Speaker 2: the book is a lot around the struggles and the 1564 01:17:20,240 --> 01:17:23,600 Speaker 2: challenges that I faced. One was the next year I 1565 01:17:23,600 --> 01:17:26,240 Speaker 2: had a really bad fall. At the time, I was 1566 01:17:26,520 --> 01:17:28,679 Speaker 2: struggling to deal with the Malbourne Cup in the way 1567 01:17:28,680 --> 01:17:32,040 Speaker 2: that it was just exhausting me. And it was such 1568 01:17:32,040 --> 01:17:33,920 Speaker 2: a life changing race that I didn't know how I 1569 01:17:33,960 --> 01:17:36,520 Speaker 2: was going to keep up with everything, all the opportunities, 1570 01:17:36,560 --> 01:17:40,200 Speaker 2: and you know, not make the most of them, because 1571 01:17:40,479 --> 01:17:43,800 Speaker 2: I thought, why wouldn't you, But you know, it was hard. 1572 01:17:43,920 --> 01:17:46,160 Speaker 2: So at the time I was wondering how I was 1573 01:17:46,160 --> 01:17:50,160 Speaker 2: going to keep going. And I was heading towards a 1574 01:17:50,280 --> 01:17:51,920 Speaker 2: huge troop in Europe where I was going to write 1575 01:17:51,960 --> 01:17:56,439 Speaker 2: in Sweden and England and many opportunities are so excited 1576 01:17:56,439 --> 01:18:00,960 Speaker 2: about but exhausted thinking about. And I'd written Prince of 1577 01:18:01,040 --> 01:18:04,640 Speaker 2: Penzance in Adelaide and had flown to Mildreurer on the 1578 01:18:04,640 --> 01:18:08,800 Speaker 2: Sunday to ride and unfortunately had an awful, horrible fall 1579 01:18:08,840 --> 01:18:11,559 Speaker 2: where I fell underneath my own horse and it stood 1580 01:18:11,560 --> 01:18:16,400 Speaker 2: on my stomach. Well, and this is a yeah, flat 1581 01:18:16,439 --> 01:18:20,559 Speaker 2: gallop and at the time when I felt like when 1582 01:18:20,600 --> 01:18:22,439 Speaker 2: I come to it and woke up on the track, 1583 01:18:22,479 --> 01:18:26,400 Speaker 2: I remember being called curled up in a ball and said, 1584 01:18:26,640 --> 01:18:30,200 Speaker 2: something's really bad and bleeding inside, and we talk about 1585 01:18:30,240 --> 01:18:31,800 Speaker 2: that and when you. 1586 01:18:31,760 --> 01:18:33,599 Speaker 1: Say you're bleeding inside, what does that mean. 1587 01:18:33,840 --> 01:18:37,160 Speaker 2: I didn't know. I just could feel something bad had happened. 1588 01:18:37,160 --> 01:18:40,360 Speaker 2: And as it turned out, I was flown to the 1589 01:18:40,360 --> 01:18:43,519 Speaker 2: Alfred Hospital later that night and operated on it twoesday. 1590 01:18:43,560 --> 01:18:46,640 Speaker 2: The next morning, I'd severed three quarters of my pangreas 1591 01:18:46,880 --> 01:18:49,200 Speaker 2: off and there was hanging by a thread and they 1592 01:18:49,200 --> 01:18:51,719 Speaker 2: had to remove it and sewed it to my stomach. 1593 01:18:51,760 --> 01:18:56,040 Speaker 2: So having that fall in a way saved me because 1594 01:18:56,080 --> 01:19:01,000 Speaker 2: I totally got peace for my recovery after nearly killing me. 1595 01:19:01,040 --> 01:19:04,439 Speaker 2: At the same time, the recovery of that was tough, 1596 01:19:04,640 --> 01:19:07,200 Speaker 2: unbelievably tough. I prayed to God every day to get 1597 01:19:07,200 --> 01:19:09,800 Speaker 2: through the pain. Each night. I didn't know how I 1598 01:19:09,840 --> 01:19:13,760 Speaker 2: was going to survive it, and you know, people go 1599 01:19:13,840 --> 01:19:16,400 Speaker 2: through many things that are hard, and I wanted to 1600 01:19:16,439 --> 01:19:18,920 Speaker 2: talk about that and how I dealt with it, and 1601 01:19:19,200 --> 01:19:21,680 Speaker 2: some of that was just taking my little trolley of 1602 01:19:23,160 --> 01:19:25,479 Speaker 2: you know, s bag of saline and tubes that were 1603 01:19:25,520 --> 01:19:27,519 Speaker 2: coming out of me and going for a walk around 1604 01:19:27,520 --> 01:19:30,519 Speaker 2: the ward. I just walk laps and laps to pass 1605 01:19:30,560 --> 01:19:32,559 Speaker 2: the time. When I was able to, you know, get 1606 01:19:32,640 --> 01:19:35,599 Speaker 2: up and out of bed and you know, just little 1607 01:19:35,680 --> 01:19:38,320 Speaker 2: tricks that might help others to get through really tough 1608 01:19:38,360 --> 01:19:41,360 Speaker 2: times that they get through. So talk about that in 1609 01:19:41,760 --> 01:19:45,920 Speaker 2: sort of pretty good detail. Talk about stalkers that I 1610 01:19:46,000 --> 01:19:46,960 Speaker 2: faced after. 1611 01:19:46,720 --> 01:19:51,800 Speaker 3: The race, as in people message you, you and Neil 1612 01:19:51,840 --> 01:19:52,920 Speaker 3: following you around the joint. 1613 01:19:53,000 --> 01:19:56,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, unbelievable. Like I never imagined how bad it could be. 1614 01:19:57,360 --> 01:20:01,920 Speaker 2: People jumping my gate at the farm coming in. One 1615 01:20:01,920 --> 01:20:04,040 Speaker 2: guy just wandering around. I could see him on the 1616 01:20:04,080 --> 01:20:08,040 Speaker 2: cameras in the middle of a Sunday. Another guy jumped 1617 01:20:08,080 --> 01:20:12,720 Speaker 2: the gate on a Sunday morning through COVID. We're in 1618 01:20:12,960 --> 01:20:15,880 Speaker 2: strict lockdown. Come to come around the back. It was 1619 01:20:15,920 --> 01:20:19,200 Speaker 2: just me and Stevie there, and you know, it was 1620 01:20:19,960 --> 01:20:22,759 Speaker 2: started chatting. I was like, sorry, mate, you're not supposed 1621 01:20:22,760 --> 01:20:27,400 Speaker 2: to be here and it's private property. And he started 1622 01:20:27,439 --> 01:20:29,479 Speaker 2: to sort of abuse me for being rude to him 1623 01:20:29,800 --> 01:20:33,439 Speaker 2: even though he was on my property, and later resulted 1624 01:20:33,439 --> 01:20:37,519 Speaker 2: in him messaging me and abusing me and passed out 1625 01:20:37,640 --> 01:20:39,960 Speaker 2: down on my on my dad's front lawn and had 1626 01:20:40,000 --> 01:20:45,960 Speaker 2: to be pulled in by the police. Yeah, drunk. So 1627 01:20:46,400 --> 01:20:50,200 Speaker 2: another guy went to jail. Another guy got arrested for harassment. 1628 01:20:50,240 --> 01:20:53,839 Speaker 2: So it was many times that I just couldn't even believe, 1629 01:20:53,920 --> 01:20:57,040 Speaker 2: so obviously talk about that and and overcoming that, especially 1630 01:20:57,120 --> 01:21:02,800 Speaker 2: you know, living living out on a farm. And one 1631 01:21:02,800 --> 01:21:05,640 Speaker 2: of the toughest chapters I think to write was a 1632 01:21:05,720 --> 01:21:10,040 Speaker 2: chapter on my sister who passed away this year through suicide, 1633 01:21:10,080 --> 01:21:13,599 Speaker 2: and the mental challenges and mental health challenges she faced, 1634 01:21:13,680 --> 01:21:16,160 Speaker 2: and how we tried to get through it as a family, 1635 01:21:16,200 --> 01:21:19,639 Speaker 2: and what maybe we could have done differently. Which sister 1636 01:21:19,760 --> 01:21:23,360 Speaker 2: was that my older sister Bernadette, who used to look 1637 01:21:23,400 --> 01:21:25,040 Speaker 2: after me when I was a baby, used to feed me. 1638 01:21:25,200 --> 01:21:27,960 Speaker 2: She was eleven years old when my mom passed away 1639 01:21:28,000 --> 01:21:29,840 Speaker 2: and took on the role of getting up in the 1640 01:21:29,880 --> 01:21:33,160 Speaker 2: middle of the night and looking after me and giving 1641 01:21:33,160 --> 01:21:36,080 Speaker 2: me a bottle. You know, whether maybe she should have 1642 01:21:36,120 --> 01:21:38,560 Speaker 2: had counseling back then, and we didn't know about it, 1643 01:21:39,880 --> 01:21:41,920 Speaker 2: just different things we thought we could have done through 1644 01:21:41,920 --> 01:21:44,280 Speaker 2: life that maybe could have steered her path in a 1645 01:21:44,280 --> 01:21:45,000 Speaker 2: different direction. 1646 01:21:45,520 --> 01:21:48,639 Speaker 3: We carried that drawing a whole life exactly because at eleven, 1647 01:21:48,680 --> 01:21:49,559 Speaker 3: you know what's going on. 1648 01:21:50,720 --> 01:21:54,040 Speaker 2: So whilst it was really traumatic to write, it was 1649 01:21:54,080 --> 01:21:56,160 Speaker 2: beautiful to talk about her because she was a beautiful 1650 01:21:56,160 --> 01:22:00,840 Speaker 2: person before mental health took over. So that that's the 1651 01:22:00,960 --> 01:22:03,400 Speaker 2: chapter I really wanted to write. And I spoke to 1652 01:22:03,439 --> 01:22:05,559 Speaker 2: the family, you know, do you think I should You know, 1653 01:22:05,680 --> 01:22:08,479 Speaker 2: is it okay? Is it respectful to her? Is it 1654 01:22:08,560 --> 01:22:10,679 Speaker 2: good because it will help other people? And they all 1655 01:22:10,720 --> 01:22:14,360 Speaker 2: agreed that if our what we face could could help others, 1656 01:22:14,400 --> 01:22:16,240 Speaker 2: then they were happy for me to write about it. 1657 01:22:17,920 --> 01:22:22,280 Speaker 2: And another one is talking about the mental health I've faced. 1658 01:22:23,160 --> 01:22:25,360 Speaker 2: Probably mental health is not the word I should use, 1659 01:22:25,400 --> 01:22:28,519 Speaker 2: but the concussions that I've had, and the worry about 1660 01:22:28,520 --> 01:22:32,880 Speaker 2: CTA CTE and what the unknownness of it and things 1661 01:22:32,880 --> 01:22:34,880 Speaker 2: I was feeling through that tough time of losing her 1662 01:22:34,960 --> 01:22:38,519 Speaker 2: and trying to figure out what was the best path 1663 01:22:38,560 --> 01:22:41,360 Speaker 2: to take. And one thing that I learned was knowledge, 1664 01:22:41,439 --> 01:22:44,040 Speaker 2: and you know, going and getting an MRI, seeing what 1665 01:22:44,080 --> 01:22:48,479 Speaker 2: they could find on there, investigating it further, doing further 1666 01:22:48,560 --> 01:22:53,000 Speaker 2: neurosyte tests. And I think your knowledge is power and 1667 01:22:53,560 --> 01:22:55,599 Speaker 2: it's helped me a lot to know when I need 1668 01:22:55,600 --> 01:22:58,719 Speaker 2: to rest and take it easy instead of pushing yourself 1669 01:22:58,800 --> 01:23:02,320 Speaker 2: through brands. Obviously a fragile thing and it has to 1670 01:23:02,320 --> 01:23:04,040 Speaker 2: be exercised, but it also has to be rested at 1671 01:23:04,080 --> 01:23:07,280 Speaker 2: the same time. So I try to talk as openly 1672 01:23:07,280 --> 01:23:11,400 Speaker 2: as account about that because you know, you know things 1673 01:23:11,439 --> 01:23:15,240 Speaker 2: that can happen with people with this CTE and. 1674 01:23:14,760 --> 01:23:17,080 Speaker 1: We're just concussions and dementia. 1675 01:23:16,520 --> 01:23:19,600 Speaker 2: Exactly and the scariness of it, and I knew what 1676 01:23:19,640 --> 01:23:22,880 Speaker 2: I was feeling, so I was very keen to write 1677 01:23:22,880 --> 01:23:23,320 Speaker 2: about that. 1678 01:23:23,960 --> 01:23:27,240 Speaker 3: So just on just on that one is it's great 1679 01:23:27,280 --> 01:23:29,599 Speaker 3: that you talk about it because it's rare women talk 1680 01:23:29,640 --> 01:23:33,160 Speaker 3: about it because it's usually footballers, guy footballers and stuff 1681 01:23:33,160 --> 01:23:35,240 Speaker 3: like that, but there are plenty of female soccer players 1682 01:23:35,240 --> 01:23:37,280 Speaker 3: and netball players get it too. 1683 01:23:38,080 --> 01:23:39,040 Speaker 1: Soccer girls get. 1684 01:23:38,880 --> 01:23:42,360 Speaker 3: It from soccer, from hitting the ball, AFL girls get it, 1685 01:23:42,680 --> 01:23:45,040 Speaker 3: Rugby league girls get it, et cetera. Boxes get it, 1686 01:23:45,080 --> 01:23:47,479 Speaker 3: female boxes get it. It's good to hear someone like 1687 01:23:47,560 --> 01:23:50,320 Speaker 3: you talk about it because it's more of a worry 1688 01:23:51,040 --> 01:23:55,599 Speaker 3: than most people give it credit for. And I think 1689 01:23:55,640 --> 01:23:58,360 Speaker 3: what you're saying is that you said knowledge is power. 1690 01:23:59,080 --> 01:24:00,000 Speaker 1: It's I think. 1691 01:24:00,040 --> 01:24:02,200 Speaker 3: Which you're sort of saying is don't just sort of 1692 01:24:02,240 --> 01:24:03,760 Speaker 3: locked up in the closet and forget about it. 1693 01:24:04,439 --> 01:24:07,040 Speaker 1: Do something about it. Perhaps gett an Ameria see if 1694 01:24:07,080 --> 01:24:08,600 Speaker 1: there's a you know, if the brain's. 1695 01:24:08,240 --> 01:24:12,360 Speaker 3: Looking looks normal, or do the neurosie test with a 1696 01:24:12,400 --> 01:24:17,840 Speaker 3: neurologist or a psychologist to see how you respond. Those 1697 01:24:17,880 --> 01:24:20,840 Speaker 3: sort of things empower you a bit, exactly. At least 1698 01:24:20,920 --> 01:24:23,439 Speaker 3: you can get a sense of how you feel about stuff. 1699 01:24:23,479 --> 01:24:25,880 Speaker 1: And maybe I love it. 1700 01:24:25,920 --> 01:24:27,600 Speaker 3: I love the fact that you did that because I'm like, 1701 01:24:27,640 --> 01:24:34,600 Speaker 3: I'm really intensely interested in taking control of our lives. 1702 01:24:35,040 --> 01:24:39,120 Speaker 3: Whether it's feeling like a victim, which you've never have, 1703 01:24:39,720 --> 01:24:43,920 Speaker 3: but you could have taken, a feeling as though you 1704 01:24:44,000 --> 01:24:50,280 Speaker 3: might be vulnerable to brain injury, which you know you 1705 01:24:50,320 --> 01:24:52,640 Speaker 3: could be, but you didn't. You don't feel victims that 1706 01:24:52,760 --> 01:24:55,360 Speaker 3: you take try to take control over. They're important chapters, 1707 01:24:56,160 --> 01:25:00,360 Speaker 3: that sort of sentiment. Whilst the winning part of really 1708 01:25:00,400 --> 01:25:01,839 Speaker 3: exciting and fun to listen. 1709 01:25:01,640 --> 01:25:07,080 Speaker 1: To or read that sort of stuff is it can 1710 01:25:07,120 --> 01:25:07,960 Speaker 1: be life changing for. 1711 01:25:07,920 --> 01:25:11,680 Speaker 2: Some people exactly. And I think you know, you got 1712 01:25:11,720 --> 01:25:13,920 Speaker 2: to live, you got to learn by what you live 1713 01:25:13,960 --> 01:25:17,599 Speaker 2: as well. And I haven't spoken about her at this point, 1714 01:25:17,720 --> 01:25:21,680 Speaker 2: but my oldest sister, Bridget, she passed away when she 1715 01:25:21,760 --> 01:25:25,960 Speaker 2: was thirty seven. She had a brain injury and complications 1716 01:25:26,000 --> 01:25:29,160 Speaker 2: of that led to her passing away seven months later 1717 01:25:29,200 --> 01:25:32,639 Speaker 2: I think it was. And after my sister Bernie passed 1718 01:25:32,640 --> 01:25:39,320 Speaker 2: away this year Bernie, Sorry, Pannadette. She I was obviously 1719 01:25:39,560 --> 01:25:43,719 Speaker 2: very upset and sad. I didn't know if I was depressed. 1720 01:25:43,760 --> 01:25:46,320 Speaker 2: I was trying to figure out all the feelings. And 1721 01:25:46,880 --> 01:25:49,200 Speaker 2: I remember lying in bed one day thinking, why wouldn't 1722 01:25:49,240 --> 01:25:51,800 Speaker 2: you go and investigate this like you're worried about it. 1723 01:25:51,800 --> 01:25:53,519 Speaker 2: I had been worried about it for a long time, 1724 01:25:53,680 --> 01:25:57,439 Speaker 2: because you know, you watch tragedies that happened through CT 1725 01:25:57,680 --> 01:26:00,840 Speaker 2: and if you get a chance to read the book, 1726 01:26:01,439 --> 01:26:03,479 Speaker 2: I don't know how my brain is so good considering 1727 01:26:03,479 --> 01:26:06,000 Speaker 2: the amount of falls I've had and traumas to my head. 1728 01:26:07,160 --> 01:26:09,680 Speaker 2: I just thought, you're so crazy and stupid not to 1729 01:26:09,720 --> 01:26:12,120 Speaker 2: go and get it checked out when you're worried about it. 1730 01:26:12,200 --> 01:26:16,120 Speaker 2: So the next day got up booked an appointment, was 1731 01:26:16,120 --> 01:26:18,120 Speaker 2: able to get in straight away for an MRI, which 1732 01:26:18,200 --> 01:26:21,000 Speaker 2: was just so nice to get in and not have 1733 01:26:21,040 --> 01:26:23,920 Speaker 2: to worry about it another day, and just to start 1734 01:26:23,960 --> 01:26:26,760 Speaker 2: the process of learning more about it. And it took 1735 01:26:26,800 --> 01:26:29,160 Speaker 2: a while. It wasn't an overnight fix where I just 1736 01:26:29,200 --> 01:26:33,599 Speaker 2: felt instantly better. Worked with the doctors from Racing Victoria, 1737 01:26:33,640 --> 01:26:38,400 Speaker 2: who obviously specialized in a very wide range of falls 1738 01:26:38,680 --> 01:26:42,160 Speaker 2: from horse racing, and yeah, we started a plan and 1739 01:26:42,280 --> 01:26:45,679 Speaker 2: it's yeah, like I said before, knowledge has just helped 1740 01:26:45,720 --> 01:26:48,680 Speaker 2: me feel so much more empowered and feel good about it. 1741 01:26:49,120 --> 01:26:50,760 Speaker 3: I think that's a really good point, the plan. You've 1742 01:26:50,760 --> 01:26:53,240 Speaker 3: got to have a plan. It might be perfect, you 1743 01:26:53,280 --> 01:26:56,400 Speaker 3: might change it, you might revise it, update it. But 1744 01:26:56,479 --> 01:26:59,040 Speaker 3: if you have a plan, you feel better, exactly for 1745 01:26:59,080 --> 01:27:01,800 Speaker 3: some reason, you just feel better. It may help you 1746 01:27:01,880 --> 01:27:04,040 Speaker 3: be better, but you actually feel better, and that's part 1747 01:27:04,040 --> 01:27:05,400 Speaker 3: of it feeling better exactly. 1748 01:27:05,479 --> 01:27:08,080 Speaker 2: You don't want to feel guilty if you know that 1749 01:27:08,120 --> 01:27:11,320 Speaker 2: you should be having arrest, but if I personally feel 1750 01:27:11,400 --> 01:27:14,160 Speaker 2: lazy if I'm not doing enough work, or you don't 1751 01:27:14,160 --> 01:27:18,280 Speaker 2: push through to get stuff done. But it's about listening 1752 01:27:18,280 --> 01:27:23,559 Speaker 2: to yourself, and it's stupid not not to listen to 1753 01:27:23,560 --> 01:27:27,120 Speaker 2: to what's working and what's not working. So that's something 1754 01:27:27,160 --> 01:27:28,280 Speaker 2: that I've really learned as well. 1755 01:27:28,600 --> 01:27:30,760 Speaker 3: I feel like this straight Talk episod has become a 1756 01:27:30,800 --> 01:27:34,920 Speaker 3: project one hundred episode, my other, my other project, my other, 1757 01:27:34,960 --> 01:27:38,160 Speaker 3: myther podcast. I mean here we are talking about health 1758 01:27:38,439 --> 01:27:41,439 Speaker 3: and not to mental health and to her brain health, 1759 01:27:42,680 --> 01:27:45,519 Speaker 3: and like that's pretty important. The brain is like runs 1760 01:27:45,560 --> 01:27:47,640 Speaker 3: the whole show. You can't replace a brain. You can 1761 01:27:47,760 --> 01:27:50,080 Speaker 3: replace it hard. You can get transplants all that sort 1762 01:27:50,080 --> 01:27:52,680 Speaker 3: of stuff, but the brain part is really important. And 1763 01:27:53,360 --> 01:27:56,200 Speaker 3: you know, like someone like you who's you know, I 1764 01:27:56,240 --> 01:27:58,080 Speaker 3: reckon if I fell off, also probably. 1765 01:27:57,840 --> 01:27:58,800 Speaker 1: Would never want to get up. 1766 01:27:59,240 --> 01:28:02,960 Speaker 3: Like the amount of resilience that you show and also 1767 01:28:03,160 --> 01:28:05,640 Speaker 3: being able to just take if you're going to do 1768 01:28:05,680 --> 01:28:06,360 Speaker 3: something about it. 1769 01:28:07,120 --> 01:28:08,000 Speaker 1: That's pretty tough. 1770 01:28:09,560 --> 01:28:13,880 Speaker 3: You're old man, he's a mister Payne. He's a tough dude. 1771 01:28:13,920 --> 01:28:16,840 Speaker 3: And your mom, who obviously I didn't see her in 1772 01:28:16,880 --> 01:28:20,000 Speaker 3: the show because she wasn't a low but she must 1773 01:28:20,000 --> 01:28:22,160 Speaker 3: have been pretty tough too, both of them. 1774 01:28:22,439 --> 01:28:27,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think so remarkable. Really obviously, I'm sorry. 1775 01:28:27,720 --> 01:28:31,519 Speaker 1: What would you say to your mom now? Now? 1776 01:28:31,560 --> 01:28:32,840 Speaker 3: What would you want to say to your mom she 1777 01:28:32,920 --> 01:28:35,880 Speaker 3: was sitting here obviously, let's say she was interviewing you 1778 01:28:35,960 --> 01:28:39,400 Speaker 3: now and talking to you about two sisters and your 1779 01:28:39,479 --> 01:28:42,120 Speaker 3: life and all the stuff you had to deal with 1780 01:28:42,160 --> 01:28:43,519 Speaker 3: and all the stuff I've been dealt out to you. 1781 01:28:43,800 --> 01:28:45,920 Speaker 1: What would you say to your mom? 1782 01:28:46,720 --> 01:28:48,120 Speaker 2: You're going to make me a bit sad if I 1783 01:28:48,120 --> 01:28:52,480 Speaker 2: think it about too much sad. That's a good thing. 1784 01:28:53,160 --> 01:28:55,680 Speaker 2: I just hope she's proud of us. And what was 1785 01:28:55,760 --> 01:28:57,160 Speaker 2: Alma Stevie. 1786 01:28:58,479 --> 01:28:59,320 Speaker 1: And your dad. 1787 01:29:00,680 --> 01:29:03,519 Speaker 2: Well, I think I see doubt every day. 1788 01:29:03,920 --> 01:29:05,880 Speaker 1: But do you say things to him? Do you tell 1789 01:29:05,920 --> 01:29:06,639 Speaker 1: him what you think? 1790 01:29:07,400 --> 01:29:08,640 Speaker 2: Yeah? Pretty straight up with him. 1791 01:29:08,640 --> 01:29:11,080 Speaker 1: Don't worry about that because I one of the things. 1792 01:29:11,120 --> 01:29:12,880 Speaker 3: I lost my foont last year, you know, and I 1793 01:29:13,080 --> 01:29:15,160 Speaker 3: regret not telling him some things. 1794 01:29:15,680 --> 01:29:18,360 Speaker 2: Yeah. Well, to be honest, I live down the road, 1795 01:29:18,880 --> 01:29:21,760 Speaker 2: two kilometers down the road from him, and sometimes I'm 1796 01:29:21,760 --> 01:29:24,719 Speaker 2: at home, I'm tired, it's not time, I think the south. 1797 01:29:25,479 --> 01:29:28,120 Speaker 2: Don't be lazy, go down and see him, because I 1798 01:29:28,280 --> 01:29:31,240 Speaker 2: definitely would hate to live with regret. And it's interesting 1799 01:29:31,280 --> 01:29:34,320 Speaker 2: you say that about you know what I would feel 1800 01:29:34,320 --> 01:29:39,000 Speaker 2: that I haven't said to him. But yeah, I don't 1801 01:29:39,040 --> 01:29:41,400 Speaker 2: think too much. I think we're pretty open with each other. 1802 01:29:42,160 --> 01:29:44,439 Speaker 2: He's pretty straight shooter. Don't worry about that. 1803 01:29:44,680 --> 01:29:46,320 Speaker 3: I saw that on the show. I was wondering if 1804 01:29:46,360 --> 01:29:50,040 Speaker 3: that was a faithful way of depicting him. 1805 01:29:49,960 --> 01:29:54,240 Speaker 2: Kind version, like obviously he's a great man, really obviously 1806 01:29:54,439 --> 01:29:58,880 Speaker 2: kind And I kin't of even put into words what 1807 01:29:58,920 --> 01:30:02,320 Speaker 2: I feel about how how good he is. And even 1808 01:30:02,320 --> 01:30:04,439 Speaker 2: at eighty nine years old, he moves with the times, 1809 01:30:04,520 --> 01:30:09,519 Speaker 2: and he goes home and he thinks about things. But Yeah, 1810 01:30:09,560 --> 01:30:12,599 Speaker 2: he is a straight shooter and he definitely doesn't bounce 1811 01:30:12,600 --> 01:30:15,240 Speaker 2: around your feelings, that's for sure, but in a good way. 1812 01:30:15,280 --> 01:30:17,760 Speaker 2: I think he just tells you how it is and 1813 01:30:18,520 --> 01:30:20,400 Speaker 2: you just have to suck it up and take it 1814 01:30:20,400 --> 01:30:23,559 Speaker 2: on and find a positive from it, you know, get better. 1815 01:30:24,120 --> 01:30:25,680 Speaker 3: Maybe you don't need to tell him that. Maybe he 1816 01:30:25,760 --> 01:30:27,720 Speaker 3: just needs to look at the daughter he's race and 1817 01:30:28,560 --> 01:30:29,519 Speaker 3: that tells him everything. 1818 01:30:30,320 --> 01:30:32,840 Speaker 2: Well, he gets a reminder sometimes. 1819 01:30:33,920 --> 01:30:35,120 Speaker 1: Well, Jay, what I did. 1820 01:30:35,520 --> 01:30:37,160 Speaker 3: I started up a whiskey company for my dad. I 1821 01:30:37,200 --> 01:30:38,559 Speaker 3: don't know if that was telling him the right think 1822 01:30:38,640 --> 01:30:40,960 Speaker 3: or not. I built a whiskey business off the back 1823 01:30:40,960 --> 01:30:42,599 Speaker 3: of him because I know he like whiskey. 1824 01:30:43,000 --> 01:30:44,160 Speaker 1: Michell payin things for much. 1825 01:30:44,320 --> 01:30:44,680 Speaker 2: Thank you.