Get ready to saddle up as the countdown to the start of the 2022 Melbourne Cup Carnival is on!
This week, The Water Cooler caught up with racing expert, Brittany Taylor. Brittany’s background is entrenched in racing with her grandparents and trainer father, Jim Taylor, introducing her to horses when she was just a baby. Brittany talks to us about being the first journalist to interview the winning Melbourne Cup jockey… talk about the mane event!
You’ve been around horses your whole life. What do you love most about the industry?
I love the animal itself first and foremost, but I also love the stories and sub plots that attach themselves to every single horse.
The way a horse and a race result can lift someone up when they need it the most is quite amazing to watch.
You part-owned your first racehorse at just 18 years old, what’s involved in looking after and training a race horse?
I did. Charlie was the best 18th birthday present I could have ever asked for. In fact, I still have him to this day in retirement.
There is so much that goes into preparing a race horse, they are very similar to human athletes in many respects with individual diets, treatments and fitness and conditioning plans.
One horse can have a variety of different professionals work with them – from vets to farriers to physios to dentists.
You’re currently an Ambassador for Own The Dream, can you tell us about that?
I’m a big advocate for racehorse ownership having owned many horses over the last decade.
Own The Dream gives people a behind the scenes look into what racing and racehorse ownership is all about.
Even if they are total newbies, by the end of the series they are armed with the knowledge and confidence to get involved.
What do you love most about Melbourne Cup Carnival?
I love that it is a chance to showcase the sport we love to the once-a-year consumers of racing. I also love that with so many Group 1’s during the week, each day has the potential to be the best day of a trainer’s, jockey’s, owner’s or staff member’s life!
You’ll be the first reporter to interview the winning jockey on Melbourne Cup Day. That’s 24 jockey’s and 24 horses to be across! How do you prepare for that?
Lots of preparation – most of which will go unused!
When doing the horseback interviews, you don’t actually get to watch the race so you have to listen carefully to the call.
Nothing can be pre planned so I believe the most important thing is just going with the emotion of the jockey in a moment like that.
Surely you’ve heard your fair share of horse jokes over the years. What’s the best one?
I actually haven’t heard that many!
Although, last year as we gathered at the farm for Christmas, my Christmas cracker produced this one: What do you call a horse that lives next door? A Neigh-bor.
The kids found it funny at least!
