Richard Freedman on winning Slippers, Shakespearean family dynamics, eating old burgers and paint off the walls, plus; what a lifetime supply of beer looks like. Freedman was born into a great thoroughbred racing family and he and his brothers, Lee, Anthony and Michael made a massive impact on Australian racing winning Australia's biggest races either in the partnership or under their own names over the past 30 years. The brotherly dynamic has always been at the centre of fascination and Richard reflects on the family growing up in Hardwicke Stud at Yass, breaking in his first horse when he was 12, riding in show-jumping events, and even in a rodeo.

Episode 1: Richard Freedman

This week's edition of Connections Cast pairs Segenhoe Stud General Manager Peter O'Brien and leading bloodstock agent James Bester in a much-anticipated version of our Mate vs Mate format. Both men began their careers on the other side of the world, O'Brien in Ireland and Bester in South Africa, but they have both played major roles in the success of the Australian bloodstock industry.

Episode 10: Mate vs Mate - James Bester & Peter O'Brien

From Cootamundra to Sydney, Newmarket, Lexington, and back to Cootamundra,  popular Twin Hills Stud owner Olly Tait takes us through valuable insights of a global life in the thoroughbred bloodstock industry.

Episode 11: Olly Tait

This week's special episode of Connections Cast features two trainers who are at the opposite ends of their careers, but are major influencers in the Australian thoroughbred industry, Gai Waterhouse and Annabel Neasham. The two share their experiences of being trailblazers in their respective generations, what they have learned along the way and what they look for in a horse.

Episode 12: Gai Waterhouse and Annabel Neasham

With breeding stock sales already underway in Europe and major mare sales taking place at Tattersalls and Arqana in the next few weeks, Connections Cast has brought together Australia's Arqana representative and respected bloodstock agent Damon Gabbedy as well as prolific European mare buyer Anthony Mithen of Rosemont Stud about the dos and don'ts about buying in England and Europe, what to look for in a prospective broodmare for the Australian market and the broodmare sires which they believe are worth banking on going forward.

Episode 13: European Mares - Damon Gabbedy and Anthony Mithen

This week's episode of Connections Cast features Yulong's Chief Operating Officer Sam Fairgray about his extraordinary career path which began at Hallmark and Ra Ora Studs in New Zealand and now sees him as the man charged with spearheading the Australian operations of Yuesheng Zhang's rising global powerhouse.In an extensive chat with host Angus Roland, Fairgray reflects on his formative days in New Zealand and what led him into the thoroughbred industry and working with superstar stallions.

Episode 14: Sam Fairgray

This week we catch up with Justin Bahen, an accomplished bloodstock agent who packed his bags for Hong Kong in 2008, returning this year to base himself out of Melbourne. Bahen talks about the nuances of the Asian market, finding stars in many places and life as an agent on the road.

Episode 15:  Justin Bahen

This week's episode of Connections Cast features an extended chat with Peter Orton, the General Manager at Vinery Stud, talking through his thoroughbred career, from a youth growing up on horseback, to his time with John Messara at Middlebrook Park and Arrowfield, to his long tenure at Vinery, which he has developed into one of Australia's most successful thoroughbred operations.

Episode 16: Peter Orton

Episode 17: Steve Davis

Episode 18: Bill  Mitchell

Episode 19: Antony Thompson

With the 2021 breeding season underway, Angus Roland has brought together a panel to discuss stallion choices, focusing on the freshman class over $20,000, those under $20,000 as well as the emerging sires and the proven brigade. This episode features bloodstock agent Julian Blaxland, successful Sydney trainer John O'Shea, Farm Manager Andrew Baddock and New Zealand breeder Brent Taylor. The panel debate their stallion picks and mating theories for the 2021 season focusing on the freshman class over $20,000 and under $20,000, emerging sires and the proven brigade.

Episode 2: The Stallion Panel - Julian Blaxland, John O'Shea, Andrew Baddock and Brent Taylor

Episode 20: Bryan Guy

Episode 21: David Ellis

Episode 22: Denise Martin

Episode 23: Duncan Grimley

Episode 24: Sir Peter Vela

Episode 25: Neville Begg

Episode 26: Lance O'Sullivan

Episode 27: Terry Henderson

Episode 28: Easter Panel - Paul Messara, Hubie de Burgh & Mark Newnham

Episode 29: Mike de Kock

This week's guest is Suman Hedge, who talks about succeeding against the odds, the need for strong mentors and the value of perspective. The just-completed season proved immensely satisfying for Hedge. Through his relationship with Sheriff Iskander and being involved through the majority of the stallion career of Written Tycoon, he reflects on the stallions long journey to becoming Champion Australian Stallion of 2020/21.

Episode 3: Suman Hedge

Episode 30: John Kelly

Episode 31: Paul Moroney

Episode 32: Angus Gold

Episode 33: Rodney Schick

Episode 34: John North

Episode 35: Georges Rimaud

Episode 36: Stuart Ramsey

Ron Quinton and Darren Beadman are two legendary jockeys who have turned their horsemanship to working as successful trainers later in their careers.  Facing off in the first 'mate versus mate' battle, they share a world of experience in their chat with Angus Roland, reflecting on what makes a good racehorse, a good yearling, a good stallion and a good broodmare, as well as the best they have ever ridden.

Episode 4: Mate vs Mate - Darren Beadman & Ronnie Quinton

This week's guest is Yarraman Park's Arthur Mitchell, who reflects on the amazing journey of star stallion I Am Invincible as well as his own long and storied career in the thoroughbred industry. There have been plenty up ups and downs in his long career and in the podcast, Mitchell recalls the time he was in Paris in 2018 and he learned that Yarraman resident Hinchinbrook had died suddenly. "It was like being kicked in the guts, it was horrible. He was a very sad loss to the whole farm." 

Episode 5: Arthur Mitchell

In this edition of Mate vs Mate, James Harron and Bruce Slade talk about the influence of Gai Waterhouse, finding the best stallions and mares, the friendship they have developed from working together and their respective strengths and weaknesses.

Episode 6: Mate vs Mate - James Harron and Bruce Slade

This week's guest is Waikato Stud principal, Mark Chittick. Mark and Gus get into detail on the business of stallion deals, managing tricky-mannered  stallions, the journey of Waikato Stud, plus how racing prepared him for some of life’s greatest challenges.

Episode  7: Mark Chittick

With the opening breeze-up sale of the 2-year-old season, the Inglis Ready2Race Sale, a week away and the Magic Millions and New Zealand Bloodstock sales to follow in the next month, TDN AusNZ Connections Cast has brought together a panel of trainers, agent and vendors to discuss the secret to sourcing success.

Episode 8: The 2YO Sale Panel - Kim Waugh, Blake Ryan, Peter Twomey & Eoin Kemp

American-bred mares have become more and more influential in Australian racing in recent years, with eight per cent of Australian Group 1 winners since the start of last season being out of American-bred dams. In a special edition of the Connections Cast, host Angus Roland has assembled an expert panel to give their insights on buying mares out of the United States ahead of the upcoming sales in November at Fasig-Tipton and Keeneland, featuring Craig Rounsefell, Andrew Williams, Jon Freyer and Barry Bowditch.

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