The Paddock – Horse Racing Podcast

International Horse Racing & Cricket podcast hosted by Stephen Wallis.
Listen in as I talk with the sports’ stars from Newmarket & around the world.

Looking for a horse racing podcast? “The Paddock and The Pavilion” covers both horse racing and cricketing stories of interest.

In The Paddock, I have spoken to jockeys, trainers, chief executives commentators, journalists, authors, film directors, racing historians, stud managers, extreme adventurers and work riders. A range as wide as 17 year old O’Shane Marsh, a work rider at Charlie Fellowes yard in Newmarket to 95 year old Classic winning jockey Ron Hutchinson from Australia.

I have focused on the racing careers of some of the most famous horses in the history of the turf. Arkle, Frankel and Secretariat.

Probably our most frequent guest has been former jockey and BBC racing presenter Richard Pitman who has entertained us with his stories.

Keep listening for more inspiring stories.

The Paddock and The Pavilion podcast is available on the Sport Social podcast network or via Apple podcasts, Amazon podcasts, Google or Spotify.

Join us every Sunday to hear inspiring stories from the world of horse racing and cricket, with sports stars from Newmarket and beyond.

Baaeed 2022 Cartier Horse of the Year.
Baaeed 2022 Cartier Horse of the Year.

On the subject of stories I have covered the saving of Park Lane stables with their manager Natalie O’Rourke in Teddington, ‘The Road to Recovery in five parts with jockey Gavin Ashton, who after a compound fracture of his leg in March 2022 was back riding a winner in less than three months, and the quest to gain proper recognition for Ellen Chaloner, the first woman trainer, in ‘A Tribute to a Trailblazer’. Our live podcast on International Women’s Day is now available via video on our YouTube Channel.

And if you are looking for inspiration listen to Jacob Pritchard-Webb in ‘Pushing through the Barriers’.

You will ALSO find interviews with:

  • Josh Apiafi 
  • Dylan Cunha
  • Rab Havlin
  • Felix Francis
  • Harry Herbert
  • Gay Kelleway 
  • Joseph O’Brien
  • Natalie O’Rourke (Park Lane Stables)
  • Richard Pitman
  • Lucinda Russell 
  • Brough Scott
  • Sulekha Varma
  • Tabitha Worsley

Find Me on Social Media

On the Podcast

Natalie O’Rourke (Park Lane Stables) with her book Only Heroes and Horses  Natalie has featured in Episodes – 29, 36, 127 & 168 of "The Paddock and The Pavilion"
Natalie O’Rourke (Park Lane Stables) with her book Only Heroes and Horses  Natalie has featured in Episodes – 29, 36, 127 & 168.
Stradivarius and Frankie Dettori 
winning the 2018 Ascot Gold Cup
Ep 179 Stradivarius - a modern day icon at The National Stud of "The Paddock and The Pavilion"
Stradivarius and Frankie Dettori
winning the 2018 Ascot Gold Cup
Ep 179 Stradivarius – a modern day icon at The National Stud
National Hunt jockey Tabitha Worsley and Stephen Wallis 
at Huntingdon racecourse.
Tabitha has featured in Episodes 94 & 145 of "The Paddock and The Pavilion"
National Hunt jockey Tabitha Worsley and Stephen Wallis
at Huntingdon racecourse.
Tabitha has featured in Episodes 94 & 145

The Blog – Recent Posts

  • Willies’s finest day in racing
    Seventy years ago, at Glorious Goodwood jockey Willie Snaith enjoyed probably his finest day in racing when he rode Landau to win the Sussex Stakes for the late Queen Elizabeth …

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  • A Royal treble at Haydock Park
    On Friday 17 May 1957 Frank Conlon, then a 17 year old apprentice lined up against a future Royal Classic winning colt at Haydock Park.  The colt was Pall Mall, …

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  • Istabraq – A real natural from Day 1
    Following last week’s withdrawal of the defending champion Constitution Hill, the Irish horse State Man is now the odds-on favourite to win this year’s Champion Hurdle. Another Irish horse, who …

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  • What Makes Royal Ascot Special
    This blog post written for the National Horse Racing Museum discusses what makes Royal Ascot special, according to trainers, jockeys, an owner, a racing historian, and several people closely associated …

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  • History of the Craven Stakes
    The Craven Stakes was first run in 1771 and was named after Jockey Club member William Craven, the 6th Baron Craven. At the beginning, the race was a weight for …

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  • The Race That Never Was
    In the 1993 Grand National at Aintree, jockey Charlie Swan rode Cahervillahow to what he thought was a second-place finish. However, the race had been declared void due to a …

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Birdsville Race Action
Photo credit Roxy Weston

The Birdsville story was covered in Ep 148-150 of The Paddock and The Pavilion
Birdsville Race Action
Photo credit Roxy Weston

The Birdsville story was covered in Ep 148-150
Joseph O’Brien winning the Derby on Camelot in 2012 Photo credit Healy Racing
Joseph O’Brien winning the Derby on Camelot in 2012
Photo credit Healy Racing
Kentucky Derby - change to racing at Churchill Downs home of the Kentucky Derby Ep 51 - with Jay Hovdey of The Paddock and The Pavilion
Kentucky Derby – racing at Churchill Downs home of the Kentucky Derby
Ep 51 – with Jay Hovdey

Interested in Racehorse Ownership?

Check out the Vantage Point Racing Club Podcast for all you ever wanted to know about racehorse ownership and more with Ilka Gansera-Lévêque and Stephen Wallis.