Jack taps it in during Queensland return

By Jordan Gerrans

They are racing colours that go back many generations and up-and-coming hoop Jack Taplin was ecstatic to don them in a race for the first time on Sunday. 

Jack is the son of Sunshine Coast trainer Kerry Taplin. 

The Taplin family have decades of history in the New Zealand racing game and have shifted their base to Australia over the last few years. 

Young Jack initially moved across the ditch to help his family set up their racing stable in Queensland before heading back home to have a crack as an apprentice rider.

Since debuting in June of last year, Jack has quickly racked up 36 winners and has competed in a number of Group and Listed races. 

With a short break in his NZ racing schedule over the weekend, Jack made a dash back to Caloundra to partner three horses for his family for the first time in his burgeoning career. 

While he could not pilot a winner in the family’s silks, the entire clan was chuffed to finally see him sport the red and white striped sleeves, gold armbands, and red and white quartered cap colours in a race. 

“We wanted him to ride in the colours,” trainer Kerry said.

“It was quite cool, but the horses didn't really go to plan.

“He rode them perfect, but they just weren't good enough. 

"It was great, even just to be in our colours.

“My husband's father, he raced horses in those colours to, so there's a lot of history. It was great.”

Kerry trains and breeds her racehorses alongside her husband Ian.

In his first rides on Australian soil, Jack took three engagements for his mother’s stable and couldn’t finish better than 10^th on either occasion.

The 22-year-old Jack had a fourth booking, but the galloper was scratched.

“It was a lovely, lovely moment for me to come back and throw my Pop and my Dad's colours on,” Jack said.

“Obviously starting over there in New Zealand, it was good to come back here.”

The Taplin family started their first horse in Australia in August of 2022 after an array of Group glory in their home country across decades within the industry.

At that point, young Jack was just riding trackwork and helping out around the stable.

He was not considering chasing the opportunity of becoming an apprentice jockey.

The young horseman was also a regular helping out the Sheila Laxon and John Symons stable and travelled eventual Melbourne Cup champion Knight’s Choice south for a Sydney campaign.

Jack is indentured to Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh.

He claimed two kilograms at Caloundra on Sunday and rides light at 54kg.

“He's going great, he has great balance and lovely hands,” Kerry said.

“I think he's going to go far. Jack as a person, everything that he's put his mind to, even in sports, he's always been top level.

“We are really happy with the way he's going.”

Jack’s father Ian is a regular heading back across to NZ to drive his son to race meetings over the last year since he kicked off his riding tenure.

The apprentice hoop is eager to snag his maiden Group-level triumph over the coming months.

“I'm getting great support over there, as well,” Jack said.

“This weekend coming, I'll ride in a Group 3 race and there is a few other Cup and Group races coming up after that, as well.

“I will have a couple of nice chances in those. So, I am getting good support over there and getting on the right cattle.

“Going into the winter over there now is going to be great with my claim, as well. Those wet tracks we get over there, everyone loves the claim.

“So, hopefully I'll be able to pick up even more than I am.”

Jack says he is keen to return to ride in Australia when opportunities present and left the door open to do longer stints back in the Sunshine State.