Pearly Whites. Chompers. Hounslow Heath. Grills. Your teeth are a necessary body part, but as anyone who has been to the dentist lately knows, they're an expensive one to maintain. People spend thousands of dollars to get the perfect smile. Braces, whiteners, crowns, dentures. Apparently we'll spend around 36 days of our lives brushing our teeth. As I write this, I'm wearing whitening strips I got from a Spring Carnival goodie bag. *Good dental hygiene is important for horses too! Whilst we aren't the only ones who need to take care of our teeth, equine dentistry practices have nothing to do with vanity. Good teeth are extremely important to ensure the health and well-being of your horse, an

One of the best aspects of the racing industry is all the different people you cross paths with. Lifelong friendships can be formed over just one common interest. It's a tough game, but I'm yet to meet anyone who isn't passionate about what they do. Highlighting this passion was one of the driving forces behind the creation of this blog. This week I went Behind the Barriers With entrepreneur, wife, mum and horse lover, Natasha Slade. *Natasha, with husband Bruce and son Macarthur. How long have you been involved in the racing industry and what first sparked your interest in it? I started working for a trainer straight out of university - Patrick Payne in Melbourne in 2007. My Dad has always

As we wrap up the Melbourne Spring Carnival at Sandown this Saturday, another arm of equestrian sport is just getting warmed up as the 2017 Mitsubishi Motors Australian International 3 Day Event (3DE) gets set to steal the spotlight in Adelaide this weekend. This prestigious competition is part of the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) Classics series which brings together the elite of the international equestrian Eventing circuit on six four-star Eventing competitions held annually in France, Australia, USA, Great Britain and Germany. *Hazel Shannon & Clifford in action. Image courtesy equestrian.org.au The 3DE is Australia's premier annual equestrian event and features world-class c

At three o'clock today, 23 four-legged athletes will be in the barriers at Flemington racecourse - hooves stomping, ears pricked, adrenaline pumping - ready to contest the race that stops a nation. With their betting tickets (or smartphones) held tightly in their hands, patrons will be jostling for the best viewing position. Those not on the track will gather around television screens and radios. Cheese platters and champagne glasses will be put to the side, conversations ceased and breaths held. Since 1861, the Melbourne Cup has captivated the Australian public and created a plethora of stories. Stories of champions and battlers, good punts and bad, missed opportunities, heartbreak and joy.

I'm writing this off-schedule blog to ask for your help to raise funds for brain cancer research. Brain cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in children, and adults aged under 40 in Australia. Yet alarmingly very little is known about brain cancer, its causes or how it is treated! *The official Walk 4 Brain Cancer event is on Sunday 5th Nov at Sydney's Centennial Park In 2016, Matt Callander was diagnosed with brain cancer. In August this year, entertainer Johnny Ruffo was diagnosed with the same disease. Unfortunately, Matt lost his battle on Sunday night. Through racing, I know some members of the Callander family well. With their creation of and tireless work with their 4Tracks4K