John Tapp Racing

The Australian Turf Club moved swiftly to honour Betty Lane Holland following the passing of the trailblazing horse trainer on October 22nd at the remarkable age of 97. Just three days later they attached her distinguished name to a three year old race at the Kensington midweek meeting, and the script couldn’t have worked out better. The winner Sly Boots and third place getter Vanquished are both trained by the Waterhouse/Bott duo while Anabel Neasham prepares runner up Cheergal. It was a nervous Betty Lane who turned up right on time for her appointment with the AJC Licensing Committee one day in 1962. She was asked by the six man panel to explain why she should be allowed to train racehorses in Sydney. They listened to her well prepared plea before politely announcing that it wasn’t the policy of the AJC to license female trainers, and wasn’t likely to be in the future. The feisty 40 something year old, had no intention of abandoning her life’s dream. She raked up enough money to buy a tiny property with hu