Episode 593: Shane Green - Racing's "Mr. Versatile"

It was champion jockey Kerrin McEvoy who strongly recommended Shane Green as a potential podcast guest. The two became friends when Shane was working for the Darley organisation and Kerrin was under retainer as stable jockey. It’s taken a while to make it happen, but we have the ever versatile Mr. Green on the podcast this week. He begins by talking about his enduring friendship with the multiple Gr 1 winning jockey.  Shane says his current role as an NDIS carer came out of the blue. He talks about Darwin’s many appealing features.  Shane was just 10 years old when he became a regular at Dapto dogs. He recalls  standing outside the broadcast box hanging on every word uttered by a famous caller of the day. He says he was almost 16 when given the opportunity to call the Moss Vale dogs at very short notice. His father got him the job. Shane has never forgotten the persistent kid from Sydney who regularly attended Moss Vale meetings pleading for the chance to call a race or two. He finally relented and unwittingly laid the foundations for a high profile career. The 64 year old talks about a later appointment as on course caller at the Nowra greyhounds. He handled broadcasting duties at Moss Vale and Nowra for many years. Shane first played Rugby League at age 6. He looks back on his progression from the under 7’s to the under 18’s and finally to the Country Seconds side.  He remembers a brief but successful coaching career after a nasty injury terminated his playing days. Shane says he had the “wanderlust” from an early age. He looks back on a rewarding stint at a Western Australian thoroughbred stud. He later worked for a prominent Ascot trainer. Back home on the Southern Highlands he became friendly with the father of a prominent Sydney horseman who happened to hold a key role at a huge training operation. Shane says he followed up promptly. The interview got off to a bad start. His efficiency in the new job later led to an interstate transfer.  Shane got to look after some outstanding horses during his time in Melbourne. He talks about a couple of special ones. He reflects on several happy years with a succession of leading trainers.  Shane talks about his very first trip to Alice Springs and an opportunity to get back into the broadcasting business. He also got to help out in a leading Alice Springs stable. During his eleven years as Pioneer Park  broadcaster Shane trained horses in his own right. He looks back on the difficulty associated with doing two jobs. He has no doubt about the best horse he’s seen in the Northern Territory.  Kerrin McEvoy said this bloke would make a very interesting podcast guest. He was right!