Flatter Pod: Christmas racing stories from around the world

A holiday celebration turns into a world tour with visits with friends from Japan, England and Australia this week on the Ron Flatter Racing Pod.

Kate Hunter checks in from her home base in Japan, where Forever Young provided bookended highlights this year with his triumphs in the Group 1 Saudi Cup and the Breeders’ Cup Classic. The Nashville native, who has been based across the Pacific for 17 years, also looks ahead to Kentucky Derby 2026, a race Japan still has on its to-do list.

Senior writer Lee Mottershead of Racing Post offers Europe’s year-end review from England. He highlights Calandagan’s rise to stardom with victories in the King George (G1) and British Champion (G1) before a rare win for international interests last month in the Japan Cup (G1). He also describes the impact of the controversial Great Britain government affordability checks on horseplayers, and he has an update on his cancer diagnosis from this summer.

Steve Moran, a longtime racing journalist in Australia, joins in a conversation from Melbourne. He highlights Jamie Melham’s pioneering victory aboard Half Yours in the Melbourne Cup (G1), marking only the second time a woman has ridden to victory in the race that stops a nation. There also is his checklist of three tracks all racing fans must visit in their lifetimes.

Co-hosts John Cherwa of the Los Angeles Times and Keith Nelson from Fairmount Park talk about their Christmas plans and remember some offbeat celebrations from years past.

The Ron Flatter Racing Pod via Horse Racing Nation is available via free subscription from Apple, Firefox, iHeart and Spotify as well as HorseRacingNation.com.