We have all the information you need on the top Melbourne Cup jockeys. Check out the bios of the current crop, as well as who the best Cup jockeys in history are. For more information about the race click this link: Melbourne Cup 2023
Melbourne Cup Jockeys Who Made History
Plenty of Melbourne Cup jockeys have hit the headlines in the past. Both Bobby Lewis and Harry White did so by riding four winners each, while the first female jockey to ride in the race was the aforementioned Michelle Payne.
The youngest of the Melbourne Cup jockeys in history was Peter St. Albans. He was aged only 12 years, 11 months and 23 days incredibly!
Frank Reys was the only Aboriginal jockey to take part in the race, while Glen Boss added his name to the history books by riding the winner on three straight occasions aboard the brilliant Makybe Diva in 2003, 2004 and 2005. Discover their compelling stories and unmatchable dedication to horse racing in the link bellow.
Melbourne Cup Winning Jockeys
Many a record is held by the best Melbourne Cup jockeys in history. For a more recent flavour, however, here are the last ten winning riders:
- Melbourne Cup 2020 – Jye McNeil (Twilight Payment)
- Melbourne Cup 2019 – Craig Williams (Vow And Declare)
- Melbourne Cup 2018 – Kerrin McEvoy (Cross Counter)
- Melbourne Cup 2017 – Corey Brown (Rekindling)
- Melbourne Cup 2016 – Kerrin McEvoy (Almandin)
- Melbourne Cup 2015 – Michelle Payne (Prince Of Penzanze)
- Melbourne Cup 2014 – Ryan Moore (Protectionist)
- Melbourne Cup 2013 – Damien Oliver (Fiorente)
- Melbourne Cup 2012 – Brett Prebble (Green Moon)
- Melbourne Cup 2011 – Christophe Lemaire (Dunaden)
In the build-up to this race, jockeys also make their name by winning such races as the Cox Plate or the Caulfield Cup. Others may not reach the winner’s enclosure on the big day but are appreciated all the same. Michael Walker for example was placed not once, but twice on the admirable Prince Of Arran.
Jockey Profiles
Here are just five examples of top Melbourne Cup jockeys who competed in 2020. Hopefully, they are all fit to return in 2023.
Hugh Bowman
The New South Wales man is approaching an incredible 100 Group 1 winners. Out of luck in 2020, the 40-year-old has landed four Cox lates and should not consider it too late to win a Melbourne Cup.
Craig Williams
Riding since 1993, Williams has spent time in England and is a very versatile jockey. He won the Melbourne Cup in 2019 aboard Vow And Declare and will be a sought after rider once more in 2023.
Jamie Kah
Kah was snapped up by English trainer Charlie Fellowes for the 2020 Melbourne Cup, the pair finishing third. Having now ridden well over 1,000 winners, she is among the most experienced jockeys around.
Kerrin McEvoy
McEvoy will turn 41 just before the next Melbourne Cup. Having won the race in 2000, 2016 and 2018 he now looks to tie for the leading rider in the history of the race.
Jye McNeil
Having only been riding since 2011, McNeil’s best days are still to come. He won his first Melbourne Cup in 2020 and as a Victoria man, knows his way around Flemington.
Female Jockeys
This is an ever-changing sport, and one of the best things to have happened in recent times is the introduction of more and more female Melbourne Cup jockeys.
Jamie Kah and Michelle Payne, winner of the race in 2015, are two of the best around. Linda Meech is also a Group 1 winner in the saddle. Kathy O’Hara is another name we may see in the final field and it’s hoped there are a lot more to come.
FAQ
Your top questions answered about Melbourne Cup jockeys.
Bobby Lewis and Harry White each rode 4 Melbourne Cup winners and each is considered a racing great. Lewis won in 1902, 1915, 1919 and 1927 while White won in Melbourne in 1974, 1975, 1978 and 1979.
Many are now making their mark in horse racing. One to have done so successfully at the top level is Jamie Kah, winner of the Australian Cup and Makybe Diva Stakes at the top level in the same year.
As well as a race riding fee, the jockey takes home 5% of the prize money. That means the winner in 2023, Jye McNeil, received a cool $220,000 for landing the big one.
Summary
To be a Melbourne Cup winner from the saddle takes skill and guts. Only the best can guide their horse successfully around Flemington on the biggest race day in Australia. These jockeys are some of the best in the world. For more information you can also look at the following pages:
