<p>In the lead up to Spring Carnival &amp; the Melbourne Cup, we’re looking back at some of the most successful jockeys that call Australia home. Although we believe these are our top 10 Australian jockeys of all time how could we rank them 1-10?</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Top 10 Best Australian Jockeys of All Time List</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>1. Damien Oliver</p> <p>2. Harry White</p> <p>3. Roy Higgins</p> <p>4. George Moore</p> <p>5. James McDonald</p> <p>6. Hugh Bowman</p> <p>7. Jim Cassidy</p> <p>8. Darby Munro</p> <p>9. Scobie Breasley</p> <p>10. Jim Pike</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>There’s no doubt about it, in racing it’s often the horse that is the star of the show.</p> <p>Legendary horses become household names, Phar Lap, Makybe Diva, Winx, Black Caviar, the list goes on.</p> <p>But what about the jockeys that guide them to victory after victory? Often unrecognised and underappreciated, sometimes the person riding the horse is just as important as the horse itself.</p> <p>As well as producing some of the finest horses and <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/horse-racing/news/most-successful-horse-racing-trainers">trainers</a> in racing history, Australia has also played host those many would consider the best jockeys in the world… nay<strong>&nbsp;</strong>best jockeys in history.</p> <p>As the latest instalment of our Spring Carnival series, here is our list of the Best Australian Jockeys of All Time.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Who are the Best Australian Jockeys of All Time?</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Damien Oliver</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Kicking off our list is the Melbourne Cup Maestro himself - Damien Oliver. Arguably the most recognisable jockey in Australian history, Oliver even had a movie made about him.</p> <p>Oliver was born into a racing family, his father, Ray Oliver, was a jockey, but tragically died from a fall during a race in 1975 when Damien was just three years old.</p> <p>Over his career he rode 3,189 winners, of which 129 were Group 1 victories, ultimately a record in Australian racing history.</p> <p>With three Melbourne Cups, four Caulfield Cup and a Cox Plate to his name, his achievements are more than worthy of the big screen.</p> <p>His final day of racing was 16 December 2023, at Ascot in Perth; he rode in seven races that day and won his final three, finishing on Munhamek.</p> <p>Oliver was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame in 2008.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Harry White</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Legendary old school jockey Harry White is widely considered to be one of the best Australian jockeys to have ever graced a racetrack.</p> <p>His father was also a jockey, and White grew up with strong connections to racing.</p> <p>Over his 35-year career, he recorded 2,112 wins, including 60 Group 1 victories, and about 200 feature race wins overall.</p> <p>Known for his prolific partnership with super trainer Bart Cummings, White won a record four Melbourne Cups in the 1970s.</p> <p>His success extended beyond stayers: he won three Newmarket Handicaps, three Oakleigh Plates, and three Futurity Stakes.</p> <p>He was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame in 2003.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Roy Higgins</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Known as “The Professor” for his astute tactical acumen on the track, Roy Higgins amassed a total of 108 Group One wins as a jockey.</p> <p>These 108 Group One triumphs included two Melbourne cups, two Cox Plates and four Victoria Derbies.</p> <p>His reputation was built not just on wins but on how he rode: his finishes were often considered works of art, and he was deeply admired throughout the industry.</p> <p>He was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame in 2001 and was an integral part of the Australian racing industry right up until his death in 2014.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>George Moore</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>With 11 Australian Champion Jockey titles to his name, there’s no denying that George Moore was one of the best to ever do it. In Australia, Moore recorded 2,278 wins over his career.</p> <p>Moore recorded 126 Group One wins in his career, the second most of any Australian jockey.</p> <p>After retiring from riding in 1971, Moore embarked on a training career, including a stint in Hong Kong where he won 11 training premierships.</p> <p>In 2008, he was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame.</p> <p>With a medal and a race named in his honour, Moore’s impact on the Australian racing scene was clearly profound and he rightfully takes his place among the greatest jockeys in Australian history.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>James McDonald</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The new golden boy of Australian racing, James McDonald currently still ranks among the top five jockeys in the country.</p> <p>Ok, technically he’s a Kiwi, but so is Russell Crowe and we claimed him. Born in New Zealand, McDonald moved to Aus in his teens and subsequently took the racing scene by storm.</p> <p>His 100th Group 1 victory placed him among only a handful of jockeys to have reached that milestone.</p> <p>Still only 321 years of age, McDonald has cemented his placeby riding very elegantly to victory in the 2021 Melbourne Cup.</p> <p>Given his trajectory, many view him as a likely candidate to break longstanding records in Australian Group 1 wins.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Hugh Bowman</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Hugh Bowman will forever be attached to one of the greatest racehorses the world has ever seen – Winx.</p> <p>Yes, Bowman was the man on the back of the legendary mare as she stormed to all those record wins.</p> <p>He successfully guided Winx to 33 consecutive victories, forming one of the most prolific partnerships between a horse and a jockey that Australian racing has ever seen.</p> <p>In 2019 he was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame.</p> <p>There’s more to Bowman than just his association with Winx however, with the now legendary jockey clocking up 100 Group One wins to cement his status as one of the best to ever do it.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Jim Cassidy</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Cassidy comes from a large family; his elder brother Ricki was also a jockey, and another brother, Larry V. Cassidy, became a Sydney premiership-winning jockey and later rode internationally.</p> <p>With 104 Group One wins, two Melbourne Cups, two Caulfield Cups, a Cox Plate and a Golden Slipper to his name, it’s safe to say Jim Cassidy was one of the best jockeys in Australia.</p> <p>He was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame in 2012, and the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame in 2014.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Darby Munro</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Throwing it way back for this next entrant, Darby Munro was one of the trailblazers of Australian racing. Active from the 1930s to the 1950s Munro claimed an impressive five Cox Plates whilst also winning three Melbourne Cups , n Peter Pan in 1934, Sirius in 1944, Russia in 1946..</p> <p>He was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame in 2001.</p> <p>Such was his influence; Munro’s name is still synonymous with horse racing excellence in this country to this day.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Scobie Breasley</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Another golden oldie, Scobie Breasley was a true pioneer of Australian racing. He bagged five four Caulfield Cups Down Under before deciding to take his skills abroad to England.</p> <p>Breasley rode a total of 3,251 winners, including many in Australia and abroad.</p> <p>A true trailblazer, he became one of the most successful Australian jockeys to compete internationally and was named British Champion Jockey on four occasions.</p> <p>In 1986 Scobie Breasley was inducted into the Australian Sports Hall of Fame.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Jim Pike</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Rounding out our list is the legendary Jim Pike. He is best known for his association with arguably the most famous racehorse in Australian history – Phar Lap.</p> <p>He was atop the legendary steed for its famous Melbourne Cup victory in 1930, a race which has now become part of Australian folklore.</p> <p>Jim Pike’s incredible partnership with Phar Lap has forever sealed his place among the greatest jockeys in Australian history and he is a worthy final addition to this list.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Current Best Jockeys in Australia Rankings - 2024</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>*Accurate at time of publishing</p> <p>1.&nbsp; &nbsp; William Pike</p> <p>2.&nbsp; &nbsp; Ben Thompson</p> <p>3.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;James McDonald</p> <p>4.&nbsp; &nbsp; Clint Johnston-Porter</p> <p>5.&nbsp; &nbsp; Ethan Brown</p> <p>6.&nbsp; &nbsp; Pierre Boudvillain</p> <p>7.&nbsp; &nbsp; Jamie Mott</p> <p>8.&nbsp; &nbsp; Blake Shinn</p> <p>9.&nbsp; &nbsp; Ryan Maloney</p> <p>10. Ashley Morgan</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>So there you have it, both the best Australian jockeys of all time and the current best jockeys in Australia. If you’re interested in expanding your knowledge on <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/punter-iq/guide/how-to-bet-on-horses-a-horse-racing-betting-guide">how to be on horse racing</a> you can visit our <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/punter-iq">Punter IQ series</a> or you can find expert racing tips for Spring Carnival from our resident horse racing aficionado’s on the Huddle&nbsp; Check out our <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/horse-racing/melbourne-cup/the-melbourne-cup-2024">Melbourne Cup tips and Preview</a>, <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/horse-racing/tips/saturday-racing-tips">saturday racing tips</a> or <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/horse-racing/tips/daily-racing-tips-2024">daily racing tips here</a>!</p>