Champion jockey Damien Oliver has won three Melbourne Cups, but he won’t dare touch the Cup this week as he guns for a record-equalling fourth crown next Tuesday.
Oliver will partner with Caulfield Cup-winning horse Durston as he attempts to add to his Melbourne Cup victories on Doriemus (1995), Media Puzzle (2002) and Fiorente (2013).
Damien Oliver and Jamie Kah hand the Melbourne Cup over to Ariane Titmus at Monday’s carnival launch.Credit:Darrian Traynor
But at this week’s Melbourne Cup Carnival launch at Flemington, he left it up to peer Jamie Kah to carry the Cup to the stage.
“[It’s] one I learnt over the years from many legends in racing, particularly Bart Cummings and Lee Freedman,” Oliver said of the superstition.
“It’s not a good sign to hold the Cup before you win it, so hopefully I’m handling it on Tuesday.”
Only two jockeys have won four Melbourne Cups, those being Harry White, who passed away last week, and Bobbie Lewis.
Oliver’s not the only jockey gunning for his fourth on Tuesday, with Kerrin McEvoy also aiming to do the same, but a win 27 years after his first would be some feat by “Ollie”.
“It would be amazing, it would be unreal,” he said.
“I’ve won three in three different decades, so to win a fourth in a fourth decade would be really different, I suppose.
“The Caulfield Cup is usually a strong form guide to the Melbourne Cup. The horse won really well, and the handicapper has given him a nice little weight penalty which has helped me obtain the ride, so I’m looking forward to it.”
Damien Oliver remains one of Victoria’s leading jockeys heading into the Melbourne Cup.Credit:Getty Images
Despite the likes of young stars Kah and James McDonald racing to the top of premiership tables, Oliver, 50, said he was still as driven as ever to ride group 1 winners.
“I’ve always loved competing at a high level,” he said.
“I’m fortunate as a jockey, the horses do the running for us, so if we look after ourselves and still have the desire to do it, we can continue to do it to a good age.
“But there are certainly some younger generations coming through in the jockey ranks that are really strong at the moment, and keep pushing you to bring the best out in yourself.”
He’ll have to get down to 53.5 kilograms to ride Durston in the Cup, but Oliver said he was tracking well to meet the weight.
“I’ve still got a little way to go, I don’t want to peak too early, so I’ve still got a few days to go before the Cup, so I should be fine,” said Oliver, who joked he had put a padlock on his fridge.
“It’s more a mindset than anything. I think if the mind’s willing to do it, then the body will follow.
“[I’ve done] a bit more training, I’ve certainly trimmed up my diet a bit, and I’m pretty focused, looking forward towards the Cup.”
While the internationals dominate the top of the Cup market, Oliver – who placed in last Saturday’s Cox Plate on El Bodegon – believes Durston will be one of the leading local hopes.
“He was a strong winner in the Caulfield Cup,” Oliver said.
“He’s untested at the distance, but you had to be impressed by the way he won the Caulfield Cup, so I’m looking forward to it.
“You’ve always got to respect the top European horses that are coming out and set for it. They’re very strong stayers and I think that’s probably the first link we can draw to it, with El Bodegon running well in the Cox Plate.
“He’s been running against the favourite Deauville Legend so that’s probably the strong form line we can draw comparison to.”
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