When Roy Higgins was eight years old, a farmer placed him on a giant 17-hand horse, slapped the horse’s rump and sent it bolting.
At 100 miles an hour, it jumped fences, and horse and boy ended up bogged in a dam. It was Roy’s first riding lesson – the vital art of hanging on at all costs.
In March this year, the funeral of one of Australia’s greatest jockeys, Roy Higgins, took place at Flemington Racecourse. In a touching ceremony, the hearse took Roy down the straight where he’d won two Melbourne Cups.
In his latest book, Roy Higgins: Australia’s Favourite Jockey, Roy’s friend and award-winning racing journalist Patrick Bartley tracks Roy’s astounding achievements and contribution to the racing industry.
A well-mannered country boy with an easy-going, generous nature, Roy made his mark both in and out of the saddle.
Patrick first met Roy in 1978.
“Back then, for the cricket writer it was Bradman, the football writer had Ron Barassi and the racing writer had Roy Higgins,” he said.
Patrick was asked to call Roy for a story for the Herald’s afternoon publication. Getting past Roy’s gatekeeper, his wife Genine, Patrick asked Roy how many rides he had on Saturday.
“For the next 20 minutes Roy displayed that rare ability to befriend anyone he came into contact with and gave me, a green reporter, a strong story for that day’s edition.
“Roy and I became friends from that morning onwards. From when he was at the top of his profession, to finally giving in to the war on his body, he always had time for me and countless other journalists and racing enthusiasts,” he said.
Patrick said Roy loved people for who they were, and when writing the book it became clear just how many people cared deeply about the young boy who rose from Deniliquin to conquer the heights of Australian racing.
Born in 1938 at Koondrook, Victoria, and the youngest of five children, Roy had an impoverished childhood in the tough World War II era.
He honed his riding skills chasing rabbits and kangaroos for food, only to find that horses responded particularly well to his voice and touch.
Despite topping his classes in primary school, once he found horses, he wanted nothing more to do with school. Later, regretting his minimal schooling but naturally articulate, he became a strong advocate for education and a mentor for young jockeys.
For most of his adult life, Roy Henry Higgins was known as ‘the Professor’, partly because of his perfection in the saddle, but mostly due to the legendary character of Professor Henry Higgins in the film My Fair Lady, which was released as Roy was reaching his professional prime in 1964.
On his first ride, at just 15, he finished last on Cherry Girl. He later learnt that his neighbour, trainer and mentor, Jim Watters, only put him on the quiet horses to educate him.
Six weeks later Roy was first past the post and so began his path to winning more than 2300 races over the next three decades.
His extraordinary record includes riding Bart Cummings’ first Melbourne Cup winner, Light Fingers, in 1965, the grand slam of racing – the Golden Slipper, Cox Plate, Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup and 108 Group One races.
Born the heaviest baby in the Koondrook hospital, Roy battled with weight throughout his riding career. He said he lost enough sweat to keep the whole world slim.
His determination and natural talent had him race in France, Belgium, Hong Kong and South Africa; ride for leading trainers including Bart Cummings, Tommy Smith and Angus Armanasco; and he won the Melbourne Jockey’s Premiership 11 times.
In 1972, Roy dominated the Victoria Racing Club’s autumn carnival, winning 12 races over three days.
This compelling biography includes stories from owners, trainers, family members and fellow jockeys, as well as tributes to Roy who, during his three decades of racing, was a household name.
