Former brilliant rider (and indeed sire of riders) Billy Cook has been
inducted to the Australian Racing Hall of Fame at the Australian Racing Champions Awards
at Crown Palladium in Melbourne tonight.
Billy Cook was a jockey renowned for his balance and judge of pace and
won 6 Sydney Jockeys’ Premierships and was runner-up a further 10 times.
He rode successfully overseas winning the Bombay Jockeys’
Premiership in India and finishing runner-up to Sir Gordon Richards in England in 1950.
His major wins included two Melbourne Cups (Skipton and Rainbird) and a
Caulfield Cup (Amounis).
He rode 2,300 winners before retiring in
1959 and passed on his great skill to his son Peter who emulated his father by also riding
two Melbourne Cup winners. |
