The Legendary jockey rode such champions as Leilani, Light Fingers, Big Philou and Gunsynd

Roy Higgins, (1938 - 2014) born at Koondrook, a small town on the Victorian side of the Murray River was known as ‘The Professor’ and won major races across every Australian state. It was a rare achievement in a career that extended from 1953 as an apprentice in Deniliquin New South Wales, until 1984. On August 22, 1953 Roy had his first ride on Cherry Girl at Deniliquin – it finished last. Two months later on October 5, 1953 at the same track, Roy recorded his first win on Statutory in the Diggers Handicap. In the next five years Roy won almost 300 races in the Southern Districts of New South Wales and North East Victoria, claiming the leading apprentice title in both areas. Roy made his first mark on the Melbourne racing stage on April 5, 1958 riding a double on Triage and Gay Saxon at Flemington.

After establishing himself in regional racing circles, he made his way to Melbourne, where he was to become one of Victoria’s greatest ever jockeys. Higgins won his first Melbourne Jockeys’ Premiership in 1965 and he was to go on to win it a further ten times (1966, 1969-1973, 1975-1978) to equal the long-standing record of Bill Duncan. Higgins was an exponent of perfect balance and consummate judgment, coupled with admirable finesse in planning race tactics that so often were deciding factors in his most memorable wins. He was the jockey for all courses, with an incomparable record in Australia’s biggest races that stamped him as a worthy champion in any era.

One of only seven riders to have captured Australian racing's Grand Slam, Higgins rode over 2300 winners in a stellar career, including two Melbourne Cups, 1965 on Light Fingers and 1967 on Red Handed, both for trainer Bart Cummings whom he would have a strong association with. He also won the W.S Cox Plate in 1964 on Sir Dane and in 1972 on the mighty Gunsynd, the 1969 Caulfield Cup on the Cummings trained Big Philou, the Golden Slipper in 1966 on Storm Queen and 1973 on Tontonan, the Victorian Derby in 1966 Khalif,1972 Dayana, 1973 Taj Rossi, and 1977 Stormy Rex, the Sydney Cup in 1962 on Grand Print and 1969 with Lowland, the Doncaster Handicap in 1972 with Gunsynd and 1974, Tontonan. His five VRC Oaks wins were in 1962 Arctic Star, 1965 Gipsy Queen, 1968 Double Steel, 1970 Sanderae, 1972 Toltrice, and 1974 on Leica Show and his six AJC Oaks wins were in 1962 Indian Summer, 1965 Light Fingers, 1968 Lowland, 1970 Gay Poss, 1972 Gossiper, and 1974 Leilani. He also won the Newmarket Handicap in 1972 on Crown and 1973 riding Century and the Blue Diamond Stakes in 1971 Tolerance, 1975 Lord Dudley, 1977 Blazing Saddles, and 1979 Star Shower. He also won races in South Africa, France, Hong Kong and Belgium.

At the VRC’s Autumn Carnival at Flemington in March 1972, Higgins rode a record 12 winners over three days, including five in one day. In 1973, he rode a record eight consecutive metropolitan winners. On four occasions he rode four winners at Moonee Valley in 1965 and 1972, Caulfield in 1968, and Flemington in 1977. Higgins was awarded the Medal of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1974 for his services to racing. Higgins retired from the riding in 1983 declaring his ambition as “to be a little fat man”. His last ride in a race was at Flemington in October 1983, after which he went on to take his place in media ranks. He was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame in 2001.

Like any senior jockey with such a long and illustrious career, Roy had his moments. There was that terrible fall from Stainvita at Sandown. And there were other incidents, such as Van der Hum’s Melbourne Cup, where Roy was blinded by mud for the whole circuit and had no idea where he was or what he was doing. Roy Higgins passed away on 2014. As a final tribute, Higgins was taken on a last lap of the Flemington course where he had been so successful. Melbourne Cup winners Subzero, Rogan Josh and Brew led the way down the famous straight as the hearse followed.