There is little doubt in the world that Australian jockeys are up there as the best in the world at their profession.
With more Group 1 races than anywhere in the world, racing fans in Australia get to see the best jockeys in Australia on display on a weekly basis.
The ages may vary with top Australian jockeys, but one thing is consistent across the board, genuine quality.
Australians racing internationally in Hong Kong such as Hugh Bowman and Zac Purton weren’t taken into consideration, with the duo only making cameo performances in Australia over the past year, due to plying their trade in Hong Kong racing.
HorseBetting.com.au presents our top 10 jockeys currently plying their trade here in Australia.
#10. William Pike
There is little doubt that William Pike is up there as one of the best jockeys in Australia. Known as the ‘Wizard of the West’, Pike consistently rides winners across the Nullabor at Ascot and Belmont on Saturdays, but still bags plenty of winners when he makes the trip across to the Eastern states when riding at respective Carnivals. A winner of over 3000 races, Pike continually manages to get the best out of his rides, whether it is maiden company or in big racing features. A winner of 17 Group 1 events, Pike continues to raise the bar over in the west and at just 37 years of age, Pike is set to be around for many a year and will continue to be in high demand in Melbourne and Sydney due to his ability to ride at such low weights.
#9. Kerrin McEvoy
When discussing some of the best horse racing jockeys in Australia, Kerrin McEvoy is often brought up in discussion. McEvoy is a three time Melbourne Cup winner having partnered Brew (2000), Almandin (2016) and Cross Counter (2018) to victories in the marquee event in Australia. McEvoy is also the only jockey to have won The Everest on multiple occasions having partnered Redzel to victory in 2017 & 2018 before pairing with the Les Bridge-trained Classique Legend in the 2020 edition. Many would argue that McEvoy is only getting better as the years tick by and it is hard to imagine a world where Kerrin McEvoy does not add to the 72 Group 1 victories alongside his name.
#8. Nash Rawiller
Nash Rawiller continues to rack up the winners on a regular basis and despite lacking the “reputation” that someone like a James McDonald has, Rawiller is a jockey punters get side with armed with plenty of confidence. Having competed in races across various parts of the globe, such as France, Great Britain, Hong Kong, Italy, New Zealand, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates, he brings experience a lot of other Australian horse jockeys cannot match. Originally starting his career in Victoria, he made the move to Sydney in 2007 to join forces with the renowned trainer, Gai Waterhouse. Since arriving in Sydney, Nash has found himself in the winner’s stall on a consistent basis. Arguably, his most significant triumph to date remains his victory aboard Elvstroem in the 2004 Caulfield Cup.
#7. Blake Shinn
Since arriving back in Melbourne in August 2022 following a lengthy stint in Hong Kong, Blake Shinn continues to make his mark as one of the best jockeys in Australia. At just 35 and with 22 Group 1 wins to his name, Shinn is sure to continue on his winning ways in Victoria, if not around the country. Shinn won the 2008 Melbourne Cup aboard the legendary Bart Cummings’ Viewed and in a sign of durability, Shinn is poised to win the 2022/23 Victorian Jockey’s Premiership at metropolitan level. He won some of the biggest races during his stint in Hong Kong, including the Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint aboard Sky Field in 2021. Alongside his win in the Melbourne Cup, Shinn’s biggest achievements have arguably come in Sydney. He won the 2016 Golden Slipper for Gai Waterhouse aboard Capitalist and would go on to partner Who Shot Thebarman to victory in the 2018 Sydney Cup and Happy Clapper to success in the 2018 Doncaster Mile.
#6. Craig Williams
There may not be a better advertisement for racing in terms of the jockey’s ranks than Craig Williams. Having ridden 2000+ winners throughout his illustrious career, including 68 of those at Group 1 level, Williams is highly regarded as one of the best hoops this country has produced. In recent times, ‘Willow’ has best been known for lifting Vow And Declare to victory in the 2019 Melbourne Cup. He is a two-time winner of both of the remaining ‘Big Three’ Melbourne Spring Carnival races having partnered Dunaden (2012) and Southern Speed (2011) to success in the Caulfield Cup, whilst snaring the Cox Plate on two seperate occasions with Fields Of Omagh (2006) and Pinker Pinker (2011). In more recent times, it has been the likes of Giga Kick and Mr Brightside who have taken Williams to the top of the racing world in races like The Everest and Doncaster Mile. With a win in the Golden Slipper back in 2006, Craig Williams is one of a select few to have completed the racing Grand Slam with wins in the Melbourne Cup, Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate and Golden Slipper.
#5. Damien Oliver
The Greatest of all Time, Damien Oliver continues to be one of the best horse racing jockeys each and every year. His first Group 1 win came in September 1990 and as a homage to his longevity, brought up his 128th Group 1 success aboard Amokura in the 2023 Queensland Oaks. He has 76 Group 1 wins to his name in Victoria and a further 25 in New South Wales, while picking up a handful of top level successes in Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane. Oliver is one of a select few to have won the ‘Grand Slam’ of Australian racing, being the Melbourne Cup, Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate and Golden Slipper and is sure to go down as the benchmark for jockey’s for years to come when his time in the saddle comes to an end. There is no doubt ‘Ollie’ is nearing the end of his career, but the Australian Racing Hall Of Fame inductee continues to get the best out of his mounts and continues to ride winners at will.
#4. Damian Lane
He is not even 30 yet, but Damian Lane is up there as one of the best horse racing jockeys in Australia. Not only can he do it on these shores, ‘Frosty’ continually heads to Japan and continues to rack up the top level wins in style. He has 24 wins at the top level in Australia and a further five in Japan, whilst snaring the 2022 Group 1 Hong Kong Vase aboard Win Marilyn. There is little doubt that 2019 was the year that Lane stamped his authority on the jockey ranks domestically, claiming the Golden Slipper with Kiamichi for James Cummings, before partnering Japanese pair Mer De Glace (Caulfield Cup) and Lys Gracieux (Cox Plate) to put his name up in lights in the best way possible. He is a Group 1 winner from 1000m to 2500m showing his versatility as a jockey. Whether it is in Australia or in the land of the rising sun, Damian Lane is one of the best in the business.
#3. Jamie Kah
Within a mere six months of riding her first winner, Kah had already accumulated an impressive tally of 40 wins. By the conclusion of her inaugural full season in 2012/13, Kah achieved a groundbreaking feat by clinching the Adelaide Jockeys’ Premiership, a distinction that had eluded apprentices for nearly two decades. Continuing her ascent, Kah secured her third Adelaide Jockeys’ Premiership in 2017/18, further solidifying her status as one of racing’s brightest stars. Determined to explore new horizons and expand her career, she made the momentous decision to relocate to Melbourne in January 2019. The move to Melbourne proved to be a turning point in Kah’s journey, as she continued to excel on the national stage. In a career-defining moment, she triumphed in her first-ever Group 1 victory, riding Harlem to glory in the prestigious Australian Cup at Flemington in March. She is now a nine-time Group 1 winner and has wins aboard Nature Strip, Zaaki and Coolangatta to her name since the start of 2021. Jamie Kah is already the most successful female jockey and by the time her career comes to an end, she will go down as a legend of the sport if she continues her upward trajectory.
#2. Mark Zahra
Mark Zahra’ is arguably one of the most in demand jockeys for connections with runners in prestigious Group 1 races. Zahra reached the summit of racing in 2022 when partnering Gold Trip to victory in the 2022 Melbourne Cup. To go with his victory in the Cup, Zahra has victories to his name in the Caulfield Cup, Blue Diamond Stakes, Champions Sprint, ATC Derby and TJ Smith Stakes aboard some genuine stars of the turf. Having ridden the likes of Merchant Navy, Russian Revolution. Santa Ana Lane, Verry Elleegant and I’m Thunderstruck to success at the top level, it is clear why Mark Zahra is continually in the winner’s stalls during horse racing carnivals and will continue to be as long as he is in the saddle.
#1. James McDonald
James McDonald is not just the best jockey in Australia, he is officially the best jockey in the world and it is easy to see why. The expat Kiwi has made Australian Group 1 races his own for the past three years and looks set to continue to do so as he hunts down Damien Oliver’s 128 Group 1 wins. JMac has a remarkable 79 wins to his name at the top level, which includes Group 1 success in New Zealand (11), Hong Kong (4) and Great Britain (1). Forty-one of his Group 1 wins have come in Sydney, with his fruitful partnerships with horses like Anamoe, Dundeel Verry Elleegant and Nature Strip providing him with 23 of those successes. His domestic success has also seen him claim the Melbourne Cup in 2021 aboard Verry Elleegant and Anamoe in the 2022 Cox Plate. At just 31, James McDonald is set to hold the title as Australia’s best jockey for many years to come and should go down as one of the best to ever do so.
