Roy Higgins was a country boy at heart, born at Koondrook on the banks of the great Murray, a small township where the main source of employment was the cutting and supplying of red gum sleepers for the railways.

Within a year after the birth of their youngest son, Roy Henry, the family moved onto Deniliquin to what was called the north side of the township where he grew up and completed his schooling.

The Riverina was a strong racing centre, particularly Deniliquin; numerous good horses were trained there then went on to win in Melbourne 

When the Higgins family moved, their next door neighbour just happened to be Jim Waters, a highly respected racehorse trainer, and above all a great citizen

After school each day Roy would scurry through a hole in the fence to assist Jim with the horses and any other needs around the stable.

It was soon obvious the thoroughfare, via the short cut to the stable wouldn’t be repaired in the short term.

Roy became apprenticed to Jim, their first winner, as a team, was Statutory in a Maiden at Deniliquin in 1953, I had the pleasure of calling that race, she was by Mandamus raced by a patron of the stable, Neville Armytage. 

It was never going to be easy as Roy soon found out he was facing fierce competition from some outstanding jockeys of that era, Frank McIntyre was the best rider by far in New South Wales, outside of Sydney, Paddy Delaney had won a string of races on the crack Sydney colt Magnificent, and the ill fated Morrie Gray, from Wangaratta, was always a tough nut to crack.

Higgins was always a good rider, there is no mistake about that, he was riding a lot of winners but still looking for that lucky break.

Soon after the break arrived when Jack Freyer gave him the ride on Tauri in the Provincial Plate at Flemington, which he won, Roy was up and away, except he had a big setback that rocked him after an unwarranted roasting from a well known race broadcaster of that time, who was talking through his pocket.

Freyer was his backstop, he soon put Roy Higgins back on track, he was the complete jockey long before he ever rode for Bart Cummings.

Roy Higgins never forgot those that supported him all those years ago, he equalled the record of 11 premierships, held by Jim Duncan, in a career that commenced in 1953 and terminated in 1983, he rode over 2300 winners on various racetracks in several countries.  

While Matt Laurie remained in town to saddle up Escado at Flemington on Saturday, Emily Forbes and Darrell Burnet, were leading in a winning double at Echuca.

It proved a long day really with Felarof, a gelding by Tale O The Cat, winning the first, the two year old, it was then the long wait before She Rocks Away, by Fastnet Rock, won the final race.

Both winners look as if they will graduate to better class races, as they mature their future form will be viewed with interest

Matt Laurie has a great stable setup at Moorooduc, with an excellent 800 metre work track which takes the pressure off having to gallop every morning at Mornington.

The Australian Cup promises to be the race of the autumn, both main contenders, Fiorente and Shamus Award, each a last start winner.

Fiorente, winner of the Melbourne Cup, continued in his winning vein by taking out the Peter Young Stakes, at weight for age, two weeks ago at Caulfield.

While Shamus Award would have lost no admirers after his all the way win in the Australian Guineas at Flemington, last Saturday.

Fiorente is the favourite, bookmakers won’t hear of him being beaten, he was on top of the charts after Caulfield.

He will need to take up a closer position than he did at “The Heath”, he won’t need to give his opposition a big start while the Flemington straight is long, the winning post can still come up quickly.

Barrier positions will have no bearing on the result whatsoever, it is a good long run to the first turn; the field will be well sorted out by then.

Shamus Award will possible lead from the outset, he has a good turn of foot, if Craig Williams can dictate the tempo in the middle stages, by slowing the field down, it could be to his advantage.

Then if Star Rolling, who has a good turn of foot, takes the colt on it would prove more difficult for Shamus Award and play into the hands of Damian Oliver on Fiorente, he would be best suited by a genuine pace.

Brad Rawiller could hold the key to the race on Star Rolling; he would know his best chances would be for a solid pace that suits the gelding.    

It is difficult to go past the two pin up horses, irrespective, they are clearly the form horses of the race, a couple in the field are only there to make up numbers.

Shamus Award is entitled to be regarded as the best three year old in the country, he has won twice at weight for age, yet two wins from 12 starts is not an over impressive strike rate.

The race has been the answer to a promoters dream, with the likely winner being Fiorente, from Shamus Award, and Star Rolling in that order.

Australian Cup favourite Fiorente 

Dual Group 1 winning sprinter, Gordon Lord Byron, left quarantine in England yesterday on route to the Champions, which will be staged at Randwick next month.

Trainer, Tom Hogan, was beaming after the horse’s fast work at Newmarket ahead of his flight out of London’s Heathrow airport to Melbourne, where he will go into quarantine when he arrives tomorrow, Saturday.

The immediate target is the Group1 George Ryder Stakes over 1500 metres at Rosehill Gardens, then the $2.5 million Group1 Darley T J Smith, over 1200 metres, at Royal Randwick, on the first day of the Champions.

Gordon Lord Byron made his racing debut as a 20-1 outsider; unfortunately he fractured his pelvis which saw him away from racing for the best part of a year.

His return to racing has been nothing short of remarkable having won nine times, with two Group 1 wins among his credits, the Prix de la Forget, at delightful Longchamp, the jewel in the crown of French Racing and the Sprint Cup over 1200 metres at Haydock Park in Lancashire.

Recently retired jockey, Rodney Quinn, has joined Racing NSW racing as a member of the apprentice jockey’s mentoring team.

After a career spanning 37 years, and over 2000 winners, he retired on a high winning on Merlin Mustang, at Rosehill, in his very last ride.

Quinn commenced riding at Nyngan, in central New South Wales, eventually graduating to the major Sydney tracks.

John Hawkes and Peter Snowden were never afraid to seek the services of Quinn, particularly for young horses that could prove a bit difficult to handle.