Winning the Epsom Derby was just one highlight of Australian jockey Scobie Breasley’s brilliant career

FIFTY years ago today, on May 25, 1966, Australian jockey Scobie Breasley (left) won his second Epsom Derby, England’s most prestigious horse race. It would cap a brilliant career of more than 3000 winning rides.

Jockey Scobie Breasley wins the 1966 English Derby on Charlttown.

WHEN Australian Jockey Ron Hutchinson rode the undefeated two-year-old colt Charlottown to second place in the Lingfield Derby Trial in England in 1966, he was criticised for his performance.

However, with the Epsom Derby looming, Charlottown’s owners ditched Hutchinson and put fellow Aussie Scobie Breasley on the horse. Breasley was at the pinnacle of his career. He had ridden Santa Claus to victory in the Derby in 1964 and was keen for another go at England’s most prestigious race. On May 25, 1966, 50 years ago today, Breasley scored his second Derby win. It would cap a brilliant career of more than 3000 winning rides, a career that began on Australian country tracks.

Born Arthur Edward Breasley in Wagga Wagga on May 7, 1914, he was the son of the owner of a racing stable. Even as a boy Breasley loved horses and horse racing far more than school, earning him the nickname Scobie, after prominent Ballarat horse trainer James Scobie.

Trainer Gordon Smyth leads Scobie Breasley and Charlottown back to the winner’s stall after winning the 1966 English Derby.

At 12 he left school and, following in the footsteps of his older brother, began training under well-known country horse trainer Stanley Woodford Biggins, riding in country races. After learning the basics he later took up an apprenticeship with Paddy Quinlan at Caulfield in Melbourne. In 1928 he had his first professional race on Poire. Although he didn’t win, he was soon riding placegetters. He had his first win before the end of the year on Noojee, then quickly racked up a succession of wins. Even then trainers were already predicting big things.

In 1930 he won his first major race, the AJC Metropolitan on Cragford, but it was not without controversy. Before the race, owner John Percy “JP” Arthur had been criticised for letting such an inexperienced youngster ride a horse that held the hopes of so many punters. Arthur was vindicated by Breasley’s win but Breasley was suspended for interference. It would be the first of many times in the jockey’s career, not because he was hot-headed or used suspect tactics but because his single-minded determination sometimes resulted in him bumping other riders.

He had his first ride in a Melbourne Cup on Shadow King in 1933 and was narrowly beaten. He had another go on the same mount in 1935. Although he came fourth, later that evening he married May Fisher.

Jockey Scobie Breasley with his wife May and his daughter Loretta in 1966.

In the ’40s he had more major wins, riding Tranquil Star in 1942 to the first of four successive Caulfield Cup wins. He rode four winners in one day at Flemington in 1946, but the Melbourne Cup continued to elude him. In 1947 he missed a chance to ride Hiraji in the Cup, instead Jack Putrell rode the horse to win.

A run-in with a steward, who implied Breasley was throwing races, was behind a decision to go to England in 1950, where he was contracted to ride for Noel Cannon. He returned briefly to race in Australia, winning the Caulfield Cup again in 1952, but he would have greater success overseas.

He was champion jockey in England four times — in 1957, 1961, 1962 and 1963. In 1958 he won both the King George Cup and France’s most prestigious race, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, riding Ballymoss. While Australia’s premier race had been beyond his grasp he finally won England’s, the Epsom Derby, in 1964 on Santa Claus. He repeated the feat in 1966, despite taking a fall just days before.

For a decade he had a friendly rivalry with the much younger Lester Piggott, famously beating him by just one race win in 1963. In 1968 Breasley, then aged 54, realised it was time to hang up his silks and retired from riding. He remained in Europe as a trainer, training the 1972 Irish Derby winner Steel Pulse. He also trained horses in France, the US and Barbados before returning to Melbourne in 1993 to retire.

Racing Victoria welcomed home the racing great, in 1996 naming the medal awarded to outstanding jockeys the Scobie Breasley Medal.

Breasley was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame.

He died from a stroke in 2006.