‘Don’t touch the Melbourne Cup’: Damien Oliver’s omen advice to Jamie Kah

Thanks to three-time winner Damien Oliver, Jamie Kah has learned from her mistake in her quest to win the Melbourne Cup.

If it worked for Damien Oliver, then who is Jamie Kah to argue?

Oliver has three Melbourne Cups trophies, so if the retired legendary jockey, widely referred to as the “GOAT”, says “you don’t touch the Cup”, then so be it.

You do not touch the Melbourne Cup – until it is won.

While very superstitious, Kah, a stickler for arranging her riding gear in a set way and placement of the cap and band on her helmet, never believed in the trophy voodoo.

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She happily held and posed with the Melbourne Cup year after year, but not this year.

Thanks to Oliver.

“I’ve never been superstitious about the Melbourne Cup but Damien Oliver reminded me last year, ‘you don’t touch the Cup’, I think he knows a thing or two,” Kah said.

“I just didn’t listen to it, it’s the Cup, I’ll hold it and take photos with it.

“This is the first year I decided, Damien Oliver said it was unlucky and I didn’t believe him, to try something new and I haven’t touched it.

“I’m very superstitious, so hopefully that means I can win the Cup.”

• Broken nose can’t stop Kah to Victoria Derby glory

Kah has another chance to join Australia’s most prestigious racing honour roll on Tuesday – her fourth ride in the Melbourne Cup.

The 14-time Group 1 winner placed third in her Cup debut on Prince Of Arran (2020), seventh aboard Smokin’ Romans (2022) and 12th last year with More Felons.

More Felons felt half, turned into the straight within striking distance and loomed up only for the run to end about 300m from home.

Jamie Kah keeps the Melbourne Cup at arm’s length while posing with race hopeful Okita Soushi. Picture: Rebecca Michael

As Without A Fight and company surged past and More Felons plugged to the post, Kah actually remembered the Oliver decree.

“He said it’s unlucky and I said ‘no it’s not’ and I remember my horse (More Felons) got all the runs,” Kah said.

“Got the breaks at the right time, kicked at the top of the straight and then just stopped.

“Hopefully, fourth time lucky (on Tuesday) and this is the first year I haven’t touched the Cup.”

Sharing the Melbourne Cup with everyday people has given Kah a greater insight and appreciation of the Cup.

“I’ve seen it a fair bit the last few months,” the Melbourne Cup Tour ambassador said.

“It’s amazing how crazy people get over it, to us (racing participants) it’s a Cup and you think about the history of it.

“Everyone is so excited to see it, touch it, hold it, I wish I could touch it, but I’m not touching it until hopefully I win it.”

Kah, typically the drawcard at racing events, played second fiddle to the 18-carat Melbourne Cup, valued at $750,000, in recent Cup Tour events in South Australia – Murray Bridge and Clare – and the Victoria towns of Nathalia and Trentham.

Size, weight and price of the Cup dominated conversations – with adults and children alike.

“They can’t believe how heavy the Cup is,” Kah said.

“They see it on TV for however many years but to touch it, hold it, it’s pretty special, it’s the Melbourne Cup.

“When you hear the public and people that have never been anywhere near the Cup and how excited they are to be near it, it definitely pumps you up even more.

“Knowing one day, hopefully one day, you could win it.”

Jamie Kah, with Damien Oliver, holding the Melbourne Cup in 2022. Picture: Scott Barbour/Racing Photos via Getty Images

Nathalia struck a chord with Kah, the scenery, the people, the pony clubbers.

“I really loved being able to go out there and have photos with the little pony club girls and they were just so excited,” Kah, self-described “crazy horse girl that never grew up”, said.

“I knew of the Melbourne Cup when I was that age but I never went near a racehorse or knew anything about racing and these little girls they were so excited to get a photo of the Cup.

“A few of them were like ‘we’re going to be like you one day, we’re going to be a jockey like you and maybe we’re going to ride in the Melbourne Cup’ and that just hit me.

“When you’re a role model for little girls and boys like that, and they say they want to be like you one day, that’s really special.”

• Racenet’s Melbourne Cup sweep

A Melbourne Cup win on Tuesday would further inspire a generation, with Kah and fellow female jockeys Rachel King, Hollie Doyle and Winona Costin trying to become only the second woman to win Australia’s most famous race.

Michelle Payne created history in 2015 aboard Prince Of Penzance.

Kah has an opportunity with Okita Soushi, the Moonee Valley Gold Cup winner.

A cool head – for horse and rider – is going to be critical.

Pressure mounts on Cup Day like nothing else.

Every minute, every hour, ever race until 3pm – the advertised start time.

The five minutes on horseback from the mounting yard to the barrier is the most “peaceful part of the day” but equally “hectic”.

Kah’s best result in the Melbourne Cup was a third on Prince Of Arran in 2020. Picture: Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images for the VRC

“When you trot down to the start you just got to think it’s any other race,” Kah said.

“It’s quite difficult because you can’t hear yourself think, the crowd is that loud.

“The day is so hectic and going down the roses is insane.

“Thankfully I’ve got a very nice horse … he’s just an absolute gentleman, he’s very calm, he’s very quiet, he’s got a great attitude.

“I’d be pretty confident on him on a busy day. I don’t think it will bother him much out there.”

Okita Soushi has the early speed to land in a position and temperament, most importantly, to come back under Kah.

“Stayers need that, especially in the Melbourne Cup, they need a very calm attitude,” Kah said.

“You don’t want a horse to overrace, pulling and being all wound up with the atmosphere.

“You want them to have a good head and he’s certainly ticked that box.”

If racing in three Melbourne Cups has taught Kah anything, it is patience.

When you think you need to push the button – wait and count to 10.

“You can get pretty overwhelmed by the race and you’re trying to find spots and gaps come and you think I’ve just got to take them straight away, but no, you got to wait,” Kah said.

“You got to count to 10.

“You don’t use your horse up too soon.

“It’s a very long straight and it’s a long race.”

Originally published as ‘Don’t touch the Melbourne Cup’: Damien Oliver’s omen advice to Jamie Kah