Martin Harley harbours dreams of emulating fellow Irishman Robbie Dolan with a glorious Melbourne Cup triumph

Martin Harley harbours dreams of emulating fellow Irishman Robbie Dolan’s glorious Melbourne Cup triumph but for now, the Brisbane-based jockey will take his first Group 1 victory in Australia.

The Bevan and Richard Laming-trained crack colt Savour The Dream, with Irish jockey Martin Harley on board, wins a 1600m 3YO Handicap at Doomben this month. Picture: Grant Peters/Trackside Photography

Martin Harley harbours dreams of emulating fellow Irishman Robbie Dolan’s glorious Melbourne Cup triumph but for now the Brisbane-based jockey will gladly take his first Group 1 victory in Australia.

Harley will pilot rising colt Savour The Dream in the $1 million Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday and then potentially in the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) on March 22 in Sydney.

He will also ride stablemate Our Benefactor in the Group 1 Randwick Guineas (1600m) on March 8.

Dolan stunned the nation in the Melbourne Cup last November when he stormed to a shock victory on $91 roughie Knight’s Choice, who will make his return in next month’s All-Star Mile at Flemington.

“Fair credit to Robbie, he rode it a treat in the Melbourne Cup,” Harley said.

“Good on him. It’s always great to see an Irishman taking nice races home.

“I’ve known Robbie from back home, not very well, but I knew him. He made a move to Australia long before me.

“We had a little celebration for sure. Not as big as what we were going to have but I think everything drifted away a little bit.

“Robbie was busy doing his music and singing (as a contestant on The Voice) so he didn’t really get time but it’s never too late. We might have another go yet.”

Jockey Martin Harley steers the Bevan and Richard Laming-trained colt Our Benefactor to victory in a 1400m 3Y0 Handicap at Eagle Farm on Saturday, February 15, 2025. Picture: Grant Peters/Trackside Photography

Asked about his own lofty ambitions after suffering a broken neck in a sickening midweek race fall in January 2023 that almost cost him his career, Harley said he would love to follow the same path to glory as Dolan.

“The neck’s fine. I don’t look back, the winning post is always in front of you,” the 35-year-old said.

“I don’t dwell on anything. If I overthought my injuries – I’ve broken my neck twice and my back once – then I’d probably wouldn’t get back on a horse.

“It’d be lovely to have a ride in the Melbourne Cup while I’m based in Australia.

“My wife’s family is all in Australia. It would be a dream but I won’t be riding 51kg like Robbie, I can assure you of that!”

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For now Harley is laser-focused on Saturday’s Australian Guineas in Melbourne on the Richard and Bevan Laming-trained colt Savour The Dream.

Harley has an astonishing 30 per cent strike-rate for the Lamings, with 11 winners from 36 rides.

“Obviously they only put me on the good ones, that helps keep the strike-rate up,” he said.

“We’ve got a good partnership. I love riding for Rich and Bev. Their instructions are very minimal, which I really like.

“They kind of leave it up to me for the majority of the time and I think that works well for both of us. It’s less race pressure and not many instructions is a jockey’s dream. Me and Rich are best mates and I think that means a lot as well.”

A great ride by Martin Harley sees Savour The Dream win at Doomben for @Laming_Racing!@BrisRacingClubpic.twitter.com/oSjz8SCuLN

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) February 8, 2025

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Harley has won five Group 1s in Europe but none in Australia, although he did finish second on the Laming-trained Reo in the Queensland Oaks at Eagle Farm in 2023.

He hopes to remedy that missing piece of silverware at Victorian racing headquarters on Saturday.

“The Flemington Guineas is not going to be an easy race to win,” he said.

“But I’ll take any Group 1, whether it’s in Queensland, Melbourne or Sydney.

“If I can grab one of them I’d be delighted but the main thing is to be in there with a live chance and I think we’re definitely going there with a good, solid chance.”

Originally published as Martin Harley harbours dreams of emulating fellow Irishman Robbie Dolan with a glorious Melbourne Cup triumph