Racing mourns the death of four-time Melbourne Cup-winning hoop

Champion jockey and great of the Australian turf Harry White has died aged 78.

The popular hoop won four Melbourne Cups in the 1970s with back-to-back victories on Think Big in 1974-75, Arwon in 1978 and Hyperno in 1979.

He rode Arwon for George Hanlon but his other three victories in Australia’s most famous race were aboard mounts prepared by the “Cups King”, Bart Cummings. His win on Hyperno in 1979 became famous for the battle he had with Roy Higgins, who was riding Salamander in the final 100 metres as each jockey urged their mount to the line.

Hyperno takes the 1979 Melbourne Cup in a tight finish with Salamander. Hyperno was wearing blinkers as Harry White lifted him to victory. Credit: Fairfax Media

Inducted to the Australia Racing Hall of Fame in 2003, White won two Caulfield Cups, on Sobar and Ming Dynasty, the W.S. Cox Plate on Rubiton, five Australian Cups, and three Newmarket handicaps.

Harry White’s standing as a jockey was reflected in his induction into the racing hall of fame. Pictured here in 1993, he had just won a 2000-metre race at Caulfield.Credit: Geoff Ampt, Fairfax Photos

He won the Victorian jockeys premiership four times and 60 group one races in an era when jockeys were among the biggest sporting names in Melbourne.

VRC chairman Neil Wilson paid tribute to White’s skill and praised his contribution to racing.

“Harry had an intuitive touch with a horse and a remarkable ability to get them to settle and perform at their best,” Wilson said.

“He rode in a golden era of jockeys and emerged as not only one of the most successful, but one of the most well-liked to ever compete at Flemington.

“His popularity accompanied him into retirement which saw Harry gift his entire trophy collection to the VRC and set up the Harry White Trust to assist people in the racing industry in need.”

The VRC will pay tribute to White, who had three children, Dean, Brent and Karen, during the Melbourne Cup carnival, while jockeys will wear black armbands in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup at Saturday’s Cox Plate meeting.

After his win on Berkeley Square in the Moonee Valley Vase, Craig Williams paid tribute to Harry White, focusing in on his work post-riding with the trust fund.

“Not only was he an amazing jockey, you can see what he’s done on the racetrack, a Cox Plate, four Melbourne Cups,” Williams said.

“But people now are actually finding out how much of a humble person [he was]. The fact that he contributed to helping out so many ex-jockeys, jockeys and their families when they were in need, shows you he’s the epitome what any good person in life [should be].

“He sets a big benchmark for us to follow.”

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