JJ joins the Hall of Fame

With an all-star cast headed by the emerging Bart Cummings (three wins) and Roy Higgins (two wins on Cummings’ horses), the 1960s were a stellar period in Melbourne Cup history. The same decade saw Jim Johnson win three Cups, as the jockey of Gatum Gatum (1963) and Rain Lover (1968 and ‘69).

Today, it was announced that Johnson will join Cummings and Higgins in the Australian Racing Hall of Fame.

The timing is ironic in that it comes when the throroughbred emphasis is on less use of the whip, and vigorous whip riding was Johnson’s trademark. However, Johnson’s induction was well-earned – in addition to his great Cup record he won four Adelaide premierships before coming to Melbourne, where he won the 1966-67 crown, and he rode the champions Tobin Bronze and Winfreux. He won two Singapore premierships in the 1970s and overall he rode 2158 winners, including 125 in feature races.

Others to be inducted at Crown in Melbourne next Monday are:

Harold Badger, winner of six Melbourne jockeys’ premierships between 1938-48;

Bayly Payten, winner of seven Sydney trainers’ premierships between 1940-48;

Jack Green, trainer of Baystone, the 1958 Melbourne Cup winner;

Strawberry Road, racehorse of the year in Australia in 1983 when trained by Doug Bougoure, and a winner in France and Germany;

Comic Court, winner of the 28 races from 53 starts, including the 1950 Melbourne Cup when strapped by Bart Cummings for his father Jim;

Bill Whittaker, one of racing’s most influential journalists for more than 40 years and holder of an Order of Australia Medal. Sadly, Whittaker, who was devoted to the history of the turf, died in May, aged 79.

One of four previous inductees - racehorses Carbine and Makybe Diva, jockey Scobie Breasley and trainer Tommy Smith – will join icons Phar Lap and Bart Cummings as racing legends. All are worthy and all will become legends over the next few years, but the controversial decision to make the choice a public vote almost guarantees it will be a popularity contest that favours the most recent contender, triple Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva. We’re hoping for Carbine.