The Championships Race Highlights

Queen Elizabeth Stakes: Road to Rock (2010), Sarrera (2008), Desert War (2007), Defier (2002)

BMW Australian Derby: Don Eduardo (2002)

Schweppes Sydney Cup: No Wine No Song (2008)

About

Damien Oliver comes from a racing family and his riding career started in 1988 when he completed his apprenticeship with Lindsey Rudland and Lee Freedman. His first feature race win was the AJC Warwick Stakes on Groucho.

Unfortunately he suffered a series of injuries including a broken spine in 1996, sustained in a fall at Moonee Valley. Oliver returned to riding after that back injury and rode the Japanese horse Pop Rock in the 2006 Melbourne Cup, which finished second to stablemate Delta Blues.

In the 2007 Melbourne Cup, he was second to Efficient on English horse Purple Moon. Oliver has won the Melbourne Cup three times, on Doriemus (1995) Media Puzzle (2002) and Fiorente (2013). He was also the regular rider of Lee Freedman's champion sprinter Schillaci (1991–95) and top filly Alinghi (2003–05).

In the 2007 Golden Slipper, Damien completed the grand slam of Australian racing by winning the 2yo race on the John Hawkes-trained Forensics. Oliver has won 1160 races and taken out the Scobie Breasley Medal six times and was inducted into the Australian Hall of Fame in 2008.