HARRY WHITE
In the 1960s, 70s and 80s, jockey Harry White would become revered for his handling of sprinters. He had a reputation as a brilliant rider of wayward horses. His hands, especially in the closing stages, were one of his great weapons – the whip sparingly used and as a last resort. A JOCKEY WITH TRUE HEART AND GENTLE HANDS BY PATRICK BARTLEY
White won the Duke of Norfolk Stakes an incredible five times. The race is now known as the Andrew Ramsden.
He is a four-time Melbourne Cup-winning jockey. Three of those were trained by Bart Cummings, who also trained the quintet of Duke of Norfolk Stakes winners. White, loved by all in racing, had to overcome adversity and indiscretion in his youth before being afforded the opportunity to showcase his sublime skillset on horseback. Son of a Caulfield Cup-winning jockey but raised by his grandparents, White was in his early teens when he began riding track work. His apprenticeship was over almost as quickly as it began, an act of vandalism leading to his indentures being revoked. Almost a year had passed when a plea for a second chance was granted. A relationship with a ‘nice’ girl put White back on the rails – Harry and Lauris married and remained devoted to each other until her passing. White was loved by all in racing across Australia and overseas. He started his career at 13 and steadily made his way through the apprentice ranks and then was noticed by arguably Australia’s greatest horse trainer, Bart Cummings who had moved from South Australia to Victoria at the same time that White became prominent.
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