Darren Beadman and Steven King are among an elite group of jockeys to have won the Melbourne Cup.
They are part of an even more distinguished few to have ridden Cup winners for the man who made it his own – Bart Cummings.
Beadman, whose career ended after a fall in Hong Kong, was lucky enough to win two Cups for Cummings – on Kingston Rule in 1990 and Saintly six years later.
“You mention Bart and you mention the Melbourne Cup. You mention the Melbourne Cup, you mention Bart,” Beadman said on Sunday as he reminisced about the trainer who died earlier in the morning.
“To be associated with Bart Cummings just in general is an honour but to be associated with him in a Melbourne Cup gives you a lot of confidence to go into a Melbourne Cup and ride for him.
“My dream as a jockey was just to be in the Melbourne Cup, let alone win it.”
“He was a fun person to be around. As a jockey he put no pressure on you.”
King was just 20 when he rode Let’s Elope to win the 1991 Caulfield and Melbourne Cups for Cummings.
“Bart was one of those guys that wasn’t afraid to give young kids an opportunity,” King said.
“I was only 20 at the time when he put me on the chestnut mare and I was given the opportunity to ride one of the best horses at that time and I’m really grateful to him and to win the races that I did.
“There would have been numerous jockeys trying to get the ride but I’m forever grateful that he left me on and it brings back such fond memories.
“I was always amazed that he never gave you instructions, never tied you down. When you walked into the mounting yard he was a very relaxed person and that made you feel relaxed.”
“He was like `you know her, you’ve ridden her before, go out there and enjoy it’.
“It put you at ease and he relaxed you saying that sort of stuff.”
