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LAURIE BILLETT – GOLDEN SLIPPER JOCKEY TURNS 90

Provincial Racing NSW



FLEET-FOOTED Sydney filly Reisling was as close as you can get to a “certainty” when she won the 1965 Golden Slipper Stakes at Rosehill Gardens.

And just like a good wine ages, the jockey who rode her, LAURIE BILLETT, turns 90 years tomorrow.

Billett and wife Rae have called Newcastle home since 1977 and, whilst nearly 60 years have flown by since April 1965 when he became part of Golden Slipper folklore, he remembers it well.

“They say there are no such things as certainties in racing, but Reisling was as close as you could get to one,” he said.

“She had won six races on end and bolted in with 9st 5lbs (59.5kg) in a 2YO Quality over the Slipper course a week before.

“How were they going to beat her when she dropped to 8st (just under 51kg) as fillies carried then in the Slipper?”

Reisling was an even money ($2) hotpot and Billett used her dazzling speed to outpace her rivals, and never looked like losing. She defeated a couple of pretty good horses Star Affair and Citius (who won the Doncaster at Royal Randwick the following year).

Billett had developed a good association with Reisling’s trainer Jack Norman whilst riding work at Rosehill, and gained the mount because the filly was “a bit of a b…..to ride”.

“She had a character of her own like all good horses, and could whip around on you without warning,” he said.




“She was a tough bugger. When she won the old Northern Slipper Stakes at Broadmeadow over 900m, she started at 15-1 on and scored by as far as you could throw your hat.”

Remarkably, given she was in her first season of racing as a two-year-old, Reisling was having her 11th start when she lined up in the Golden Slipper.

“She was so explosive out of the barrier, and broke the inaugural Slipper winner Todman’s record.”

Billett received a golden horseshoe trophy as the winning rider, and recalled total prizemoney that year was 12,500 pounds (a far cry from this year’s $5m).

Whilst Billett was both happy and also relieved to win what is now the world’s richest juvenile event on the favorite, there were no such things as Group 1 races then. “It would have been nice, that’s for sure,” he said.

Understandably, Billett says Reisling, a daughter of Rego, was the best two-year-old he has ridden, and Playbill the best sprinter he was associated with.

“I had a great association with Playbill (trained by the late Albert McKenna). He was a terrific horse and just about unbeatable on a wet track.

“I won the first running of The Galaxy (now also an established Group 1) on him at Randwick in 1972, and also both the Challenge Stakes and Canterbury Stakes that year.”

Billett competed in a golden era of Sydney jockeys against the likes of George Moore, Neville Sellwood, Jack Thompson, Athol Mulley, Bill Camer, and Roy Greenwood to name but a few, and has survived them all.

“You could throw the colours into the jockeys’ room, and it didn’t matter who picked them up,” he said.

Moore, of course, was one of the greatest jockeys Australia has produced, and Billett has a lasting memory of an intimate racetrack encounter with the legend.

“It was a Wednesday meeting at Canterbury,” he said. “I rode a horse called Miss Todman for Jim Mulry and George, as was the case more often than not, was on the favorite.

“We were together turning into the straight, and went head and head to the winning post.

“Both of us used the whip strongly, neither giving an inch and the judge couldn’t separate us at the finish.

“I left the track that day pretty proud of myself, dead-heating with the great George Moore after a titanic struggle. It was a special moment in my career.”



Billett and wife Rae transferred to Newcastle in 1977 when a then fledgling trainer Paul Perry approached him to make the move.

“My Sydney rides were drying up, and I was getting a full book at the provincial Saturdays at Kembla Grange and Newcastle, and there were rumours Kembla might be closing down,” he said.

“We have never regretted the move, and are proud to call Newcastle home.”

Billett retains a close enthusiasm for his beloved racing industry, and he and his wife have an interest in an annual local punters’ club (we put in $10 each on Saturday mornings, he said).

“It’s a bit of fun. We got $430 back each last year.”

Billett was a regular at Merewether TAB until the onset of COVID forced his hand when it was closed for 11 weeks.

“I watch the races now on TV and enjoy it, but don’t have a bet now.

“Racing seven days a week is too much. It would never have suited me.”

. HOOFNOTE: Whilst the Billetts aren’t planning anything special tomorrow, a group of racing personalities meet every six or seven weeks for lunch (arranged by well-known photographer Steve Hart), and nonagenarian Laurie will be the guest of honour to celebrate his 90th at the next get together at Swansea RSL Club on February 3.

Story John Curtis, January 22, 2025 - Pics Bradley Photos/Geddes

 

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