Harry White (jockey)

Harry White (1944 – 21 October 2022) was an Australian jockey. He was one of the country's leading jockeys, especially in the 1970s, and was a four-time winner of the Melbourne Cup. He also won three Newmarket Handicaps, three Oakleigh Plates and three Futurity Stakes.

White was born in Melbourne, Victoria, in 1944.^[1] His father was also a jockey who won the Caulfield Cup in 1943.^[2][3] White was brought up by his grandparents and started working on riding track when he was a young teenager. His apprenticeship contract was revoked after he committed vandalism, but it was eventually reinstated after one year.^[2] He won his first race at the Braybrook Handicap held at Flemington Racecourse in July 1959.^[3]

White usually rode for the "cups king" Bart Cummings, George Hanlon, and Angus Armanasco.^[4] He rode the winners of four Melbourne Cups – on Think Big (1974 and 1975) and Hyperno for Cummings (1979), as well as on Arwon for Hanlon in 1978. He tied Bobbie Lewis for most victories in that race.^[1][4]

White was renowned for his judgment in long-distance events,^[5][6] and for sleeping in the jockeys' room before riding in a race, regardless of how important it was.^[5][7] He was also noted for preferring to use his hands rather than the whip, especially during the latter part of a race.^[2] His record in sprint races includes wins in three Newmarket Handicaps, three Oakleigh Plates and three Futurity Stakes.^[1] White also won the 1987 W. S. Cox Plate on Rubiton.^[7]

Throughout his 35-year career, White registered 2,112 race wins,^[8] 60 Group 1 wins,^[4] and approximately 200 feature race wins.^[1][3] He was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame in 2003.^[1]

White was married to Lauris White for over 40 years,^[9] until her death from emphysema in January 2011.^[9][10] Together, they had three children: Karen, Dean, and Brent.^[4] After retiring in 1995, White resided with his family on a 200-hectare beef farm near Gisborne in Victoria. Two of his horses – Think Big and Hyperno – were buried there.^[11] He ultimately sold the farm around the time of his wife's death.^[9]

White went blind in his left eye after falling at the Caulfield Cup, a condition he disclosed only after retiring.^[2] He was later diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in July 2003.^[11][2] He died on 21 October 2022.^[4][12] His son Dean White stated that his father suffered from a long battle with multiple sclerosis and died from breathing problems caused by the disease. ^[13]

• Australian Racing Hall of Fame Biography