Damien Oliver

He’s been labelled the best at his craft and Damien Oliver’s dominant success has a record to match.

But it’s his love of the everyday, from surfing the waves to holing a 20m putt, supporting the West Coast Eagles to his avid charity work that make him the accessible face of his sport.

He has won two Melbourne Cups, four Caulfield Cups, two Cox Plates, taken on the best and beaten them in Hong Kong, won in England, won in Ireland, won in Mauritius, won in New Zealand.

Raised by his mother Pat, Damien and his older brother Jason followed father Ray into the saddle and were apprenticed to their stepfather, Lindsay Rudland.

A chance opportunity arose to head east and trial with a young trainer, Lee Freedman, back in 1988. Oliver was just 16, Freedman, 33, a dynasty to be spawned.

It was to be the Cups King, Bart Cummings, who gave Oliver his first group 1 win, aboard Submariner in then Show Day Cup at Caulfield in 1990.

Whilst Oliver’s success has been universal, perhaps it has been his home track record at Caulfield that stands out. After all, only the legendary Scobie Breasley has won more Caulfield Cups, one more than Oliver’s four.

« Back

Profiles

More »