Damien Oliver drew level with legendary Australian jockey George Moore as a 126-time Group 1 winner, after narrowly lifting Godolphin filly Willowy to a Kennedy Oaks (2500m) win at Flemington on Thursday.
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The veteran hoop equalled Bobby Lewis as a seven-time Oaks winner in the process, and made it a third straight triumph in the race after saluting aboard Personal 12 months ago, and Miami Bound in 2019.
It was also Oliver's third Group 1 winner in six days at the iconic Melbourne track, having landed the Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) with Willowy's stablemate Colette, and the Cantala Stakes (1600m) aboard Superstorm on Saturday.
The 49-year-old needed every ounce of experience to lift Willowy past a brave Douceur in the shadows of the Flemington post with Biscayne Bay well back in third.
"I thought the second horse had us cold inside the 200," Oliver told Racing.com.
"I tried everything, maybe I took the riding to another level, I don't know, fortunately she responded well to us.
"It's a pretty proud moment. George Moore, Roy Higgins, they're iconic figures in our sport. It's quite amazing to be sharing records with those sort of guys and Bobby Lewis as well.
"I'm pretty proud of the record I've had. It's been a lot of work, and a lot of fun, a fantastic journey over the years."
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Willowy started favourite in the 161st rendition of the Oaks following her impressive Wakeful Stakes win on Saturday, but Patrick Payne's Douceur looked to have pinched the race at the furlong marker.
"Someone told me they could hear him [Oliver] roaring when he went past the enclosure over the concluding stages," Godolphin trainer James Cummings said.
"He's done a great job for us this carnival and it's great to be associated with him.
"He's a marvellous competitor and I think he teams up really well with us. He presents very well and he speaks well, he's able to explain his thoughts in good style."
Oliver produced another peach of a ride in the race prior to Willowy's win, hitting the front late on Bermadez to win the $500,000 Country Carnival Final.
That win followed the biggest shock of the day, provided by resuming veteran Halvorsen who saluted down the straight in the Listed Century Stakes (1000m) as a 50-1 shot.
"We tweaked a couple of things with his feet during the time off," co-trainer Mathew De Cock said.
"We gave his feet a chance to rehabilitate and you can just see the difference today, he was powerful through the line.
"We'll definitely work out a nice program after today. Obviously with an old horse like this you've got to go through step by step and based on today's performance it looks like we're going to have a good run."
Bjorn Baker's well-backed favourite Malkovich looked the winner 200m out before Dean Yendall lifted his mount to a shock win.
"He's such a laid-back horse," Yendall said.
"You don't really know how good he's going until you ask him to actually do anything."
James Buckley
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
