Only one race was named in honour of the jockey known as the Greatest Of All Time but his presence was so dominant that the entire Perth racing carnival could have been called the Damien Oliver Pinnacles.
The extended farewell of the Australian sporting legend reached the perfect conclusion when Damien Oliver won the final three races of the carnival and his career – ending with the $1.5 million Damien Oliver Gold Rush.
Usually, the focus of The Pinnacles is the rivalry between West Australian racing teams and interstate raiders but this year it was overshadowed by all things Ollie, right down to the limited-edition Damien Oliver Swan Draught beer bottles being sold in the Ascot bars.
On the track, the locals started well when the Parnham racing dynasty conquered the State’s oldest Group 1 with Bustler’s dramatic Railway Stakes victory.
In Neville Parnham’s long and illustrious career in racing – son of a trainer, father to three jockey sons, WA Racing Hall of Famer and winner of a record 14 city trainer’s premierships – the Railway had always been tantalisingly out of reach.
“It’s a big thrill to win this race. It’s a time-honoured race and we’ve had a few cracks and come up a little bit short,” Neville said.
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Steven Parnham and Bustler win The Railway. Credit: Western Racepix[/caption]
Jockey Steven Parnham had Bustler well placed to beat the favourite Alsephina, with Dom To Shoot coming from near last to finish third.
Like his father, the Railway was the Ascot Group 1 he wanted most.
“I’ve said for a few years this is the race I want to win before I finish riding,” Steven said.
“It’s our most historic race and I feel the hardest to win.”
Damien Oliver, however, was not on the winners’ list for the day.
The following week at Ascot, the interstate tables were turned when Overpass won the Winterbottom Stakes with the same New South Wales team that snatched the $4million Quokka at the inaugural running in April.
Sporting superstition may have been an influence: When something works, don’t change it.
Not only was the winning combination of Overpass, trainer Bjorn Baker and jockey Josh Parr unchanged but there were several cowboy-hatted members of the RAM Racing Quokka slotholder group back in the winners’ circle.
“To win this race is pretty amazing,” Baker said.
“This horse also deserved to win a Group 1, no doubt.”
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Bjorn Baker and the winning Overpass team. Credit: Western Racepix[/caption]
While the Overpass team celebrated, it was again an unsuccessful day for Damien Oliver.
With scores tied at one all for the WA and interstate teams, it looked like The Northerly might be one for the Z team, with the great Zaaki, Zoumon and Zipaway all good chances for the third and final Group 1.
Ahead of the race, attention focused on newly inducted Australian Hall of Fame Legend Gai Waterhouse taking a dip with Zoumon at Kwinana Beach, followed by Annabel Neasham and Zaaki.
Meanwhile the Parnhams were hoping to carry off a second big win with Zipaway, despite a wide barrier draw.
In the end, the victory went to neither the high-profile WA family dynasty nor the powerful interstate champions. Instead it was a dream result for a modest local team.
In a thrilling race, Dom to Shoot pushed his nose just ahead of the great Zaaki, with Zipaway making the third of the tight group on the finish line.
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Dom To Shoot wins The Northerly. Credit: Western Racepix[/caption]
It was a breakthrough Group 1 not only for Dom to Shoot but also trainers Sean and Jake Casey and jockey Jarrad Noske.
It was also the icing on the cake for Jake’s 26th birthday.
“I can’t believe it. What a wonderful horse he has been to us,” Jake said.
“The race worked out perfectly. He got a brilliant run through but you can never be too confident when chasing down a horse like Zaaki.”
At this stage of the carnival, all the Group 1 races were run and won but still Damien Oliver was yet to score.
At Gold Rush Day, the champion was booked for seven rides but it wasn’t until number five that Devine Belief paid off – in every way.
The mare may have been the favourite but her rider was an even bigger favourite with the 8000-strong crowd of believers who roared their approval as she stormed down the home straight.
This was exactly what people had come to see and they swarmed to the fence shouting ‘Ollie Ollie Ollie! Oi Oi Oi!’ as the legend returned to the parade ring.
With the hoodoo broken, Ollie swept home again in the next race, winning for the second time with Magnificent Andy.
The last race brought crowds streaming onto balconies and pressing against the white railings to watch the legend enter the mounting yard through a guard of honour formed by past and present jockeys.
His name had been bestowed on the race itself and he owned it. In the perfect fairytale end to a sparkling 35-year career, Oliver weaved his magic one last time to find a invisible path through the field and win on Munhamek .
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Damien Oliver and Munhamek win The Damien Oliver Gold Rush. Credit: Western Racepix[/caption]
As he stood high in his stirrups and swung his arm in the air, it was a wave both of triumphant and goodbye.
In collecting the trophy, Oliver said it was ideal to end with a treble and a big race win.
“I was an amazing finish of the day, to ride the last three and win your last race in circumstances like that was unbelievable,” he said.
While the race series might have ended with a score of two each for the WA and interstate teams across the four $1.5 million races, Damien himself tipped the balance in favour of the home team.
“I couldn’t think of a better way to finish than here in Perth,” he said.
“The crowd’s been amazing and WA racing have really made it lovely for me as well. It was a great way to put back into WA racing.
“It gave me my start and I couldn’t think of a better way to finish.”
Susan de Ruyter