Inset image: Billy Cray with the Louth Cup – Photo: Racing Photography.
Few jockeys back themselves quite like Billy Cray. Last week, the well-travelled Englishman was rewarded for his adventurous spirit, landing wins in Darwin and Louth across one remarkable week of country racing.
Cray was the toast of Louth on Saturday, landing an emphatic seven-length victory aboard the Jane Clement-trained Macleay ($4.80) in the $22,000 Louth Cup.
A 2000m staying test, Cray said he was always on the winner after his rivals set a blistering early tempo in front of the record crowd at Louth.
“It was a thrill to win it,” Cray told Country Punter.
“The last few years, I’ve been riding a bit for Jane, and her horses always run well as she is a good trainer, so whenever you ride for her out at those places you’re a chance.
“Plus, they are the easiest people to ride for; I just ride them and keep them comfortable, and well, we jumped out and they went very quick and we were just off them around midfield.
“We got a really great run through and at the 500m, we peeled to the outside and were the only ones travelling at that stage and were always the winner.”
It was Cray’s second time riding at Louth and he was taken aback by the size of the meeting and the support from punters and racegoers.
“I have only been there once before and the crowd surprised me,” Cray said.
“There’s not many people that live there, and to get that many people there is a big effort.”
While his Louth victory put the exclamation mark on a big week, six days earlier, Cray was in Darwin, riding on their biggest day of the year.
Teaming up with Kyneton trainer Neil Dyer, the pair won the DCOH Handicap (1600m) with Hettinger ($12).
The pair had gone close in other races over the 2026 Darwin carnival, and Cray was just happy to land a win for Dyer and connections.
“It was a good way to finish,” Cray said.
“They had all been running well without winning, but there were three or four seconds and other placings from ten rides, so it was good to get one over the line for them.”
When asked about his Darwin adventure, Cray explained it all came about due to his association with Nikki and Ben Pollock, who own and operate Racing Management Services.
“It all just snowballed – it all started off because of who I work for, Nikki and Ben Pollock, who I mostly ride for, and through their accounting business, they had a client in Chris Nash, who had a ride or two.
“From there, Neil Dyer called me and asked if I could ride his horses.”
Again, Cray was impressed by the sheer scope of the Darwin Cup meeting and lead-up meetings.
“I didn’t really know too much about it,” Cray said.
“I had absolutely no intention of going but absolutely loved it – it’s one of the best places I have been to and the atmosphere was brilliant.”
Keen to continue his winning ways, the 37-year-old will trek into the Northern Territory again on Saturday, with a full book of rides for the Dyer yard at Katherine.
“I will go anywhere if I think I have a chance to win,” Cray said.
“I am not James McDonald, so I’m not going to get those good rides, but I have got to earn a living and that means riding the best horses I can ride and doing what I have to do.
“I’ll be at Wellington on Thursday then I’m off to Katherine this weekend and back at Bathurst on Monday.”
