WHEN John Letts saddled up on Piping Lane for the 1972 Melbourne Cup, he remarked “We're only here to make up the numbers”, when asked about his chances.
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Never would he have been so glad to be wrong.
Pipping Lane defied his 40-1 odds to clinch the coveted prize and Letts joined the club of fortunate jockeys to hoist the Melbourne Cup trophy.
Eight years later Letts once again rode to victory in the cup, this time getting the job done with 11-1 chance Beldale Ball. It was the first occasion that an overseas horse had won the race.
So when the Victoria Racing Club (VRC) was looking for someone to head to Bathurst as part of the 2017 Emirates Melbourne Cup Tour, Betts was a good option.
As an ambassador for the 15th annual tour of Australasia, Betts will be in Bathurst on July 3 along with the iconic trophy.
“In this, its milestone 15th year, what better way to celebrate this iconic piece of Australia’s cultural heritage than to have heroes of the Melbourne Cup like John Letts join the tour in Bathurst,” VRC chairman Amanda Elliott said.
While his two Melbourne Cup winning rides were a highlight of Letts’ career, the Australian Racing Hall of Fame inductee enjoyed a plethora of success.
He holds the record for the number of cup wins at an impressive 106, an achievement founded on his well-known ‘have saddle – will travel’ ethos.
A born showman loved by the racing industry and wider community alike, Letts rode more than 2,350 winners before his retirement in 1988.
