Billy was one of the most popular jockeys of his era, racing in both Australia and NZ, and helped by being one of the lightest

WILLIAM ARTHUR W.A 'Billy' SMITH was born at Ballarat, Victoria, in 1928. At the age of thirteen he moved to Epsom to work in the stables of Ted Temby and then in February 1943 he was indentured to Wally O’Dwyer. Bill was one of the most popular jockeys of his era, and one of the lightest. He rode at a featherweight for his entire career, which brought him many opportunities in big races.

As a natural lightweight, Smith crafted his early career around this lifelong advantage. Smith’s best win as an apprentice was on the Lou Robertson trained horse, AIR MARSHALL, which he rode to victory at 100-1 in the 1947 VRC Standish Handicap. In 1949 the chairman of the WATC, W.J. Winterbottom, was looking for a talented lightweight jockey. He brought Smith across to Perth and gave him the winning ride on ROYAL ACADEMY in the prestigious King’s Cup.

In the mid 1950s Billy moved to the North Island of New Zealand, winning many feature races, including three Derbies. Smith was a very popular jockey and with the support local trainers he was able to annex the Jockey’s Premiership for five seasons. Billy replaced Grenville Hughes on the topweight YAHABEEBE in the 1958 Railway Handicap and quickly established a sizeable lead and was still a length and a half clear at the finish. It is one of the biggest weights (60.5kg) carried to victory in the Railway and Yahabeebe was giving the runner-up 13.5kg.

Smith returned to Melbourne for the 1960 spring carnival and the Centenary Melbourne Cup on the 50-1 chance, the New Zealand mare HI JINX narrowly from HOWSIE and ILUMQUH with favourite TULLOCH out of a place. Hi Jinx was a last minute ‘catch ride’ after his stable-mate went amiss days before the race. Smith’s victory in the Cup led to him re-establishing himself in Melbourne for the next decade. He was Melbourne’s premier jockey in season 1960-61. During this decade he rode with great success, winning all the major Cup races including the VATC Caulfield Cup (1961) on SUMMER FAIR, the WATC Perth Cup (1962) ENGLAND'S DUST, the AJC Sydney Cup (1963) MAIDENHEAD and the QTC Brisbane Cup (1968) PROMINENCE.

During his long career Smith was associated with the outstanding gallopers WINFREUX and BEGONIA BELLE. He rode Winfreux to victory in the MVRC Feehan Stakes, the QTC Stradbroke Handicap and the BATC Doomben 10,000. Begonia Belle won the VRC Newmarket Handicap, and the MCRC Alister Clark Stakes. Billy won the Moonee Valley Gold Coast three times, and the Perth Cup three times. He also claimed a Metropolitan and VRC Newmarket (twice) and Australian Cup (twice).

On retiring from permanent race riding in season 1982-83 Billy Smith had claimed over fifty feature race wins, eighteen of them at Group 1 level. Smith’s motto, “have saddle, will travel” also saw him ride with success in Mauritius.

“He has lovely hands, and as a result all horses go kindly for him. … He has perfect balance and control and being a natural lightweight he should have an outstanding career. And not only is he a good rider; he's a little gentleman." (Smith’s ‘master’, trainer J.A. Walsh, 1949). Billy Smith was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame in 2018 after a career in the saddle that spanned more than four decades.

Living on the Gold Coast since retiring in 1980, Smith enjoyed spending time behind the bar at the Benowa Tavern and at the Wallaby Hotel in Mudgeeraba, providing tips for friends. Ballarat-bred William ‘Billy’ Smith, who was the oldest surviving Melbourne Cup-winning jockey, passed away on the Gold Coast, aged 92.