Jack Ross
A career spanning more than 50 years as a jockey, racing administrator and tutor has left the name of Jack Ross indelibly stamped on the Queensland racing industry as one of its most notable and popular contributors.
Born in Sydney in 1930, Jack emerged from his introduction to thoroughbred racing alongside some of Australia’s legendary jockeys in the post-depression years at Randwick, to become one of Queensland’s most influential jockeys.
After his retirement from the saddle at 48 years of age, Jack moved into racing officialdom and went on to become a respected stipendiary steward until his retirement in 2004. Jack’s contribution to racing on the Darling Downs included a role as deputy chief steward and vital input into the development of young jockeys through the Downs Apprentice School.
But it was Jack’s deeds in the saddle, which are unlikely to be matched in the modern era. After winning a hat trick of premierships in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, the first as a 17-year-old, Jack moved to Toowoomba during the 1950s where he went on to win 13 Clifford Park premierships including nine in succession. His total of 22 premiership wins helped him accumulate more than 1700 career victories including four Toowoomba Cups, three of them in succession.
He also is one of a select group of jockeys to twice ride an entire program of winners. After achieving the feat at Murwillumbah in 1947 he replicated the performance 21 years later at Oakey. Jack became one of Queensland’s most prolific-winning riders of his era, and is widely acclaimed as the Darling Downs most accomplished jockey.
In the Sport of Kings, Jack Ross fittingly wore a crown reserved for a select few with the ability to match their talent with a devotion and charm which singles them out as unique ambassadors, both on and off the track.