HUMBLE GROUP 1 WINNING JOCKEYS DOING BOTH THEMSELVES AND THE RACING INDUSTRY PROUD

By Graham Potter | Sunday, June 15, 2025

Humble Group 1 winning jockeys … that’s what we were treated to at Eagle Farm on Saturday with Stradbroke winner Tim Clark and J J Atkins winner Martin Harley both keen to redirect the accolades coming their way for their role in their respective wins, in spite of both of them producing flawless big race rides.

“I can’t take too much credit for it,” said Clark (of War Machine’s Stradbroke win). “What a great job by Ben (Hayes) and his brothers to just have him spot on for today. I was just the lucky one to get the call up.”

And Harley offered a similar sentiment.

“I get lucky now and again”, said Harley, (referring to Cool Archie’s win in the J J Atkins). “It goes to show that a lot of these jockeys … if they get an opportunity on a real fancied one, most of us can get the job done.”

It has been said that a top jockey is one that makes the least mistakes.

How many mistakes have you seen Clark make?

Right. That is exactly why he is numbered amongst the best riders in the country, having a record at the elite level of racing to back that standing.

For Martin Harley, who does get less opportunities than Clark, it was a case of grasping the moment with Cool Archie with both hands and elevating his name back into the Group 1 orbit.

It was a great and thoroughly deserved success for a rider who fought against and overcame real adversity when a serious set of injuries sustained in a fall a couple of years ago put his career on the line.

On Saturday, both riders continued to do themselves proud, both with their expertise in the saddle and their humble comments post-race.

Good on them.

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