Thoroughbred Racing

Inducted in 2018

In a career that spanned 30 years, Johnny Letts rode 2350 winners. His total of 97 Cup wins – 30 in the city and 67 in the country – has never been bettered.

His first race win came in 1961 as an apprentice and in 1992 he captured the Adelaide Apprentices’ Premiership.

On home turf, he won the 1968 Adelaide Cup on Rain Lover and a second in the Goodwood Handicap on Tango Miss.

In 1972, in his first ride at Flemington, he won the Melbourne Cup with a brilliant ride on Piping Lane. A second Melbourne Cup victory came in 1980 on Beldale Ball.

He also won three Adelaide Cups, an Australian Cup, Monee Valley Cup, Marlboro Cup, Sandown Cup, Hobart and Launceston Cups.

He also had a tremendous record in feature races winning a total of 124 races. He was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame in 2010.