After more than three decades as one of the world’s elite riders, decorated jockey Brett Prebble has announced his retirement.
The 2012 Melbourne Cup-winning jockey will hang up his saddle to focus on a globally successful horse racing gear manufacturing business, Persuader International.
“It’s a real mix of emotions, but I know the time is right,” Prebble said.
“I’ve had the most incredible career. It’s not lost on me just how fortunate I am to leave my time in the saddle a fit, healthy, happy and content 46-year-old.
“I’ve seen way too many times just how incredibly dangerous, devastating and life-changing the job can be.”
First apprenticed to Stawell trainer Terry O’Sullivan, Prebble found fame when indentured to Flemington-based John Meagher.
Under the watchful eye of Meagher, Prebble won three Melbourne apprentices’ titles and landed his first Group 1 success on his master’s stayer Daacha as a 17-year-old in the 1995 Sydney Cup.
After winning the Melbourne jockeys’ premiership in 2000 and 2001, Prebble moved to Hong Kong in late 2002.
A one-season contract turned into 16 years and 803 winners in the Asian racing capital.
Along the way, Prebble collected 18 Hong Kong Group 1 victories and achieved further elite-level success in Japan and Singapore.
Return visits to Australia also paid rich dividends with his 2012 Melbourne Cup win on Green Moon sandwiched between Golden Slipper (2010) and Australian Guineas (2015) triumphs.
“It’s a real mix of emotions, but I know the time is right." - Brett Prebble
Prebble returned full-time to the Australian riding ranks in 2018 and enjoyed a remarkable spring carnival in 2021 with a haul of five Group 1 races that included the Caulfield Cup on Incentivise.
“I’m extremely grateful, proud and genuinely satisfied with what I’ve been able to achieve both in Australia and internationally,” Prebble said.
“My new challenge is to develop Persuader International into the world leader in the manufacturing of horse racing equipment.”
