Episode 205: Steven Burridge (Part 1)

We talk to Steve about the lockdown of Singapore racing and the interim progress of his horses. He talks of the biosecurity situation and the mood of the locals as the weeks wear on. We go right back to Steve’s younger days in Melbourne and his passion for football. He was promising but way too small to make a career of it. He talks of his father Harold, a successful jumps jockey. Steve recalls his apprenticeship to Jim Cerchi and his first winning ride at Echuca. He remembers with affection his first city winner and the support he got from his mother and sister. Steve gives special mention to Jetfighter. He won stakes races on the Ian Harrison trained galloper and rates him as one of the best he rode. He talks of the days when he was a regular at the Victorian Saturday provincial meetings where he often rode the second stringers for major stables. Steve looks back on his association with Super Impose. He rode the budding champion in his first four starts. He remembers his only Cox Plate ride in 1977 for Bart Cummings. He was an unlucky fourth on Stormy Rex. Steve recalls turning down the mount on the Caulfield Guineas winner Abaridy to ride 4 horses for Bart at the Werribee meeting. Thankfully they all won. Burridge reflects on his four Melbourne Cup rides. They all finished unplaced but he loved the experience. Steve pays tribute to the champion jockeys he rode with during his apprenticeship with special mention of the great Roy Higgins. He remembers the nasty knee injury he sustained in a race fall at Terang. He ignored the pain to ride a horse he thought was a good thing at Mornington. He won the race but paid the penalty.