Kerrin McEvoy
A masterful Australian jockey who tamed the world's toughest staying race, the Melbourne Cup, not once but three times.
Born 1980 (age 46)·Australian jockey·Birthday: October 24·Generation X
Biography
Kerrin McEvoy operates with the quiet precision of a surgeon and the tactical brain of a chess master, qualities that have made him a powerhouse in Australian racing's biggest events. Hailing from a racing family in South Australia, he apprenticed under the legendary Colin Hayes. His big break was a contract with the global racing operation Godolphin, which took him to Europe where he honed his craft on the demanding tracks of England and Dubai, winning Classics like the St. Leger. But it is at Flemington Racecourse where he has cemented his legacy. His three Melbourne Cup victories—on Brew (2000), Almandin (2016), and Cross Counter (2018)—demonstrate a rare longevity and an uncanny ability to partner with stayers at their peak. More than just a big-race rider, McEvoy is a consistent, intelligent presence at the top of the sport, respected for his work ethic and strategic race-reading.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Kerrin was born in 1980, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Kerrin Was Born
The biggest hits of 1980
#1 Movie
The Empire Strikes Back
Best Picture
Ordinary People
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Kerrin's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1980Born
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1985Started school
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1993Became a teenager
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1996Could drive
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1998Could vote
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Turned 21
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2010Turned 30
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 40
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 46 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Melbourne Cup three times: aboard Brew (2000), Almandin (2016), and Cross Counter (2018).
- Rode Rule of Law to victory in the 2004 St. Leger Stakes, one of England's Classic races, for Godolphin.
- Secured the ride on Cross Counter for Godolphin to win the 2018 Melbourne Cup, becoming the first jockey to win the race for the stable.
- Has been the retained rider for leading Australian owner-breeders such as Darley and later, the connections of Aquis Farm.
Did You Know?
He is the grandson of trainer Jim Blewitt and the brother-in-law of fellow top jockey Cathy Payne.
McEvoy won the Melbourne Cup on his very first attempt as a rider in the race in 2000.
He and his wife, Cathy, have four children, including twins.
He served as the stable jockey for the powerful Godolphin operation in Australia for many years.
“You have to be patient and wait for the right moment; the race isn't won in the first furlong.”
