Bill Duncan, career-best with 893 wins that included major races, including two Melbourne Cups and Caulfield Cups, major handicaps and weight-for-age races. His 11 prime ministerial titles stood as a record only to be equaled by Roy Higgins.
Bill Duncan was one of Australia’s champion jockeys during the interwar period. Born in 1900, Duncan was a natural lightweight, learning in 1916 where he rode his first race winner at Mentone. At the age of 18 he won his first big race in 1918, the Coongy Handicap. Nicknamed ‘Little Billy’, he weighed less than seven stones when he entered the Melbourne Cup for the first time in 1918. He was chosen to ride the Richard Bradfield-trained Night Watch as there were few riders who could reach the weight of Night Watch. 42.18 kg. The 1918 Cup was the fifth and final Cup race during the First World War. Duncan led Night Watch to victory in a time of 3: 25.75, followed by Kennaquhair in second and Gadabout in third.
Duncan’s other memorable victory was at the Caulfield Cup in the spring of 1925, leading the second seed 7-1, to win by 2 1/2 lengths, the first of his two cup victories. He also won a Sydney Cup and many other weight-for-age events. A favorite on the Melbourne slopes, Duncan won 11 Melbourne Jockeys Premiership titles, including one as a trainee. The 1925 AJC Derby was a race in which he demonstrated his exemplary skills by leading Manfred to victory despite remaining 100 meters over the barrier. Duncan was also a VRC Derby winner.
Duncan’s last race was to be the 1932 Melbourne Cup at Peter Pan, the crowd favorite from the start. In a fast-paced race, Duncan made a move to lead Peter Pan through a gap as the horses approached. However, the horse was hit but was saved from tripping first after taking a hit from stablemate Denis Boy. Peter Pan regained his balance and returned home to win by a neck. Shortly after, a serious fall of Rose Valais forced Duncan to retire in 1933 to finish with 893 winners. 74 of his victories were in stunt races, while the remainder were in numerous major handicap races and weight-for-age races.
After his retirement, Duncan served on the Fitzroy Football Club committee from 1952 to 1955. His achievements were recognized with an induction into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame in 2003. Duncan’s record of 11 prime ministerial titles was equaled by Roy Higgins. However, Duncan’s first prime ministerial posts were only counted from the time official records were kept.
