Image courtesy Bradley Photos. Peter Cook and Kevin Langby.
I can’t recall a Sydney Jockeys Premiership attracting more media attention than the 1972/73 edition. Peter Cook led Kevin Langby by 1.5 wins coming into the final day and had great crowd support.
Langby had the might of the T.J. Smith stable behind him, while Peter freelanced and didn’t get the opportunities enjoyed by his long haired rival.
The combatants were in and out of the jockeys room all day, for interviews and photos like the one we have here from the Bradley collection.
Despite riding two odds on favourites, Peter had to be content with three seconds and one third, while Langby finished the day with a winning treble. He scored on Red Retsina, Broadway Hit and Shop Talk giving him 86 wins to Cook’s 84.5.
This was the second of Langby’s four Sydney premierships. He’d ridden 104.5 winners the previous season, but his biggest score came in 1973/74 when he won 121 races, followed in 1974/75 by a haul of 107 wins.
Langby and Cook were jockeys of great talent, and very contrasting styles. Much to Tommy Smith’s delight, Langby liked to have his mounts in a forward spot, and there were few more vigorous in a tight finish.
Cook didn’t mind getting back a little on some horses and his refusal to become flustered in a tight finish was a talking point throughout his career. His mounts would often be clearly headed, only to rally in the last few strides to snatch victory.
If Langby and Cook were to be likened to a couple of safecrackers of contrasting techniques, you’d think Langby would blow the safe wide open, while Cook would pick the lock.