Ken Russell, the man they called ‘The Monto Marvel’.
The Australian racing industry was stunned by the loss of Ken Russell who lost his life in a freakish race fall at Rosehill on October 9th 1993, aged 42.
Just 35 minutes earlier Ken had won a race on the Jack Denham trained Whivory, in the colours of his great friends Geoff and Beryl White.
His career began in Central Queensland in 1972. He rode 500 winners in the region before moving to the Gold Coast where he put together four premiership wins in consecutive seasons. Later he managed to win a Brisbane Jockeys Premiership while based on the Gold Coast.
It was Rosehill trainer Dr. Geoff Chapman who enticed Ken to Sydney where his talents were quickly acknowledged. He forged strong stable affiliations with Brian Mayfield Smith at Nebo Lodge, and later with the enigmatic Jack Denham.
Ken’s winner tally was 1804. He rode four winners in a day on twenty four occasions and posted 106 trebles. His Group 1 victories were Doncaster (Merimbula Bay), Queensland Derby (Hidden Rhythm), two Queensland Oaks (Round The World and Triumphal March), Goodwood Hcp (Euclase), Spring Champion Stakes (Sakana) and George Ryder Stakes (Bureaucracy).
Add to that, two Magic Millions classics on Malibu Magic and Sea Cabin.
Nicknamed “the farmer” by fellow jockey Malcolm Johnston, Ken was a humble, straight forward bloke who liked nothing more than a cold beer and a sing-song around the piano.