Harold Lindsay Badger (10 October 1907 – 13 December 1981) was an Australian jockey, famous for riding the champion racehorse

Ajax Ajax may refer to: Greek mythology and tragedy * Ajax the Great, a Greek mythological hero, son of King Telamon and Periboea * Ajax the Lesser, a Greek mythological hero, son of Oileus, the king of Locris * ''Ajax'' (play), by the ancient Greek ...

in many of his wins. Badger was born at Northcote, Melbourne, the third of eight children. Two of his brothers, Clarence and Eric, also became jockeys. Apprenticed at 14 to Richard Bradfield, he often raced in

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...

, winning the

Adelaide Cup The Adelaide Cup is a South Australian Jockey Club Group 2 Thoroughbred handicap horse race for three-year-olds and older, run over 3,200 metres at Morphettville Racecourse in Adelaide, Australia on the second Monday in March. Total prize money ...

in 1925. Granted his senior jockey's licence in 1927, he moved to Adelaide and was immediately successful, winning the South Australian jockey's premiership in his first season. He returned to Victoria, but had few opportunities in major races as the number-two jockey for trainer Lou Robertson, so he turned freelance in 1936. That year he won the

Caulfield Cup The Caulfield Cup is a Melbourne Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held under handicap conditions, although the Melbourne Racing Club is in the process of turning the race into weight for age (WFA) conditions. This is for all horses ...

on Northwind. With Ajax's regular jockey, Maurice McCarten unavailable, Badger was given the ride in the 1937

Victoria Derby The Victoria Derby, also known as the Penfolds Victoria Derby, is a Victoria Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held under Set Weights conditions over a distance of 2,500 metres at Flemington Racecourse, in Melbour ...

, finishing a close second. This was the start of his association with Ajax, and he went on to win 30 of 37 races on him, finishing second five times and third twice. Possibly the most famous of these races was the 1939

Rawson Stakes The Ranvet Stakes is an Australian Turf Club Group 1 Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds and older over a distance of 2,000 metres, held at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse in Sydney, Australia in March. Total prize money is A$7 ...

, where Ajax finished second, despite starting favourite at 40/1 on. His success with Ajax put him in great demand with Victorian owners and trainers, and he won his first Victorian jockey's premiership in the 1938-39 season. He went on to win the premiership a further five times. His major race wins included the Caulfield Cup, the

Moonee Valley Cup The Moonee Valley Gold Cup is a registered Moonee Valley Racing Club Group 2 Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged four-years-old and upwards under Set Weights with penalties conditions, over a distance of 2,500 metres, held annually at Moone ...

, the

Brisbane Cup The Brisbane Cup is a Brisbane Racing Club Group 2 The term Group 2 may refer to: * Alkaline earth metal, a chemical element classification * Astronaut Group 2, also known as The New Nine, the second group of astronauts selected by NASA in 1962 ...

, the

Doncaster Handicap The Doncaster Mile, registered as the Doncaster Handicap is an Australian Turf Club Group One Thoroughbred handicap race for horses three years old and older, held over 1,600 metres at Royal Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia. Although the ra ...

, the

Epsom Handicap The Epsom Handicap is an Australian Turf Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for horses three years old and older, under handicap conditions over a distance of 1,600 metres at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia in early October. Prize money i ...

, the

W S Cox Plate The W. S. Cox Plate is a Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged three years old and over under Weight for age conditions, over a distance of 2040 metres (approximately 1m 2f), that is held by the Moonee Valley Racing Club at Mo ...

, the

Newmarket Handicap The Newmarket Handicap is a Victoria Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred open handicap horse race over a distance of 1200 metres, at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia on Super Saturday in March during the VRC Autumn Racing Carnival. Prize ...

(all twice) and the Futurity Stakes (three times).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Badger, Harold 1907 births 1981 deaths Australian jockeys Australian Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame inductees People from Northcote, Victoria Jockeys from Melbourne Sportsmen from Victoria (state)