Craig Williams: 2019 Lexus Melbourne Cup glory

For champion jockey Craig Williams, the Lexus Melbourne Cup was the one that got away—until it didn’t.

In 2019, after 15 previous attempts, Williams finally won the race that stops a nation® aboard Vow And Declare, a locally bred stayer with grit, stamina, and a will to win.

“When you start doing your form for the Melbourne Cup,” Williams says, “you’re not thinking it’s the Cup—you’re just doing your homework for another two-mile race.” But he adds, “If you’re lucky enough to win it, it does change your life.”

In the lead-up to the race, there was uncertainty about whether Vow And Declare would even make the final field. But trainer Danny O’Brien remained calm. “He said, ‘Craig, we’ve done everything we can. He either gets in or he doesn’t,’” Williams recalls.

There were no detailed riding instructions. “He said, ‘You know the horse. The barrier’s the barrier.’ That was it.” Williams trusted his instincts—and the horse.

From the moment the gates flew open, Williams was focused. He knew Vow And Declare wasn’t a fast finisher. “He didn’t have great acceleration,” he explains. “He stayed really well, so I was always working on him.”

With 400 metres to go, Frankie Dettori made his move, shooting to the lead. “He put a couple of lengths on us. I thought, ‘Just keep urging him along—we’ll be there somewhere.’”

Then came a late charge from Prince of Arran. “I thought it was going to be between Frankie and Prince of Arran—but I was still there, hanging in.”

Inside the famous Flemington clocktower, the field tightened. “Vow And Declare was chugging through his gears. Then suddenly, it felt like we were on a boat—the whole field shifted and we got bumped. Next thing, we surged—and we were in front.”

And just like that, after years of trying, Craig Williams had won the 2019 Lexus Melbourne Cup.

What made the moment even more special? Vow And Declare was an Aussie battler—Australian-bred, trained, and ridden. “To win on an Aussie horse was amazing,” Williams says. “The Europeans had dominated for years.”

He adds, “Every time I ride overseas, I feel like I’m representing Australia. But to win our race, against the best in the world—that’s something else.”

The dream had come true. A win for persistence, pride, and one unforgettable horse.

“To win the Melbourne Cup… it means everything.”