The champion jockey is one of eight to have ridden the 'big four' of Australian racing, taking three Melbourne Cups, four Caulfield Cups, two Cox Plates and a Golden Slipper.
Add to that 10 Melbourne Jockeys' Premierships, 11 Scobie Breasley Medals for riding excellence, 128 Group 1 wins along with a record 84 wins during the Melbourne Cup Carnival and it is why Oliver has the monicker of 'The Goat' (Greatest Of All Time), something he feels is more about a slow horse, but as a compliment he is happy to accept it.
"When I woke up this morning, I thought I woke up to my own eulogy with all the media that was going on. It's been quite amazing," Oliver said.
Oliver thought about retirement last season, but a winter break and holiday renewed his enthusiasm.
He had thought about slipping out quietly, but thought he owed the industry more.
"After the break I felt refreshed, and I thought I had another good spring carnival in me at least," Oliver said.
"I had thoughts of whether to go out quietly, which is a little bit more my style, and I would have been happy to do that, but I feel the industry has been so good to me that it would have been a bit selfish, and I owed it a bit more than that.
"I feel I can give it one last crack and still feel there is a little bit more left in the tank to have one last crack at a spring and then finish up in Perth. That sounded right to me where it all started 35 or 36 years ago."