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Billy Slater in awkward moment at Melbourne Cup as fans blown away by stunning career turn

The NRL legend shocked viewers watching Channel 9's coverage of Derby Day and the Melbourne Cup.

sam goodwin
Sports Editor
·5-min read

Billy Slater ran into a small problem in his new job doing horseback interviews for Channel 9 on Melbourne Cup day - jockey James McDonald won so much he ran out of questions. The NRL legend reprised his new role on Melbourne Cup day on Tuesday, after viewers were blown away on Saturday when they spotted the former Melbourne Storm fullback on a horse doing post-race interviews at the Victoria Derby.

The overwhelming response was extremely positive, with many commending Slater and amazed at his skills as a horseman. But things got a little awkward on Tuesday when Slater half-jokingly admitted he'd run out of questions for McDonald after the jockey won two of the first three races.

Billy Slater and wife Nicole.
Billy Slater and wife Nicole have a connection to horse racing. Image: Getty

To his credit, he filled the dead air with aplomb. "It's been a good start to the carnival, and these horses are perfectly placed," McDonald told Slater. "Obviously Kris Lees, very astute trainer, and he has placed this horse to perfection, obviously from Queensland. Well found, and it was a pleasure to pick up the ride."

Slater also spoke to a number of the winning jockeys after races on Saturday, including Derby winner Jamie Kah, whose triumph aboard Goldrush Guru came after she broke her nose in a mishap before a previous race. β€œThat’s one way to get over a broken nose, is win a Group 1," Slater said.

Kah replied: β€œYeah, the owner said β€˜You know what fixes broken noses? Champagne. I’ll have plenty waiting for you when you cross the line’. So I’ll hold him for that.”

The NRL legend described it as "surreal" to get back to his roots after working as a trackwork jockey for Gai Waterhouse when he was a teenager. β€œIt’s a real surreal moment for myself actually," he said on Channel 9. "I get the opportunity to grab and talk to the jockeys directly after they win some of the biggest races of their career. We just had Damien Oliver, the legendary jockey himself, walk past and say g’day. Really pinching myself at the moment.”

Billy Slater, pictured here interviewing jockey James McDonald.
Billy Slater interviews James McDonald after the TAB Empire Rose Stakes. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Channel 9 have the broadcast rights for the Melbourne Cup carnival until 2029, after it was shown on Channel 10 for the last few years. The coverage moving over to Nine means Slater can get back into his other passion of horses. The Melbourne Storm legend is well known for his NRL and commentary careers, but he's also a massive horse racing fan and runs his own breeding stable with wife Nicole.

"It's going to be so exciting to be on the team that goes down and broadcasts the Melbourne Cup Carnival," Slater said last month. "Those four days at Flemington, it's going be really exciting to be there and bring all our viewers into the action.

"I'll get the ability to get in behind the barriers and talk to some of the jockeys after they win some of the biggest races of their life. I might find myself on a horse and get out there amongst it and give the viewers an insight into what they are thinking and how calm it can be behind a barrier. Then also how emotional it can be after a race and talking to the jockeys that work so hard to get there."

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Slater was a trackwork jockey for legendary trainer Waterhouse up until he was 16, but decided to focus on rugby league when he realised he was too heavy to be a jockey. β€œHorse racing is something I have always had a passion for,” he said earlier this year.

β€œI was 16 years old and I finished Grade 11 and left school and I was living down in Sydney on my own and working for Gai. That was a real eye-opener. To see the operation of a high-quality trainer like Gai, it probably helped me subconsciously when I went on to pursue an NRL career. I was about 70kg when I was 16, so I was never going to be a jockey.”

Fans were blown away to see him on horseback, praising his work and Channel 9's decision to use him that way. Viewers will no doubt get a shock to see him riding on the track for the race that stops the nation on Tuesday.