Billy Slater becomes instant success after stunning career turn for Melbourne Cup carnival

Billy Slater's new job doing horseback interviews for Channel 9 has proven a massive hit, and the NRL legend will reprise the role on Melbourne Cup day on Tuesday. Viewers were blown away on Saturday when they spotted the Melbourne Storm legend on a horse doing post-race interviews at the Victoria Derby.

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

Kah replied: “Yeah, the owner said ‘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. “It’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's connection to horse racing pays off

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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Horse racing world full of praise for Billy Slater career turn

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. “Horse racing is something I have always had a passion for,” he said earlier this year.

“I 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 on Saturday, 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.