Darby__In a Life Time__Ken Callander

Through Darby McCarthy life, on his own merit and his incredible riding ability he was able to travel the world meet the most remarkable people, and become a legend.

• At the age of 10years he had rode his first winner of (over) 1000 winning rides in Australia, England and France.

• His horse falling in a field of 32 in front of one hundred and one thousand people who packed Flemington race course for the 1960 Melbourne Centenary cup, 16year old Darby McCarthy fall changed the running field to 24 horses forever in the rules of the Australian turf.

• Creating history 1969 by winning the Epsom (Brokers Tip) and AJC Derby (Divide and Rule) double at Randwick on the same (day) meeting, back to back rides.

• Darby McCarthy record winning rider of three (3) Stradbroke’s.

• His racing life plunged into controversy and personal dramas, with a court case the longest every run by the VRC (Victorian Racing Club) 3 months from which he was suspended for seven (7) years.

Darby McCarthy (the Boy from Cunnamulla) life journey is one of extraordinary achievement and purpose, and told on an international stage.

The international interest in the Darby McCarthy story "In a Life Time", is very strong; Darby left Australia by invitation to ride in France and England with great success, being an indigenous man made his presence on the international scene quite a remarkable achievement based on the times.

To see and witness the extraordinary life and times of the young fella from Cunnamulla Darby McCarthy, who took on the sport of kings as his life’s passion, to travel the world, Darby always said without the infinity which he found as a young fella with his original night horse on Yakara station nurtured by Ma and Pa Easton at Thargomindah, his life could have been very different.