Neville Sellwood

The son of a popular Brisbane trainer, Neville Sellwood began his apprenticeship with Jim Shean in Brisbane in the early 1940s. After a stint in Townsville (where he won the premiership three times) during WWII, Sellwood moved to Sydney where he linked with great trainer Maurice McCarten. They had more than 200 winners together and were associated with the champion two-year-old Todman, regarded by many as the greatest sprinter ever produced in Australia. Even though he was stable rider for McCarten his services were keenly sought by all the leading stables including Tommy Smith. Sellwood won the 1957 Caulfield Cup on Tulloch for T.J. in a performance rated as world class.

Sellwood rode with great success in England, France and the USA. When riding in France he had a very successful association with legendry French trainer Alex Head who has always claimed that Sellwood was the best jockey he had ever seen. He won the Sydney jockeys' premiership six times.

He was killed in a race fall in November 1962 at Maison Lafitte in France. Sellwood was leading the French jockeys' premiership at the time and had bypassed the Melbourne Spring Carnival to concentrate on winning the title. Yves St. Martin who won the jockey premiership that year later presented the Championship trophy to Sellwood's widow claiming that morally Sellwood was the champion. He was only 39 when he died but had ridden about 1500 winners including 84 Group 1 races remarkable when you consider how tragedy cut short his career when he was at his absolute best. His best winners included:

OVERSEAS

ENGLISH DERBY: Larkspur

AUSTRALIA

MELBOURNE CUP: Delta, Toporoa

CAULFIELD CUP: Grey Boots, Basha Felika, Tulloch

COX PLATE: Noholme, Tulloch

GOLDEN SLIPPER: Todman

VRC DERBY: Delta, Prince Morvi, Sailor's Guide, Travel Boy, Sky High

VRC SIRES': Knave, Travel Boy, Wenona Girl, Emblem

VRC ST LEGER: Delta, Sailor's Guide, Reinsman

VRC NEWMARKET: Correct

AUSTRALIAN CUP: Gaybao

FUTURITY STAKES: Todman, Prince Courtauld

AJC DERBY: Prince Morvi, Deep River

AJC EPSOM: Noholme, Knave, Silver Phantom, Titanic

AJC METROPOLITAN: Delta, Monte Carlo

DONCASTER: Bernbrook

AJC SIRES': Wenona Girl

SYDNEY CUP: Sailor's Guide, Gold Scheme, Grand Garry

AJC OAKS: Pique, Deelweiss, Persist, Sweet Chime

CHAMPAGNE STAKES: Noholme, Todman, Knave, Prince Cortauld

ROSEHILL GUINEAS: Wenona Girl

CANTERBURY GUINEAS: Todman

ALL AGED STAKES: Noholme, Sky High

AJC QUEEN ELIZABETH STAKES: Tulloch

GEORGE MAIN STAKES: Montana, Gendarme, Amanullah

CHIPPING NORTON STAKES: Tulloch

FLIGHT STAKES: Wenona Girl

GEORGE RYDER STAKES: Grecian Vale

FISHER PLATE: Tulloch

MACKINNON STAKES: Delta, Monte Carlo, Tulloch

VRC LIGHTNING: Todman

QTC DERBY: Travel Boy

STRADBROKE: Grey Ghost

BRISBANE CUP: Cambridge

QTC SIRES': Prince Morvi

DOOMBEN 10,000: In Love, El Khobar II

DOOMBEN CUP: Prince Delville, Tossing

ADELAIDE CUP: Spearfolio