A project from the National Museum of Australia
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The owner’s colours

Colourful and distinctive racing silks allow jockeys and their horses to be easily identified during a race. Racehorse owners register their colours with the principal racing authority in their state, after which they have exclusive rights to that combination of colours and design.

  Slideshow Take a closer look at these handmade racing silks in owner William Forrester’s colours
A postcard of The Grafter, winner of the 1898 Melbourne Cup, with his jockey wearing the Forrester colours. Forrester also won the Cup the previous year with Gaulus.   Zoom

A postcard of The Grafter, winner of the 1898 Melbourne Cup, with his jockey wearing the Forrester colours. Forrester also won the Cup the previous year with Gaulus.