Twenty-year-old apprentice jockey Jabez Johnstone will ride Mr Monaco in the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday, after receiving death threats following a tragic horse death in the Caulfield Cup. Johnstone was accused online of causing the mid-race crash that brought down two horses and their jockeys, but was later cleared by Racing Victoria stewards of any blame.
Johnstone, a second-year apprentice from Tasmania, found support from his family and trainers. His sister Taylor, a senior rider in South Australia, told him: "mate, the best jockey in the world [Zac Purton] is getting criticised for his ride on his horse in the Everest as well, so it's just a part of racing, and you've just got to try and shut it out." His first trainer Sarah Cotton said when someone is getting death threats and hate messages it affects anybody, especially at his age. "We just kept saying, 'you're not doing anything wrong. Keep your head down, keep working.'"
Johnstone entered racing after his sister encouraged him to try it. After a year trail-riding with coach Stephen Maskiell and an apprenticeship with Cotton in Tasmania, he transferred his apprenticeship to ride solely for Ciaron Maher in May. Within months he qualified for the Melbourne Cup by winning the Bart Cummings on Mr Monaco.
With the backing of Maher, Johnstone turned out on Cox Plate day and almost won the Moonee Valley Gold Cup on Mr Monaco, showing he had bounced back from the ordeal. "That's a true testament to him and his strength that he was able to put that behind him and keep going out and riding and not worrying about it," Cotton said.
Johnstone's apprentice coach Maskiell dismissed critics who argued apprentices should not ride in elite group 1 races after the Caulfield Cup incident. He noted that Kerrin McEvoy was 20 when he won the Melbourne Cup in 2000, and said he believes everyone will get behind Johnstone because they feel it is part of Tasmania.
Johnstone himself acknowledged the difficulty of the abuse. "Most of the people who write those comments have no clue what they're talking about, but it can be hard," he said. "You've just got to sit back and try and ignore it best you can, and just overcome it. The support I've got from everyone was immense."
His sister Taylor said she would not miss watching him in the Cup for the world. "I wouldn't miss it for the world," she said.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The Melbourne Cup is Australia's most famous horse race, and the comeback of a young apprentice jockey who overcame online abuse highlights the human side of the sport.
- The incident underscores the vulnerability of athletes to online harassment, even when they are cleared of any fault.
- It demonstrates the importance of family and mentorship in helping young athletes navigate public pressure.
Background
The Melbourne Cup is an annual turf horse race held in Victoria, Australia. Jabez Johnstone, 20, is a second-year apprentice jockey from Tasmania who started racing two years ago. He qualified for the 2026 Melbourne Cup by winning the Bart Cummings on Mr Monaco. His first Group 1 race was at the Caulfield Cup, where a tragic horse death occurred and he was accused online of causing a crash, but he was later cleared by Racing Victoria stewards.
Key Perspectives
- Racing Victoria stewards: Cleared Johnstone and all riders involved in the Caulfield Cup crash of any blame.
- Anonymous online critics: Accused Johnstone of causing the mid-race interference.
- Stephen Maskiell, apprentice coach: Argues that apprentices should not be excluded from elite group 1 races, noting that Kerrin McEvoy was 20 when he won the Melbourne Cup. He said he believes everyone will get behind Johnstone as part of Tasmania.
What to Watch
- Johnstone's performance in the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday riding Mr Monaco, after his near-win on the same horse at Moonee Valley.
- Whether the online abuse continues or diminishes following the stewards' clearing and his public response.
- Potential scrutiny on the role of apprentice jockeys in high-stakes races.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 11 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedThe headline says Jabez Johnstone will ride in the Melbourne Cup after receiving death threats.The Age - Latest News: “His phone lit up with a series of death threats and vile social media abuse in the aftermath of a tragic horse death in the Caulfield Cup. [...] On Tuesday, he will ride the same horse in the Melbourne Cup.”
- SupportedThe summary says Racing Victoria stewards cleared Johnstone of blame in the Caulfield Cup incident.The Age - Latest News: “Two days later Johnstone and all riders involved in the Cup crash were cleared by Racing Victoria stewards of any blame.”
- SupportedJohnstone is 20 and an apprentice from Tasmania.The Age - Latest News: “But the 20-year-old’s meteoric rise from the backblocks of Tasmania”
- SupportedThe story says Johnstone was accused online of causing the mid-race incident that led to two horses and their jockeys crashing.The Age - Latest News: “Many accused the second-year apprentice of causing the mid-race interference that led to two horses and their jockeys crashing to the turf.”
- SupportedTaylor told Johnstone: “mate, the best jockey in the world [Zac Purton] is getting criticised for his ride on his horse in the Everest as well, so it's just a part of racing, and you've just got to try and shut it out.”The Age - Latest News: “‘mate, the best jockey in the world [Zac Purton] is getting criticised for his ride on his horse in the Everest as well, so it’s just a part of racing, and you’ve just got to try and shut it out’.”
- SupportedCotton said death threats and hate messages affect anybody, especially someone Johnstone’s age.The Age - Latest News: ““When you’re getting death threats and hate messages, or you can’t even open social media without seeing your name everywhere, I think it affects anybody, especially someone at his age,” Cotton told this masthead.”
- SupportedCotton said: “We just kept saying, 'you're not doing anything wrong. Keep your head down, keep working.'”The Age - Latest News: ““We just kept saying, ‘you’re not doing anything wrong. Keep your head down, keep working.’””
- SupportedJohnstone transferred his apprenticeship to ride solely for Ciaron Maher in May.The Age - Latest News: “Since transferring his apprenticeship from Cotton to ride solely for Maher in May”
- SupportedJohnstone qualified for the Melbourne Cup by winning the Bart Cummings on Mr Monaco.The Age - Latest News: “landing two group 3 races in October, including qualifying Mr Monaco for the Melbourne Cup by winning the Bart Cummings at Flemington.”
- Partly supportedMaskiell said he believes everyone will get behind Johnstone because they feel it is part of Tasmania.The Age - Latest News: ““I think everyone, you know, any racing enthusiast or punter will get behind Jabez riding the Melbourne Cup because they feel it’s part of Tasmania.””
- SupportedJohnstone said: “Most of the people who write those comments have no clue what they're talking about, but it can be hard,” and “You've just got to sit back and try and ignore it best you can, and just overcome it. The support I've got from everyone was immense.”The Age - Latest News: ““Most of the people who write those comments have no clue what they’re talking about, but it can be hard,” he said. “You’ve just got to sit back and try and ignore it best you can, and just overcome it. The support I’ve got from everyone was immense.””
- SupportedTaylor said: “I wouldn't miss it for the world.”The Age - Latest News: ““I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” she said.”