Always a bookies favourite, one of the country’s best hoops and WA horseracing legend Damian Oliver has some great chances in Saturday’s Cox Plate and the Melbourne Cup on the first Tuesday in November.

Fresh from turning 50, Oliver told Mornings host Liam Bartlett and 6PR sports commentator Brad Hardie he was forced to watch his diet and exercise to make the weight for his Melbourne Cup hope Durston, revealing his normal weight when waking up in the morning is 57kg, with the Caulfield Cup winner at 53.5kg.

After leaving Perth when he was 16, Oliver has rarely missed a Spring Carnival since, with injury and a stint in Hong Kong the only two times in 34 years he has missed the year’s biggest carnival.

Tap PLAY to hear Oliver reveal the best horse he’s ridden

“As long as I’m continuing to get reasonable opportunities and the mind and the body is feeling good, then I’ll keep going,” he said.