Champion jockey Jimmy Cassidy has surprised Ray Hadley with a visit to the studios and some incredible stories.

He popped his head in and shared an old tale about his 1997 Melbourne Cup victory on Might and Power.

Cassidy reveals a shock phone call to his hotel room the night before the big race.

“The phone rings… only my wife had the number and my mum and Dad,” he tells Ray.

“I picked the phone up and said, ‘hello Dad’.

“He says, ‘It’s not dad, it’s KP’, meaning Mr Kerry Packer… ‘I’ve had a small bet’.”

It turns out that “small bet” was a whopping $4 million on Cassidy to win the Cup at odds of 4 to 1.

The 1997 race is remembered as one of the greatest finishes in Cup history, with Cassidy thinking he’d lost it at the line.

Click PLAY below to see the final moments of the race

Ray told a story of his own, revealing how Jimmy is actually responsible for his 30+ year career as a rugby league commentator.

Click PLAY below to hear the fascinating interview