MELBOURNE CUP
The first Melbourne Cup took place in 1861 when Archer rode to victory at Flemington Racecourse. Archer won his owner a gold watch and £170.
The Melbourne Cup has evolved into one of the richest and most prestigious handicap races in the world with prize money exceeding AUD$5.1 million. It attracts horses from all over the world and is enyoyed by millions of people worldwide. Betting on the Melbourne Cup generates hundreds of millions of dollars each year.
Melbourne Cup - The Birthplace of Legends
With so much at stake, the Spring Carnival has also been the birth place of legendary horses, jockeys and trainers. Phar Lap, considered the greatest racehorse in history, awed the crowds in midst of the Great Depression of the 1930’s by winning all four Spring Carnival racing days, including the Melbourne Cup. Even more impressive is that Phar Lap was carrying a 62.5 kg handicap.
The Melbourne Cup Handicap
The Melbourne Cup is a handicapped race run over 3200 metres. The more successful a horse is the more weight it has to carry. The three Spring Carnival events leading up to Melbourne Cup Day are often a good indication of a horses form, but a winner is always difficult to predict.
The Melbourne Cup has a dynamic history of champion horses, jockeys and trainers. Horses such as Phar Lap and Makybe Diva, as well as trainers like Bart Cummings have immortalised their places in history on the famed Flemington racecourse.
Phar Lap – A Legend in the Racing World
Phar Lap is an Australian cultural icon. Considered the best racehorse in history, he rode to victory in 37 out of 51 races, including in 1930 – the Melbourne Cup. Due to his overwhelming success and dominance, someone attempted to shoot Phar Lap in the same year. In 1932, Phar Lap was found in great pain by trainer Tommy Woodcock. He died later that day. There is much debate surrounding the cause of his death, but it is widely believed that Phar Lap was poisoned.
Makybe Diva – Three Time Melbourne Cup Champion
Makybe Diva is the highest stakes winner in Australasian horse racing history, winning the Melbourne Cup three times in a row (2003, 2004, 2005) and claiming victory in other high profile races including the Sydney Cup, Australian Cup and Cox Plate. She has winnings in excess of AU$14,000,000. Nicknamed “The Diva” she is also one of only five horses to win the Melbourne Cup more than once in its 145 years of racing history.
Bart Cummings – The Cup’s King
Trainer Bart Cummings is one of the most successful horse trainers in Australian history and is renowned as ‘The Cup’s King’, with an incredible eleven Melbourne Cup wins. He is still prolific in the horse racing arena.
Melbourne Cup Winners Trained by Bart Cummings:
Light Fingers (1965)
Galilee (1966)
Red Handed (1967)
Think Big (1974 & 1975)
Gold and Black (1977)
Hyperno (1979)
Kingston Rule (1990)
Let’s Elope (1991)
Saintly (1996)
Rogan Josh (1999)
Most wins by a horse
3 - Makybe Diva (GB)
2003/2004/2005
Most wins by a trainer
11 - James Bartholomew (Bart) Cummings
1999 - Rogan Josh
1996 - Saintly
1991 - Let’s Elope
1990 - Kingston Rule
1979 - Hyperno
1977 - Gold And Black
1975 - Think Big
1974 - Think Big
1967 - Red Handed
1966 - Galilee
1965 - Light Fingers
Most wins by a jockey
4 - Bobby Lewis
1927 - Trivalve
1919 - Artilleryman
1915 - Patrobas
1902 - The Victory
4 - Harry White
1979 - Hyperno
1978 - Arwon
1975 - Think Big
1974 - Think Big
Fastest Cup run
1990 – Kingston Rule 3 minutes 16.3 seconds
Biggest winning margin
8 lengths
1862 – Archer
1968 – Rain Lover
Biggest weight carried to victory
1890 – Carbine 65.5kgs
Biggest field to contest Cup
1890 – 39 runners
Smallest field to contest Cup
1863 – 7 runners
Most successful saddlecloth
No.4 and No.12 – 11 wins each
Least successful saddlecloth
No.18 and No.21 – 1 win each
Most successful barrier
No.11 – 7 wins
Least successful barrier
No.18 – no wins
