Melbourne Cup

Might and Power, winner in 1997

The first Melbourne Cup was celebrated in 1861, in Flemington. The legend tells that the first winner of the race, Archer, walked from Nowra to Flemington in order to participate in the race, that is, 850 Km. of distance.

About 4,000 persons were present in this first edition with 17 horses and before of the race, Twilight fell to his jockey and gave a complete round to the track, while two horses, Dispatch and Medora, suffered a tragic fall and died in the racecourse.

In the next year, Archer repeated the victory with J.Cutts on the saddle, and again there were rumors that he had made the trip walking from Nowra, though many persons thought that he travelled in a ship in an anonymous way.

In spite that the intention of his owner was to run the third Melbourne Cup, he was not able arrive on time to the race due to a technical mistake, and many owners decided not to run as a solidarity proof, even their horses were ready in the stalls, and for this reason, this edition only was disputed by seven horses.

When Archer was 10 years old, was retired from the racecourses and he went to the Stud. In 1.984 was made a film with the name, Archer's Adventure.

What is certain is that the day of the Melbourne Cup is the Tuesday most famous of Australia. In this day, all nation is paralysed to enjoy with the race, either live, listening to the radio or watching the TV, the first Tuesday of November at 3:20 p.m.

In Melbourne, the day of the Cup, is a Racing Festival, where the champagne, the beautiful women, the hats, snacks, the fashion and above all, the great races stop all a country, Australia and, also New Zealand.

The Melbourne Cup is one the most famous races in the world, and one of the most important in prizes. The total prize money awarded in 2005 and 2006 was AUD$5 million, plus trophies valued at AUD$ 100,000. As of May 7th, 2008, the Melbourne cup's prize money increased 10% to AUD$ 5.5 million with First place increasing 10% to AUD$ 3.3 million dollars. The prizemoney for places Second to Tenth have been adjusted upwards in a percentage formula commensurate with the various placings. The race carries a AUD$ 500,000 bonus to the owner for any horse that can win the Irish St Leger (G1) and the Melbourne Cup in the one year. The race is running over 3,200 meters, that is, 16 furlongs and it is a handicap, what means the best horse of the race must carry more weight that the rest.

The total prize for 2010 edition was increased to AUD$ 6,000,000.

Phar-Lap in 1930 won by 3 lenghts the Cup in the presence of 72,358 persons but he was not able to do the same a year later when the handicappers assigned to him a weight of 68 kilos, winning this year White Nose.

Saintly winning in 1996

In 1867, there was a curious case in the dispute of the race, in which ran two horses with the same name, both were called Tim Whiffler. One of them, the son of New Warrior, won and the other arrived in the fifth place.One day, in order to know who was who, they were called Melbourne Tim and Sydney Tim.

In 1876, nine horses who were transported by ship to Melbourne, died drowned due to a strong storm which caused the shipwreck of the ship. Only two of them could escape, and one was a colt (Angler - Chrysolite), who was called Robinson Crusoe, with success in the tracks and in the Stud.

Histories about the Cup there are so many, that a book could be written. So, for example, the highest weight that had to support a horse was 10,5 stones, and he was, the great Carbine.

 
· The edition of the year 2010 has been the number 150 of the Melbourne Cup, disputed in Flemington Racecourse.

· The quickest race was in 1990 with 3:16.3, won by Kingston Rule, ridden by D. Beadman and the preparation of J.B. Cummings.

· The lowest weight with which a horse has won the Melbourne Cup was in 1863, the colt of three years old, Banker, with 34 kilos, followed by Zulu with 36.5 kilos who was the winner in 1881.

· Only six mares have won the rance since 1965, Light Fingers in 1965, Empire Rose in 1988, Lets Elope in 1991, Jezabeel in 1998, Ethereal in 2001, and Makybe Diva in 2003, 2004 and 2005

· From the dispute of the first edition of the Cup in 1861, only 14 mares have won the race, 10 mares and 3 fillies of 3 years old, these last were, Briseis in 1876, Auraria in 1895 and Sister Olive in 1918.

· Only one mare has won the race three times, Makybe Diva in 2003, 2004 and 2005.

· The biggest margin of distance whereby a horse has won the Cup, there was in 1862 Archer and in 1968 Rain Lover, who won their respective races by 8 lenghts, followed by Colonous who won in 1942 by 7 lenghts. By 6 lenghts won, Russia in 1946, Artilleryman in 1919, Newhaven in 1896 and Archer in 1861.

· There are 4 horses who won during two year in a consecutive way, Archer in 1861-62, Rain Lover in 1968-69, Think Big in 1974-75 but Makybe Diva won three consecutives years (2003, 2004 and 2005).

· Peter Pan won also won twice, in 1932 and 1934, although not in a consecutive way.

· Only one lady has ridden in the Melbourne Cup, and she was the New Zealand jockey, Maree Lyndon, in 1987, who ridden Argonaut Style, but she did not place in the race.

· The horse who more editions of the Melbourne Cup has disputed was Shadow King, who run in six occasions, the last with ten years old, with two second, two third, one fourth and one sixth.

· In 1985, the Melbourne Cup arrived to be the first Australian race of more of a million dollars.

· The first trophy of the race, which was given to the Archer's owner in 1.861 was a wristwatch of gold hand made and not a cup as is given now.The first cup was given in 1.916, to the owner of Sasanof.

· Two jockeys have achieved to obtain 4 victories each one in the Cup, Harry White and Bobby Lewis. The first won with Think Big in 1974-75, in 1978 with Arwon and in 1979 with Hyperno. The second did it in 1902 with The Victory, 1915 with Patrobas, 1919 with Artilleryman and in 1927 with Trivalve.

· The race is run the first Tuesday of November, but in five occasions it has been postponed. In 1870, was postponed one week due to the rain and in 1916, by the same reason, it was translated to the following Saturday; and in the years of the World War, 1942-45, the race was run on Saturday, too.

. Delta Blues (2006) became the first Asian-trained horse to win Australia's richest and most famous horse race.