The Cup Since 1861

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30588, 3 November 1964, Page 4

The Cup Since 1861

This year the Melbourne Cup is worth £25,000 and a £750 trophy. The first Melbourne Cup, run on Thursday, November 7, 1861, was for “a sweepstake of 20 sovereigns, 10 sovereigns forfeit or five sovereigns if declared with 200 sovereigns added. A crowd estimated at 4000 saw the 1861 race which was won by the Sydney stayer, Archer. ¥ ¥ * Three-year-olds have won the Melbourne Cup 23 times, four-year-olds 28 times, five-year-olds 82 times, six-year-olds 16 times and aged horses eight times. ¥ ¥ ¥ E. de Mestre holds the training record for the Melbourne Cup. He led in Archer (twice), Tim Whiffler, Chester and I Calamia. ¥ ¥ ¥ The mighty Phar Lap has i the distinction of being the hottest favourite to win the Melbourne Cup. He was 11/8 on when he scored with 9-12 in 1930. He started at even money the year before, when third to Nightmarch. ¥ ¥ ¥ Bobby Lewis won the Melbourne Cup four times, on The Victory, Patrobas, Artilleryman and Trivalve. Darby Munro and Jack Purtell each won three Cups. ¥ ¥ ¥ Highest weights carried to success in the Melbourne Cup are by the great Carbine (10-5, in 1890); Archer (10-2, in 1862); Poitrel (10-0, in 1920); Phar Lap (9-12, in 1930) and Peter Pan (9-10, in

ankle-deep mud, in 1934). In recent years champions Redcraze (10-3) finished second in 1956 and Rising Fast (10-0) second in 1955. ¥ ¥ ¥

Lightest weights carried to success in the Melbourne Cup are the remarkable “featherweight” of 54 by Banker (1863); 5-10 by Zulu (1881): 6-0 by Nimblefoot (1870); and 6-3 by Lantern (1864). ¥ ¥ ¥

Martini Henry won the Victoria Derby and Melbourne Cup in 1883 . . . they were his first two appearances in races. The Cup was postponed in 1870 and 1916.