Melbourne Cup Trivia

The Melbourne Cup was originally held over a distance of two miles (3,218m). Following preparation for Australia's adoption of the metric system in the 1970s, the current race distance of 3,200m was established in 1972. This reduced the distance by 61ft 6in. Rain Lover's 1968 race record of 3.19.1 was adjusted accordingly to 3.17.9. The present record holder is the 1990 winner Kingston Rule, ridden to victory by Darren Beadman in a time of 3.16.3.
Seventeen horses contested the first Melbourne Cup in 1861, racing for a prize of 170 pounds and a gold watch. Folklore suggests the winner, Archer, walked 800km from Nowra to Melbourne  to compete in the race, but it is possible he travelled by ship. A crowd of 4,000 watched the race, less than expected due to news reaching Melbourne of the death of explorers Burke and Wills.
Nowra horse Archer won the inaugural Melbourne Cup in 1861 and again in 1862. Archer’s nomination form arrived late the next year, making him ineligible to compete. Many sympathetic owners boycotted the race which started with only seven horses, the smallest number in the history of the Cup.
The first four winners of the Cup each received a gold watch.

The first trophy - a silver bowl - was introduced in 1865.

The first Australian-made, gold trophy was awarded in 1876.

In 1891 the new trophy depicted a jockey receiving an olive wreath.

From 1899 the trophy took the form of silver galloping horse on a plaque.

The 1914 trophy comprised a chalice centred on a long base.

From 1915 to 1918 the Cup winner received a large rose bowl.
The current three-handled gold cup design was introduced in 1919.

MULTIPLE WINNERS    

Makybe Diva
2003, 2004, 2005
Archer
1861, 1862
Peter Pan
1932, 1934
Rain Lover
1968, 1969
Think Big
1974, 1975

The 1938 Melbourne Cup was won by the eight-year old horse Catalogue, trained by Mrs. Allan McDonald.
However, at the time women were not allowed to compete so her husband's name was officially recorded as the winning trainer.

The first woman to formally train a Melbourne Cup winner was Sheila Laxon, whose New Zealand mare Ethereal led the field home in 2001.

The Melbourne Cup has been won by a male horse 134 times - 66 stallions, 49 geldings and 19 colts.

A female horse has greeted the judge on 16 occasions - seven times since 1988.

Five-year-old horses have won the cup 43 times, four-year-olds 43 times and six-year-olds 29 times.

The most successful weight carried in cup history is 52.5kg, with nine wins.

Barrier positions were first noted in 1924. The most successful barrier number is 11 with eight wins.

Bay coloured horses have the best record with 62 wins. Brown horses have notched up 36 victories.

Carbine shouldered 65.5kg when he won the 1890 cup, a record which still stands.

Makybe Diva holds the record for a mare, carrying 58kg to victory in 2005.

31 favourites or equal favourites have won the race, but the most common winning prices have been $9 and $11, with 14 wins each. 15 winners have started at $34 or longer.

The longest priced winners in history are

  • Wotan (1936),
  • The Pearl (1871), and
  • Old Rowley(1940), all starting at $101.
In 1876 the three-year-old filly Briseis created a record that is never likely to be equalled, winning the VRC Derby, the Melbourne Cup and the VRC Oaks in the space of six days. She was ridden in the Cup by thirteen year old Peter St Albans.
The first Aboriginal jockey to win the Melbourne Cup was not Frank Reys who rode Gala Supreme to victory in 1973. It was J. Cutts, who won the first and second Melbourne Cups riding Archer in 1861 and 1862. The second Aboriginal jockey to win was Peter St. Albans riding Briseis in 1876.

Most wins by a trainer:

  • 12 - Bart Cummings (1965, 1966, 1967, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1990, 1991, 1996, 1999, 2008)
  • 5 - Etienne L. de Mestre (1861, 1862, 1867, 1877, 1878)
  • 5 - Lee Freedman (1989, 1992, 1995, 2004, 2005)