150th Melbourne Cup

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1861

The first running of the Melbourne Cup won by Archer trained by Etienne De Mestre.

1875

Cup is first run on a Tuesday.
Samuel Calvert. The Hill, Melbourne racecourse.
NLA

1876

The three-year-old filly Briseis created a record that is never likely to be equalled, winning the VRC Derby, Melbourne Cup and VRC Oaks in the space of six days. She was ridden by 12 year old Peter St Albans.
Australian Racing Museum Collection

1877

The first Tuesday in November was declared a public holiday in Victoria.

1880

First Melbourne Cup to attract 100,000 attendance. Cup won by the unbeaten Grand Flaneur.
Australian Racing Museum Collection

1888

Wirth's whip first presented to the winning Cup jockey (Mick O'Brien).
Australian Racing Museum Collection

1890

Carbine won the Melbourne Cup in record time (3.28.25), carrying a record weight (65.5 kg) in the biggest field ever assembled (39).
Australian Racing Museum Collection

1915

Mrs Widdis becomes the first female owner to win the Melbourne Cup when Patrobas wins.
Australian Racing Museum Collection

1925

The ABC first provides transmission of the Melbourne Cup.
Australian Racing Museum Collection.

1930

Phar Lap won the Melbourne Cup as the shortest priced favourite in the history of the race at 11/8 on. He had to be hidden away at Geelong before the race after an attempt was made to shoot him and only emerged an hour before the race time of the Cup.
Australian Racing Museum Collection.

1931

The first year the totalisator operated at the Melbourne Cup.
Courtesy Herald & Weekly Times/Argus Collection.

1946

Photo-finish System is first introduced to Flemington and operated at a Melbourne Cup.

1954

Rising Fast wins not only the Melbourne Cup, but the Turnbull Stakes, Caulfield Stakes, Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate, Mackinnon Stakes and the Fisher Plate on the final day of the Flemington Carnival.
Courtesy The Herald & Weekly Times

1958

First Cup start from starting stalls.

1965

Light Fingers wins the Melbourne Cup to provide Bart Cummings and Roy Higgins with their first wins in the race.

1972

This was the year that racing converted from imperial to metric measurements. The Cup distance was changed from 2 miles to 3200 metres.

1979

Harry White combines with the master Bart Cummings to win his fourth Melbourne Cup, equalling the wins in the Cup for a jockey.

1985

Princess Diana and Prince Charles at the Melbourne Cup. Prize money was valued at $1,000,000 for the first time.

1987

The 1987 Cup was a record thirty-fourth, and final, to be called by one of Australia's greatest racecallers, Bill Collins

1990

Kingston Rule runs the fastest time to win the Cup in 3 minutes 16.3 seconds.
Australian Racing Museum Collection.

2001

Sheila Laxon, with Ethereal, becomes the first woman to train a Melbourne Cup winner.

2003

Biggest crowd recorded at Flemington on Cup Day - 122,736.

2005

Makybe Diva becomes the first horse to win three Melbourne Cups (2003, 2004 & 2005). She breaks her own weight carrying record for a mare to victory by winning with 58kg. Glen Boss becomes the first jockey to win three Cups in a row.

2006

Delta Blues becomes the first Japanese horse to win the Melbourne Cup (G1)

2007

Efficient becomes the first horse since Phar Lap to win the Derby and Cup in successive years.

2008

Bart Cummings wins his 12th Cup, with Viewed winning by a nose over Bauer. Jockey Blake Shinn wins his first Cup.

2010 schedule of events

In the 150th Melbourne Cup year there will be two commemorative productions by which you can learn about the vast history of the Melbourne Cup race.

Both the DVD and the Book will both share the same title of The Story of the Melbourne Cup - Australia's Greatest Race. Each provides an excellent expose on Australia's great horse race.

The DVD has been written and produced by Channel 7 feature reporter, Neil Kearney and follows the cultural and social development of the Melbourne Cup race. It features interviews with all the prominent players in Melbourne Cup history including the great Bart Cummings, Lee Freedman, Damien Oliver, Dermot Weld, Roy Higgins and Michael Rodd. It looks at the cultural impact the Cup has made since its inception back in 1861 and profiles the unique stories which have woven a unique history surrounding the greatest handicap two mile horse race in the world.

The DVD will be distributed by Village Roadshow in Australia. Its expected release will be August, 2010.

The book, of the same title, exposes the historical links to the Melbourne Cup which has made the race what we know it today. Archer, Carbine, Phar Lap, Rising Fast and Makybe Diva are just a few of the luminaries captured in this quality production. Additional features on Bart Cummings, Lloyd Williams and Etienne De Mestre makes the production a much sort after book. A timeline approach to all the decades also provides a chronological account of each of the 149 Melbourne Cups run the date.

The book is published by Slattery Media Group features many of Australia's great sporting and racing writers; imagery from the Herald and Weekly Times and will be distributed through leading retail outlets across Australia.

All VRC Members have the opportunity to purchase The Story of the Melbourne Cup, Australia's Greatest Race, at a discounted price of $89.95 (RRP $99.95) including free delivery (Australia-wide)*. Orders received after March 12, 2010 will be delivered in line with the books release into bookstores.

Don't miss out, Order Today!

*Free delivery applies to postage within Australia only.

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Melbourne Cup 150th