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The Melbourne Cup

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

'…and here comes Kiwi out of the blue!'

The Melbourne Cup is described in Australia as ‘the race that stops a nation’. But the Cup has become just as much a part of New Zealand life. On the first Tuesday in November every year, at around 5 p.m., New Zealand and Australia come to a standstill for about 3 minutes and 20 seconds for the call of the Melbourne Cup.

Carbine and the 1890 Melbourne Cup

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

The racehorse Carbine, photographed in England around 1900, probably at Welbeck Stud. The monogrammed saddle rug carries the initial of the horse's then owner, the Duke of Portland.

Modern-day fields in the Melbourne Cup are limited to 24 horses. When Carbine won in 1890 he was in a field of 39. Carbine set a new race record despite carrying 66kg. No other winner has carried as much weight. Carbine was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame.

Martini Henry wins 1883 Melbourne Cup

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

A report on New Zealand's first Melbourne Cup winner, Martini Henry, in the Grey River Argus, 12 November 1883.

Martini Henry was the first New Zealand-bred winner of the Melbourne Cup. But it was not until 1907 that a New Zealand-owned horse, Apologue, won the race. In 1916 Sasanof became the first winner to be bred, owned and trained in New Zealand.

Ethereal wins the 2001 Melbourne Cup

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

Ethereal wins the 2001 Melbourne Cup

The Caulfield and Melbourne Cup double is considered the holy grail of Australasian racing. Eight of the 11 horses to win the double have been New Zealand-bred. In 2001 New Zealander Sheila Laxon was officially recognised as the first woman to train a winner of the Melbourne Cup with Ethereal. The 1938 winner, Catalogue, was trained by Mrs A. McDonald, but because at that time women were not permitted to be registered trainers, the horse appeared under her husband's name.

Empire Rose wins the 1988 Melbourne Cup

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

Empire Rose wins the 1988 Melbourne Cup.

In 1988 Empire Rose defeated weight-for-age stars Vo Rogue and Sky Chase in the MacKinnon Stakes, one of the important lead-up races to the Melbourne Cup. Three days later she held off a determined Natski to become the first mare to win the Cup since 1965.

Kiwi wins the 1983 Melbourne Cup

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

Kiwi wins the 1983 Melbourne Cup.

Live television coverage certainly helped raise the profile of the Melbourne Cup in this country – as exemplified by Kiwi’s victory in 1983. Kiwi was last at the turn, and its dash to victory was barely picked up by the commentators until the last few strides

As the field was within sight of the finish, the commentator suddenly yelled ‘and here comes Kiwi out of the blue’ to signal one of the greatest-ever finishes in the history of the Cup.

Van der Hum wins 1976 Melbourne Cup

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

Van der Hum wins 1976 Melbourne Cup.

The 1976 Melbourne Cup was one of the wettest on record. The visibility
was so poor that the commentator could not pick up any of the runners
until the closing stages of the race. The Kiwi stayer Van der Hum
revelled in the wet and was kicked home by champion New Zealand jockey
Bob Skelton.

Phar Lap wins the 1930 Melbourne Cup

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

Phar Lap wins the 1930 Melbourne Cup.

Of the 41 Kiwi-bred winners of the Melbourne Cup, Phar Lap perhaps stands out from the rest. Timaru-born, he became a ray of sunshine during the lean years of the Great Depression.

In his first attempt at the Melbourne Cup in 1929 Phar Lap finished third behind another Kiwi-bred horse, Nightmarch. The latter could have become a true champion on the Australasian scene had he not had the misfortune to race at the same time as Phar Lap, who between 1930 and 1932 won 33 out of 35 races.

Further information - Melbourne Cup

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

This web feature was written by Steve Watters and produced by the NZHistory.net.nz team.