- 1881 MELBOURNE CUP – ZULU
- 1882 MELBOURNE CUP – THE ASSYRIAN
- 1883 MELBOURNE CUP – MARTINI-HENRI
- 1884 MELBOURNE CUP – MALUA
- 1885 MELBOURNE CUP – SHEET ANCHOR
- 1886 MELBOURNE CUP – ARESENAL
- 1887 MELBOURNE CUP – DUNLOP
- 1888 MELBOURNE CUP – MENTOR
- 1889 MELBOURNE CUP – BRAVO
- 1890 MELBOURNE CUP – CARBINE
Race Info:
Placings: 1st Place Zulu, 2nd Place The Czar, 3rd Place Sweetmeat
Jockeys: James Gough, Trahan, P. Piggott
Trainer: T. Lamond
Winner’s Time: 3:32.50
Weight: 36.29kg
Odds: 50/1
Prize money: £2,105
About:
During the 1881 Melbourne Cup race, a dog ran onto the track, causing three out of the thirty-three horses competing to fall. Jockey Dodd died from the injuries he sustained. Zulu was originally brought to the race as a stable mate for the AJC Derby winner Wheatear. Wheatear was one of the horses that fell.
1882 MELBOURNE CUP – THE ASSYRIAN
Race Info:
Placings: 1st Place The Assyrian, 2nd Place Stockwell, 3rd Place Gudarz
Jockeys: C. Hutchins, Reilly, J. Gainsford
Trainer: J. E. Saville
Winner’s Time: 3:40.00
Weight: 50.35kg
Odds: 33/1
Prize money: £2,010
About:
The Assyrian won the 1882 Melbourne Cup by half a length after battling the last 100 meters out with fellow racehorse Stockwell. 1882 also marked the first year that bookmakers were licensed by the VRC to field at Flemington. The Assyrian’s career peaked as a five year old, where he won the ARC Duke’s Handicap, the Melbourne Cup, TRC Hobart Cup, TTC Derwent Plate, and the AJC Autumn Stakes.
1883 MELBOURNE CUP – MARTINI-HENRI
Race Info:
Placings: 1st Place Martini-Henri, 2nd Place First Water, 3rd Place Commotion
Jockeys: C. Williamson, McGrade, Trahan
Trainer: M. Fennelly
Winner’s Time: 3:30.50
Weight: 46.72kg
Odds: 5/1 favourite
Prize money: £2,657
About:
1883 Melbourne Cup winner Martini-Henri was the first New Zealand-bred winner of the Cup. Named after a type of rifle, the 3 year old colt won by two lengths and his victory was so easy that his jockey never whipped him from start to finish.
Race Info:
Placings: 1st Place Malua, 2nd Place Commotion, 3rd Place Plausible
Jockeys: A. Roberston, C. Power, W. Murphy
Trainer: Isaac Foulsham
Winner’s Time: 3:31.75
Weight: 61.24kg
Odds: 6/1
Prize money: £2,477
About:
Malua proved he was a great sprinter and stayer after winning the premier sprint races, the Oakleigh Plate and Newmarket Handicap as well as the Adelaide Cup, Australian Cup and Melbourne Cup. Malua was originally named Bagot, but his owner former Premier of Tasmania J. O. Inglis changed his name as he found it to be disrespectful to the founding secretary of the VRC, R. C. Bagot.
1885 MELBOURNE CUP – SHEET ANCHOR
Race Info:
Placings: 1st Place Sheet Anchor, 2nd Place Grace Darling, 3rd Place Trenton
Jockeys: M. O’Brien, J. Williams, Robertson
Trainer: T. Wilson
Winner’s Time: 3:29.50
Weight: 49.44kg
Odds: 20/1
Prize money: £2,912
About:
The 1885 Melbourne Cup was surrounded by controversy after it was alleged that Sheet Anchor’s jockey Mick O’Brien hit runner-up Grace Darling over the head just before the finish line. However, there was no protest from Grace Darling’s owner.
Race Info:
Placings: 1st Place Arsenal, 2nd Place Trenton, 3rd Place Silvermine
Jockeys: W. English, Robertson, McGrade
Trainer: H. Rayner
Winner’s Time: 3:31.0
Weight: 46.75kg
Odds: 20/1
Prize money: £3,665
About:
With only two wins to his name before the 1886 Melbourne Cup, Arsenal was considered a lucky winner. Arsenal won the race by a neck, just beating Trenton, the future sire of Auraria and Revenue – both Melbourne Cup winners.
Race Info:
Placings: 1st Place Dunlop, 2nd Place Silvermine, 3rd Place The Australian Peer
Jockeys: T. Sanders, Robertson, Gorry
Trainer: J. Nicholson
Winner’s Time: 3:28.50
Weight: 52.16kg
Odds: 20/1
Prize money: £4,005
About:
Dunlop possessed great stamina on the track and won the 1887 Melbourne Cup with a new race record, easing his way across the track in the last few strides to win by a length. After the race, his jockey reportedly burst into tears with happiness. Dunlop possessed great stamina on the track.
Race Info:
Placings: 1st Place Mentor, 2nd Place Tradition, 3rd Place The Yeoman
Jockeys: M. O’Brien, T. Aspinall, R. Ramage
Trainer: Walter Hickenbotham
Winner’s Time: 3:30.75
Weight: 52.16kg
Odds: 7/1
Prize money: £4,885
About:
1888 was a year of prosperity for Melbourne and therefore the VRC lifted the sweepstakes for the Melbourne Cup by 3000 sovereigns, which made the Cup the most valuable race in the world. For Mentor’s trainer, Walter Hickenbotham, this would be his first out of four wins.
Race Info:
Placings: 1st Place Bravo, 2nd Place Carbine, 3rd Place Melos
Jockeys: J. Anwin, M. O’Brien, Norton
Trainer: T. Wilson
Winner’s Time: 3:32.50
Weight: 53.98kg
Odds: 8/1
Prize money: £7,237
About:
Bravo was the Melbourne Cup winner sired by a former Cup winner – Grand Flaneur. Despite his excellent pedigree, Bravo had an unlucky race career leading up to the 1889 Melbourne Cup. He sustained several injuries and just barely missed winning quite a few important races.
Race Info:
Placings: 1st Place Carbine, 2nd Place Highborn, 3rd Place Correze
Jockeys: R. Ramage, J. Egan, H. Moran
Trainer: Walter Hickenbotham
Winner’s Time: 3:28.25
Weight: 65.77kg
Odds: 4/1 favourite
Prize money: £13,230
About:
Originally from New Zealand, Carbine’s direct descendant is Phar Lap – however, it is Carbine who is regarded as the Australia’s most important race horse. He competed carrying the weight record of 65.77kg and beat 38 other runners.
