And…they’re off! It’s Melbourne Cup Time again!
There have been so many memorable Melbourne Cup moments since the race began in 1861. Let’s look back now at a few of the best stories that contribute to this being one of the most exciting and talked-about races in the World.
It’s 2015 and the rank outsider was a horse called The Prince of Penzance. This is a horse who had only won once at Flemington in his six previous starts and was at 100:1 odds in the Cup. No-one gave him a chance, particularly against the international favourite – Japan’s Fame Game. But – despite the odds – the Prince of Penzance stole victory – much to his trainer, Darren Weir’s delight. But that’s not the only remarkable story about this Melbourne Cup. This was the race where Michelle Payne became the first female to ever win a Melbourne Cup. The victory all the sweeter due to the derision and scorn she endured after Darren Weir named her as the jockey. The detractors certainly got their due come-uppance though – one of the most amazing and thrilling victories and one that will live on in our hearts for a very long time. To make the story even more special, it was her young brother, Stevie who suffers from Down’s Syndrome who was chosen to draw the Barrier. He drew a very handy Barrier 2 and although it didn’t look good in the early stages of the race, fate and good fortune triumphed. The Prince of Penzance was sitting back at 10th on the fence and things looked hopeless. But, coming around the turn, Payne saw a gap and waited for her moment. She urged her horse on and he responded brilliantly. A truly remarkable effort and one that is still talked about. If you are feeling lucky this Cup…a dollar on a 100:1 shot may be the best bet of all…
When we think of memorable Melbourne Cup winners it’s hard to go past our favourite mare – Makybe Diva. She became the only horse in the history of the Melbourne Cup to claim victory an amazing three times – and she did it with the top weight of 58kg too. As one of the commentators aptly said on her win “A Champion just became a Legend”. Even more remarkable was that she was well back coming to the turn, and given the heavy weight she was carrying, there would have been very few people who believed she could make the hat-trick. But, Makybe proved them all wrong. Jockey, Glen Boss, found a gap at the 400m mark and expertly guided her through it. She kicked into another gear, and nothing could stop her.
On a slightly different note, Greg Hall’s victory on Doriemus in 1997 serves as a reminder to never count your chickens before they hatch. Coming into the Melbourne Cup that year – Might and Power was the clear favourite having won the Caulfield Cup by a staggering 8 lengths. Jim Cassidy, one of Australia’s best jockeys was riding him and got a wonderful start. He was leading at the turn and broke clear with a healthy lead of a couple of lengths. Doriemus was coming up very strongly and the two were head-to-head. Greg Hall on Doriemus was convinced he won and waved to the crowd in triumph…however the photo showed Might and Power as the winner – albeit by a nose. A memorable event for Greg Hall for all the wrong reasons.
And – here we are again with the Melbourne Cup looming. No doubt there will be more drama, excitement and stories to come. Wishing you all the best if you, like the majority of Australians, choose to have a flutter on the race that stops the nation.
