• 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

1881 MELBOURNE CUP – ZULU

Race Info:

Placings: 1^st Place Zulu, 2^nd Place The Czar, 3^rd 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: 1^st Place The Assyrian, 2^nd Place Stockwell, 3^rd 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: 1^st Place Martini-Henri, 2^nd Place First Water, 3^rd 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.

1884 MELBOURNE CUP – MALUA

Race Info:

Placings: 1^st Place Malua, 2^nd Place Commotion, 3^rd 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: 1^st Place Sheet Anchor, 2^nd Place Grace Darling, 3^rd 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.

1886 MELBOURNE CUP – ARESENAL

Race Info:

Placings: 1^st Place Arsenal, 2^nd Place Trenton, 3^rd 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.

1887 MELBOURNE CUP – DUNLOP

Race Info:

Placings: 1^st Place Dunlop, 2^nd Place Silvermine, 3^rd 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.

1888 MELBOURNE CUP – MENTOR

Race Info:

Placings: 1^st Place Mentor, 2^nd Place Tradition, 3^rd 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.

1889 MELBOURNE CUP – BRAVO

Race Info:

Placings: 1^st Place Bravo, 2^nd Place Carbine, 3^rd 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.

1890 MELBOURNE CUP – CARBINE

Race Info:

Placings: 1^st Place Carbine, 2^nd Place Highborn, 3^rd 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.