- 1911 MELBOURNE CUP – THE PARISIAN
- 1912 MELBOURNE CUP – PIASTRE
- 1913 MELBOURNE CUP – POSINATUS
- 1914 MELBOURNE CUP – KINGSBURGH
- 1915 MELBOURNE CUP – PATROBAS
- 1916 MELBOURNE CUP – SASANOF
- 1917 MELBOURNE CUP – WESTCOURT
- 1918 MELBOURNE CUP – NIGHT WATCH
- 1919 MELBOURNE CUP – ARTILLERYMAN
- 1920 MELBOURNE CUP – POITREL
1911 MELBOURNE CUP – THE PARISIAN
Race Info:
Placings: 1st Place The Parisian, 2nd Place Flavian, 3rd Place Didus
Jockeys: R. Cameron, G. Lambert, W. H. Smith
Trainers: C. Wheeler
Winner’s Time: 3:27.75
Weight: 54.88kg
Odds: 5/1
Prize money: £8,742
About:
The Parisian is one of the few winners of the Australian Cup-Melbourne Cup double. In the 1911 Melbourne Cup, the gelding won by two lengths, beating previous Melbourne Cup winner Comedy King and Walter Hickenbotham’s Trafalgar.
Race Info:
Placings: 1st Place Piastre, 2nd Place Hallowmas, 3rd Place Uncle Sam
Jockeys: A. Shanahan, W. H. Smith, G. Lambert
Trainers: R. O’Connor, I. Foulsham, M. P. Whitty
Winner’s Time: 3:27.50
Weight: 48.53kg
Odds: 7/1
Prize money: £8,676
About:
Piastre won the 1912 Melbourne Cup by more than a length over Hallowmass and Uncle Sam. Piastre was originally trained by James Scobie however was transferred to Richard O’Connor in Sydney prior to the Melbourne Cup. Prior to the Cup, Piastre had an uneventful career, being unplaced in most of his events.
1913 MELBOURNE CUP – POSINATUS
Race Info:
Placings: 1st Place Posinatus, 2nd Place Belove, 3rd Place Ulva’s Isle
Jockeys: A. Shanahan, J. Townsend, W. Callinan
Trainers: J. Chambers, T. J. Nieiker, J. Allsop
Winner’s Time: 3:31.0
Weight: 48.99kg
Odds: 15/1
Prize money: £9,519
About:
Posinatus’ 1913 Melbourne Cup success is often associated with strange stories of predictions after several bettors won based on predictions that they had been told and some even dreamt about Posinatus winning. One punter won more than 36,000 pounds after his prediction.
1914 MELBOURNE CUP – KINGSBURGH
Race Info:
Placings: 1st Place Kingsburgh, 2nd Place Sir Alwynton, 3rd Place Moonbria
Jockeys: G. Meddick, A. Wood, W. Callinan
Trainers: I. Foulsham, R. A. Campbell, J. Whitworth
Winner’s Time: 3:26.00
Weight: 43.54kg
Odds: 20/1
Prize money: £9,890
About:
Kingsburgh was owned by the well known L.K.S. Mackinnon, who apparently won more than 14,000 pounds in bets. In 1936, the Melbourne Stakes was renamed after Kingsburgh’s owner, who was also on the VRC Committee and later became Chairman of the club.
Race Info:
Placings: 1st Place Patrobas, 2nd Place Westcourt, 3rd Place Carlita
Jockeys: R. Lewis, A. Callinan, R. Brennan
Trainers: C. Wheeler, J. Burton, J. Moore
Winner’s Time: 3:28.50
Weight: 47.17kg
Odds: 8/1
Prize money: £9,364
About:
Mrs Edith Widdis became the first female to own a Melbourne Cup winner after her horse, Patrobas rode to victory with jockey Bobbie Lewis. The colt was also the first horse to receive the triple crown of the Caulfield Guineas, VRC Derby and Melbourne Cup. This race would be Lewis’ 19th ride as a Melbourne Cup jockey.
Race Info:
Placings: 1st Place Sasanof, 2nd Place Shepherd King, 3rd Place St Spasa
Jockeys: F. Foley, R. Lewis, M. Connell
Trainers: M. Hobbs, C. Wheeler, J. Patterson
Winner’s Time: 3:27.75
Weight: 43.54kg
Odds: 12/1
Prize money: £9,205
About:
Foaled in New Zealand in 1913 by breeder T. M. Wilford, Sasanof was sold for 400 guineas as a yearling. He was a small brown gelding, taken to Australia in 1916 after winning several major races in New Zealand. The gelding won the 1916 Melbourne Cup by over 2 lengths and just missed the race record by half a second. He became the second New Zealand horse to win the Melbourne Cup.
This year’s race was delayed until the following Saturday due to extreme rain. On the day, Sasanof’s owner, M. Stead sold a third of the horse to his good friend, E. S. Luttrell so that his friend could enjoy the winning experience.
1917 MELBOURNE CUP – WESTCOURT
Race Info:
Placings: 1st Place Westcourt, 2nd Place Lingle, 3rd Place Wallace Isinglass
Jockeys: W. McLachlan, P. Brown, M. Connell
Trainers: J. Burton, H. Williams, J. Barden
Winner’s Time: 3:26.75
Weight: 53.07kg
Odds: 4/1
Prize money: £7,779
About:
Beaten by Patrobas in the 1915 Melbourne Cup, Westcourt returned in 1917 with jockey W. McLachlan to beat Lingle and win the race. It was McLachlan’s third win in the race and many thought it was a deserving win for Westcourt, who had a history of finishing second in many prominent races.
1918 MELBOURNE CUP – NIGHT WATCH
Race Info:
Placings: 1st Place Night Watch, 2nd Place Kennaquhair, 3rd Place Gadabout
Jockeys: W. Duncan, W. McLachlan, L. Walker
Trainers: R. Bradfield, W. Stringer, W, Booth
Winner’s Time: 3:25.75
Weight: 42.18kg
Odds: 12/1
Prize money: £7,936
About:
Night Watch was the foal of the great Wakeful, who carried 10 stone across the finish line. The 1918 Melbourne Cup marked the last of five Cups run during World War I. Duncan was chosen to ride Night Watch as he was one of the few riders who could make the weight of 6 stone 9 pounds (42 kg).
1919 MELBOURNE CUP – ARTILLERYMAN
Race Info:
Placings: 1st Place Artilleryman, 2nd Place Richmond Main, 3rd Place Two Blues
Jockeys: R. Lewis, J. Killorn, V. Hilyard
Trainers: P. T. Heywood, F. J. Marsden, W. Clare
Winner’s Time: 3:24.50
Weight: 47.17kg
Odds: 10/1
Prize money: £9,272
About:
Artilleryman won the 1919 Melbourne Cup with jockey Robert Lewis, four time Melbourne Cup winner. He won by at least 6 lengths and set a new race record of 3 minutes 24.5 seconds. He was an exceptionally handsome horse who attracted many fans on the basis of his good looks. In 1921 Artilleryman tragically died from an internal haemorrhage. His winning marked the first year in which the three-handled Loving Cup was presented to the winner.
Race Info:
Placings: 1st Place Poitrel, 2nd Place Erasmus, 3rd Place Queen Comedy
Jockeys: K. Bracken, J. Simmons, A. Wise
Trainers: H. J. Robinson, H. J. Robinson, D. J. Price
Winner’s Time: 3:25.75
Weight: 63.5kg
Odds: 8/1
Prize money: £9,252
About:
In 1932 The Sydney Mail voted Poitrel as the best stayer for the past 50 years. According to the paper, from a mile and a half upwards Poitrel raced with the best finishing efforts. At the 1920 Melbourne Cup Poitrel carried 10 stone to the finishing post and won, being one of only three horses to achieve this victory. His stable mate Erasmus was in front, until the last half furlong when Poitrel shot through to win.
Interestingly enough, as a yearling in 1916, Poitrel failed to reach his reserve of 300 guineas at a sale and it wasn’t until he was three years old that the horse showed his true potential.
