- 1971 MELBOURNE CUP – SILVER KNIGHT
- 1972 MELBOURNE CUP – PIPING LANE
- 1973 MELBOURNE CUP – GALA SUPREME
- 1974 MELBOURNE CUP – THINK BIG
- 1975 MELBOURNE CUP – THINK BIG
- 1976 MELBOURNE CUP – VAN DER HUM
- 1977 MELBOURNE CUP – GOLD AND BLACK
- 1978 MELBOURNE CUP – ARWON
- 1979 MELBOURNE CUP – HYPERNO
- 1980 MELBOURNE CUP – BELDALE BALL
1971 MELBOURNE CUP – SILVER KNIGHT
Race Info:
Placings: 1st Place Silver Knight, 2nd Place Igloo, 3rd Place Tails
Jockeys: R. B. Marsh, E. Didham, G. Howard
Trainers: E. Temperton, A. E. Didham, P. J. Murray
Winner’s Time: 3:19.50
Weight: 55kg
Odds: 10/1
Prize money: $102,000
About:
The 1971 Melbourne Cup was an eventful run with one horse losing its rider and a further five breaking down. For winner Silver Knight, problems travelling to Melbourne had to be quickly overcome to charge down the straight and cross first at Flemington. Silver Knight later sired the Melbourne Cup winner for 1984, Black Knight.
1972 MELBOURNE CUP – PIPING LANE
Race Info:
Placings: 1st Place Piping Lane, 2nd Place Magnifique, 3rd Place Gunsynd
Jockeys: J. Letts, R. B. Marsh, R. Higgins
Trainers: G. M. Hanlon, E. Temperton, T. J. Smith
Winner’s Time: 3:19.30
Weight: 48kg
Odds: 40/1
Prize money: $103,000
About:
Piping Lane, late to mature and start racing, entered the 1972 Melbourne Cup with only a forty to one shot. The Cup’s sentimental favourite for the year was the champion grey Gunsynd, carring a hefty 60.5kg compared to lightweight Piping Lane carrying a mere 48kg. It was the first Melbourne Cup win for trainer George Hanlon and jockey John Letts. Due to the introduction of the metric system this was also the first year the Melbourne Cup was run over 3200 metres, slightly shorter than the traditional two mile distance.
1973 MELBOURNE CUP – GALA SUPREME
Race Info:
Placings: 1st Place Gala Supreme, 2nd Place Glengowan, 3rd Place Daneson
Jockeys: F. Reys, N. Harris, B. Gilders
Trainers: R. J. Hutchins, J. W. Harris, F. J. Penfolds
Winner’s Time: 3:19.50
Weight: 49kg
Odds: 9/1
Prize money: $153,600
About:
Gala Supreme was the first Victorian bred horse to win the Melbourne Cup since Wodalla in 1953. Though not favoured to place, Gala Supreme surged forward on the straight to nose between the two leaders Glengowan and Daneson. The 1973 Cup is most remembered for the long and emotional speech given by winning jockey Frank Reys, who just prior to the race had nearly retired after a chequered career that saw him break nearly every bone in his body over the years.
1974 MELBOURNE CUP – THINK BIG
Race Info:
Placings: 1st Place Think Big, 2nd Place Leilani, 3rd Place Captain Peri
Jockeys: H. White, P. Cook, M. Baker
Trainers: J. B. Cummings, J. B. Cummings, J. E. Wood
Winner’s Time: 3:23.20
Weight: 53kg
Odds: 12/1
Prize money: $153,600
About:
New Zealand bred Think Big’s first Melbourne Cup victory was in 1974, he later went on to win the 1975 Cup as well, ridden for both victories by Harry White. Think Big had shown he had the stamina for the race, having placed in the Brisbane Cup, and left the stables with 12/1 odds after winning the Hotham Handicap four days earlier. However, his stablemate Leilani had still been seen as the favourite.
1975 MELBOURNE CUP – THINK BIG
Race Info:
Placings: 1st Place Think Big, 2nd Place Holiday Waggon, 3rd Place Medici
Jockeys: H. White, John Duggan, M. Johnston
Trainers: J. B. Cummings, J. B. Cummings, M. D. Hennah
Winner’s Time: 3:20.60
Weight: 58.5kg
Odds: 33/1
Prize money: $155,600
About:
Inside the 100 metre mark of the 1975 Melbourne Cup, Think Big’s chances of success did not look good, but he managed to push forth with gusto from second last to beat Leilani by a length. Think Big had not won a race since his victory in the previous year’s Melbourne Cup, and punters didn’t think he would win in 1975 due to the wet conditions.
1976 MELBOURNE CUP – VAN DER HUM
Race Info:
Placings: 1st Place Van Der Hum, 2nd Place Gold and Black, 3rd Place Kythera
Jockeys: R. J. Skelton, John Duggan, B. Thomson
Trainers: L. H. Robinson, J. B. Cummings, W. McEwn
Winner’s Time: 3:34.10
Weight: 54.5kg
Odds: 9/2f
Prize money: $155,600
About:
The extremely fit Van Der Hum won one of the most memorable Melbourne Cups of the modern era in 1976. Torrential rain late in the day made conditions on the track, though disastrous for many, perfect for the New Zealand stayer who was known as a wet track specialist. After a delayed start caused by the storm, ‘mudlark’ Van Der Hum beat favourite Gold and Black to the line through the mud and slush, putting a short-lived halt to Gold and Black’s trainer Bart Cummings’ series of Cup wins. Jockey Bob Skelton is remembered as having won the largest number of 3200 metre races in Australasian history.
1977 MELBOURNE CUP – GOLD AND BLACK
Race Info:
Placings: 1st Place Gold And Black, 2nd Place Reckless, 3rd Place Hyperno
Jockeys: John Duggan, P. Trotter, B. Andrews
Trainers: J. B. Cummings, T. Woodcock, G. T. Murphy
Winner’s Time: 3:18.40
Weight: 57kg
Odds: 7/2f
Prize money: $156,700
About:
After placing second in the 1976 Melbourne Cup, following a win in the Mackinnon Stakes, Gold And Black was first to the line at Flemington the next year. Gold And Black charged steadily forth from the half mile mark to hit the straight in front, and had plenty of reserve to keep his lead over Reckless throughout the final metres, winning by a length.
Race Info:
Placings: 1st Place Arwon, 2nd Place Dandaleith, 3rd Place Karu
Jockeys: H. White, T. Autride, W. Robinson
Trainers: G. M. Hanlon, A. P. Pringle, J. Holme
Winner’s Time: 3:24.30
Weight: 50.5kg
Odds: 5/1
Prize money: $210,000
About:
After having begun his racing career in his birthplace New Zealand under the name Flash Guy, Arwon was bought and trained by a syndicate in Australia, headed by former jockey Ted Doon. In the 1978 Melbourne Cup Arwon eased past Dandaleith to win by half a neck. It was jockey Harry White’s third Cup win. Other significant wins for the brown gelding included the 1980 Sandown Cup and the 1978 Herbert Power Handicap.
Race Info:
Placings: 1st Place Hyperno, 2nd Place Salamander, 3rd Place Red Nose
Jockeys: H. White, R. Higgins, E. Didham
Trainers: J. B. Cummings, T. J. Huges, T. Green
Winner’s Time: 3:21.80
Weight: 56kg
Odds: 7/1
Prize money: $310,000
About:
Hyperno was six years old when Harry White rode him to victory in the 1979 Melbourne Cup. As Hyperno edged out Salamander on the straight, the exciting finish and win equaled White’s record with that of Bobbie Lewis’ of four Cup victories for a jockey, and also saw trainer Bart Cummings’ seventh Cup victory.
Hyperno was described as a ‘psycho’ in his earlier years, and much controversy surrounded his 1979 Cup win when he trod over and shattered the pelvis of Dulcify before going on to win the race. Despite this, he was an excellent racehorse and was honoured with the Australian Horse of Year Award for 1980-1981.
1980 MELBOURNE CUP – BELDALE BALL
Race Info:
Placings: 1st Place Beldale Ball, 2nd Place My Blue Denim, 3rd Place Love Bandit
Jockeys: J. Letts, P. Cook, W. Treloar
Trainers: C. S. Hayes, D. J. O’Sullivan, R. E,. Hoystead
Winner’s Time: 3:19.80
Weight: 49.5kg
Odds: 11/1
Prize money: $310,000
About:
Beldale Ball, low down in the weights with only 49.5kg, was the first of a new wave of international horses sent to Australia for the lucrative race prize money. He was the first overseas horse to win the Melbourne Cup in a one and a half length victory over My Blue Denim.
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