• 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: 1^st Place The Parisian, 2^nd Place Flavian, 3^rd 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.

1912 MELBOURNE CUP – PIASTRE

Race Info:

Placings: 1^st Place Piastre, 2^nd Place Hallowmas, 3^rd 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: 1^st Place Posinatus, 2^nd Place Belove, 3^rd 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: 1^st Place Kingsburgh, 2^nd Place Sir Alwynton, 3^rd 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.

1915 MELBOURNE CUP – PATROBAS

Race Info:

Placings: 1^st Place Patrobas, 2^nd Place Westcourt, 3^rd 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’ 19^th ride as a Melbourne Cup jockey.

1916 MELBOURNE CUP – SASANOF

Race Info:

Placings: 1^st Place Sasanof, 2^nd Place Shepherd King, 3^rd 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: 1^st Place Westcourt, 2^nd Place Lingle, 3^rd 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: 1^st Place Night Watch, 2^nd Place Kennaquhair, 3^rd 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: 1^st Place Artilleryman, 2^nd Place Richmond Main, 3^rd 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.

1920 MELBOURNE CUP – POITREL

Race Info:

Placings: 1^st Place Poitrel, 2^nd Place Erasmus, 3^rd 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.