• 1931 MELBOURNE CUP – WHITE NOSE
• 1932 MELBOURNE CUP – PETER PAN
• 1933 MELBOURNE CUP – HALL MARK
• 1934 MELBOURNE CUP – PETER PAN
• 1935 MELBOURNE CUP – MARABOU
• 1936 MELBOURNE CUP – WOTAN
• 1937 MELBOURNE CUP – THE TRUMP
• 1938 MELBOURNE CUP – CATALOGUE
• 1939 MELBOURNE CUP – RIVETTE
• 1940 MELBOURNE CUP – OLD ROWLEY

1931 MELBOURNE CUP – WHITE NOSE

Race Info:

Placings: 1^st Place White Nose, 2^nd Place Shadow King, 3^rd Place Concentrate

Jockeys: N. Percival, W. Scanlon, A. Reed

Trainers: E. J. Hatwell, E. Fisher, H. B. Lorigan

Winner’s Time: 3:26.0

Weight: 43.54kg

Odds: 8/1

Prize money: £7,150

About:

White Nose’s victory in the 1931 Melbourne Cup was overshadowed by Phar Lap’s defeat and last race in Australia. After passing the judges’ box for the first time in the 1931 Cup, White Nose took control and as he veered around the bend, upped the pace. Alcman came up to pass him and overtook the stallion by a good length. At five furlongs, White Nose caught up and at the half mile stretch passed Alcman to win. For this race, Phar Lap was asked to carry an enormous 10st 10lbs, five pounds more than the weight-carrying record made by Carbine in 1890.

1932 MELBOURNE CUP – PETER PAN

Race Info:

Placings: 1^st Place Peter Pan, 2^nd Place Yarramba, 3^rd Place Shadow King

Jockeys: W. Duncan, A. Knox, E. Baxter

Trainers: F. McGrath, E. A. Reid, E. Fisher

Winner’s Time: 3:23.25

Weight: 47.17kg

Odds: 4/1 favourite

Prize money: £7,150

About:

One of the most inspiring Melbourne Cup victories is the story of Peter Pan. During the time of the 1932 Melbourne Cup, the Great Depression was still on everyone’s mind. Carrying Jim Pike, Peter Pan was at the rear of the group when he clipped the heels of the horse in front of him and fell to his knees.

The crowd thought it was over for Peter Pan. However approaching from behind him was stable mate Dennis Boy who bumped the struggling horse back onto his feet. Peter Pan then shot to the front of the pack, taking the Cup out by a neck.

After the race, spectators noticed the grass stain still on Peter Pan’s neck from the fall. It was this event that reinstated hope back into people’s lives.

1933 MELBOURNE CUP – HALL MARK

Race Info:

Placings: 1^st Place Hall Mark, 2^nd Place Shadow King, 3^rd Place Gaine Carrington (dh3), Topical (dh3)

Jockeys: J. O’Sullivan, A. Breasley, J. Pike, M. McCarten

Trainers: J. Holt, E. Fisher, C. T. Goby, W. Kelso

Winner’s Time: 3:27.25

Weight: 48.08kg

Odds: 4/1

Prize money: £7,200

About:

Prior to the 1933 Melbourne Cup Hall Mark won the Derby, showing that he was in fine form to win the following Cup. He was an exceptionally powerful horse, with a great stride despite his plain looks. However, the colt developed an infection in his leg prior to the Cup and many thought he was lame. His jockey J. O’Sullivan was riding in his first Melbourne Cup and spent a fair amount of time with Jack Holt, trying to patch up Hall Mark’s leg. After a vet check two hours prior to the race gave the all clear, O’Sullivan eased Hall Mark into the race and despite his bandages splitting during the race, the colt just made it to the finish line.

1934 MELBOURNE CUP – PETER PAN

Race Info:

Placings: 1^st Place Peter Pan, 2^nd Place Sarcherie, 3^rd Place LaTrobe

Jockeys: D. Murno, D. Lightfoot, W. Cox

Trainers: F. McGrath, M. Webster, J. E. Smedley

Winner’s Time: 3:40.50

Weight: 61.69kg

Odds: 14/1

Prize money: £7,200

About:

Carrying Darby Munro, Peter Pan won his second Melbourne Cup from an outside draw on a heavy track. Winning two Melbourne Cups gained the great horse a place in the Australian Racing Hall of Fame. Peter Pan finished with the slowest winning time since Glencoe in 1868.

1935 MELBOURNE CUP – MARABOU

Race Info:

Placings: 1^st Place Marabou, 2^nd Place Sarcherie, 3^rd Place Sylvandale

Jockeys: K. Voitre, F. Shean, J. Pratt

Trainers: L. Robertson, M. Webster, F. Williams

Winner’s Time: 3:23.75

Weight: 49.44kg

Odds: 9/2 favourite

Prize money: £8,200

About:

Marabou ran the 1935 Melbourne Cup like a true stayer, however his victory was definitely helped by his relatively light weight. Beating Sarcherie by two and a half lengths, Marabou’s victory was reportedly due to a well-planned spring programme. He became the favourite of thousands of bettors after his impressive performance in the Melbourne Stakes in which he just missed the course record by one second. Marabou later went on to sire 1941 Cup winner Skipton.

1936 MELBOURNE CUP – WOTAN

Race Info:

Placings: 1^st Place Wotan, 2^nd Place Silver Standard, 3^rd Place Balkan Prince

Jockeys: O. Phillips, H. Badger, H. Skidmore

Trainers: J. Fryer, F. Dalton, J. Holt

Winner’s Time: 3:21.25

Weight: 49.44kg

Odds: 100/1

Prize money: £10,200

About:

Wotan caused a stir in 1936 when he claimed a surprise Melbourne Cup win with odds of 100/1. On the home straight, race favourite Talking looked to secure the cup after having overtaken Young Crusader who led through the start of the race. But then outsider Wotan appeared from nowhere to secure the win. The unpredictable victory was seen as one of the biggest upsets in Melbourne Cup history.

1937 MELBOURNE CUP – THE TRUMP

Race Info:

Placings: 1^st Place The Trump, 2^nd Place Willie Win, 3^rd Place Sarcherie

Jockeys: A. Reed, A. Dewhurst, E. McMenamin

Trainers: S. Reid, I. L. Coop, M. Webster

Winner’s Time: 3:21.5

Weight: 35.07kg

Odds: 11/2f

Prize money: £10,200

About:

The 1937 Melbourne Cup win for The Trump was his sixth successive victory, sealing his place as a racing great. Half-way down the straight jockey Ashley Reed pulled Trump to the outside in a display of riding mastery to fight their way to the front and triumph at Flemington by half a length over Willie Win. Winning the Caulfield – Melbourne Cups double The Trump, described as a ‘funny little horse’, equalled the record achievement with the great Poseidon. His other race wins included the Toorak Handicap and the Mackinnon Stakes.

1938 MELBOURNE CUP – CATALOGUE

Race Info:

Placings: 1^st Place Catalogue, 2^nd Place Bourbon, 3^rd Ortelle’s Star

Jockeys: F. Shean, R. Parsons, A. Breasley

Trainers: A. W. McDonald, W. H. McDonald, C. T. Goby

Winner’s Time: 3:26.25

Weight: 52.62kg

Odds: 25/1

Prize money: £10,200

About:

Even though Mr. A. McDonald is listed as the trainer for winner Catalogue in the 1938 Cup, it was really his wife Mrs. A. ‘Granny’ McDonald who trained the champion for success. At the time, the VRC forbade woman to hold a Victorian Trainer’s License, though unofficially all the credit for the victory was credited to ‘Granny’. After placing third in the Hotham Handicap, Catalogue emerged from the pack to take and sustain a clear lead down the straight at Flemington.

1939 MELBOURNE CUP – RIVETTE

Race Info:

Placings: 1^st Place Rivette, 2^nd Place Maikai, 3^rd Place Pantler

Jockeys: E. Preston, H. Morn, N. Watterson

Trainers: H. Bamber, F. G. Godby, R. C. Stanton

Winner’s Time: 3:27.00

Weight: 48.53kg

Odds: 5/1f

Prize money: £10,200

About:

In 1939 Rivette became the first mare to win the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups double. The next mare to do so was not until Let’s Elope in 1991. The win at Flemington set Rivette’s trainer up for life, who before the victory was down to his last dollar.

1940 MELBOURNE CUP – OLD ROWLEY

Race Info:

Placings: 1^st Place Old Rowley, 2^nd Place Maikai, 3^rd Place Tidal Wave

Jockeys: A. Knox, D. Munro, T. Unkovich

Trainers: J. A. Scully, F. G. Godby, J. T. Jamieson

Winner’s Time: 3:26.00

Weight: 49.9kg

Odds: 100/1

Prize money: £7,700

About:

In a huge effort and one long steadily paced run, Old Rowley won the 1940 Melbourne cup at 100/1 odds, becoming one of only three horses to ever do so. The Pearl (1871) and Wotan (1936) were the other two to defy these amazing odds and claim Cup victory. On the day not even Old Rowley’s owner-trainer bet for him.