Melbourne Cup By Ryan

Q. What was the winner of the 1861 Melbourne Cup awarded. A Q. What was the winner of the 1861 Melbourne Cup awarded? A. The 1861 Melbourne Cup winner was awarded a gold watch. Q. Why is The Melbourne Cup called, ‘the race that stops a nation’? A. Melbourne Cup Day is Australia's most famous Tuesday. On the first Tuesday in November, Australians everywhere stop for one of the world's most famous horse races – The Melbourne Cup. Since 1877, Cup Day has been a public holiday for Melbourne.

The 1866 Melbourne Cup Trophy The 1866 Melbourne Cup is the earliest known Melbourne Cup that remains in its original state. It was made in London in 1865 by Daniel and Charles Houle and imported to Australia by Walsh Brothers Jewellers, who ordered it on behalf of the Victorian Racing Club. Silver-gilt chased with gold leaf, the cup is 75.5 centimetres high and reflects the style seen in England around the middle of the 19th century. The protruding horse’s heads closely resemble those featured on the 1867 Queen’s Plate, made by Melbourne silversmith William Edwards.

Phar Lap Phar Lap, was a thoroughbred horse, born in New Zealand in 1926 who is considered by many to be one of the worlds greatest racehorses. He was purchased for just over $300 and brought to Australia by the new owner, American-born sportsman, David J. Davis. In his four years of racing, Phar Lap won 37 of the 51 races in which he was entered, including the prestigious Melbourne Cup. Between 1930 and 1931, he won fourteen races in a row. For his final race, Phar Lap's owner shipped him by boat all the way to a racetrack near Mexico to compete in the Agua Caliente Handicap which he won in a track record time. Early on April 5, 1932, the horse's trainer found him in severe pain, carrying a high temperature. Within a few hours, Phar Lap haemorrhaged to death. Many people believed the horse had been deliberately poisoned. Phar Lap’s stuffed body was placed in the Australian Gallery at Melbourne Museum.

Other Interesting Facts about the Melbourne Cup The Melbourne Cup is an annual thoroughbred horse race 3200 metres, held on the first Tuesday in November since 1861 at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia. Race day in Melbourne is a public holiday, and around the country, a large majority of people gamble on the race, either through direct betting or participating in cup "sweeps". Its description as the "race that stops a nation" is well-deserved. It is run as a "weight-for-age handicap", in which the weight of jockey, and riding gear is adjusted with ballast to a nominated figure. Older horses are given more weight than younger ones, and weightings are further adjusted according to the horse's previous results. An Australian racing legend, Phar Lap’s heart weighed 6.2kg. The average horse heart weighs 3.2kg.