Facts & Statistics

1840

First race-meeting held at Flemington, with the winning post sited along the bank of the Maribyrnong River

1861

The first running of the Melbourne Cup won by Archer trained by Etienne De Mestre. The Cup is initially run on a Thursday

1869

VRC introduce a four day Spring Racing Carnival format

1870

Melbourne Cup is postponed one week due to rain

1875

Cup is first run on a Tuesday

1876

The three-year-old filly Briseis created a record that is never likely to be equalled, winning the VRC Derby, Melbourne Cup and VRC Oaks in the space of six days. She was ridden by 13 year old Peter St Albans

1877

The first Tuesday in November was declared a public holiday in Victoria

1880

First Melbourne Cup to attract 100,000 attendance. Cup won by the unbeaten Grand Flaneur

1882

First year bookmakers were licensed at Flemington

1888

First Gold whip presented to the winning Cup jockey (Mick O'Brien)

1890

Carbine won the Melbourne Cup in record time (3.28.25), carrying a record weight (65.5 kg) in the biggest field ever assembled (39)

1894

Strand starts are introduced to Flemington

1915

Mrs Widdis becomes the first female owner to win the Melbourne Cup when Patrobas wins

1916

Rain postpones the Cup by 5 days

1924

The VRC builds a new Members' grandstand

1925

The ABC first provides transmission of the Melbourne Cup

1930

Phar Lap won the Melbourne Cup as the shortest priced favourite in the history of the race at 11/8 on. He had to be hidden away at Geelong before the race after an attempt was made to shoot him and only emerged an hour before the race time of the Cup

1931

The first year the totalisator operated at the Melbourne Cup

1946

Photo-finish System is first introduced to Flemington

1954

Rising Fast wins not only the Melbourne Cup, but the Turnbull Stakes, Caulfield Stakes, Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate, Mackinnon Stakes and the Fisher Plate on the final day of the Flemington Carnival

1958

First Cup start from starting stalls

1961

Introduction of the Totalisator Agency Board

1962

Fashions on the Field first held at the Carnival

1965

Light Fingers wins the Melbourne Cup to provide Bart Cummings with his first win in the race

1972

Metric system is introduced and Cup is now run over 3200 metres, slightly shorter than the traditional two mile distance

1979

Harry White equals Bobbie Lewis' record of four Cup victories for a jockey

1985

First sponsored Melbourne Cup - first million dollar Cup

1987

Maree Lynden is the first female to ride in the Cup on Argonaut Style

1990

Kingston Rule runs the fastest time to win the Cup in 3 minutes 16.3 seconds

1999

Rogan Josh wins the Melbourne Cup to give Bart Cummings his record eleventh winner

2001

Sheila Laxon, with Ethereal, becomes the first woman to train a Melbourne Cup winner

2003

First Melbourne Cup Tour conducted around Australia. Biggest crowd recorded at Flemington - 122,736

2004

Makybe Diva becomes the fifth horse to win dual Melbourne Cups. Archer (1861-62), Peter Pan (1932 & 1934), Rain Lover (1968 & 1969) and Think Big (1974 & 1975) being the other four

2005

Makybe Diva becomes the first horse to win three Melbourne Cups (2003, 2004 & 2005). She breaks her own weight carrying record for a mare to victory by winning with 58kg. Glen Boss becomes the first jockey to win three Cups in a row.

2006

Delta Blues becomes the first Japanese horse to win the Melbourne Cup (G1)

2007

Efficient becomes the first horse since Phar Lap to win the Derby and Cup in successive years

2008

Bart Cummings wins his 12th Cup, with Viewed winning by a nose over Bauer. Jockey Blake Shinn wins his first Cup

2009

First win in the Cup for Mark Kavanagh (trainer) and Corey Brown (jockey)