ORGIN OF HORSE RACING EVENTS

CAULFIELD CUP

The Caulfield Cup was first run in the autumn of 1879. The first horse to win was Newminster. In 1881 there were two Cups held as the race was moved to the spring, with the autumn winner Blue Ribbon and the spring winner Master Avenel.

During the war years the Caulfield Racecourse was closed and used as an army camp. In 1941, 1942 and 1943 the Caulfield Cup was run at the Flemington Racecourse. In 1943 the race was again run twice due to the large number of entries.

There has been a long association with Carlton & United Breweries with the first Caulfield Cup sponsored in 1984. Today the Group 1 Caulfield Cup is one of Australia's toughest and best handicap races and one of the richest 2400 meter handicaps in the world. It is a major lead-up event for the Melbourne Cup.

Total Prize Money:
$AU 2.253 million

Most successful trainers:
- Bart Cummings, 6 wins
- Tommy Smith, 4 wins
- Jack Holt, 3 wins
- CT Godby, 3 wins
- H McCalman, 3 wins

Most successful jockeys:
- Scobie Breasley, 5 wins
- Damien Oliver, 4 four wins
- Frank Demsey, 3 wins
- Neville Sellwood, 3 wins
- Mick Mallyon, 3 wins

Winning female trainers:
- 1998 Lady Herries - Taufan's Melody
- 2001 Sheila Laxon - Ethereal

Shortest priced favorites:
- sixth : 8-11 Tobin Bronze
- first : 4-6 Tulloch
- first : 5-4 Manfred
- first : 7-4 Eurythmic
- first : 7-4 Rising Fast
- third : 7-4 Comic Court
- third : 7-4 Sir Simpe
- eighth : 7-4 Pink Un

Longest priced winners:
- 1884 Blink Bonny  50-1
- 1902 Lieutenant Bill  40-1
- 1936 Northwind  66-1
- 1943 Saint Warden  100-1
- 1988 Imposera  50-1
- 1998 Taufan's Melody  66-1

Unlucky trainer:
George Hanlon
trained 2nd place getter 3 times (by narrow margins)

Falls:
- 1885  17 of 44 horses fell at the turn into the straight, resulting in the death of jockey Donald Nicholson (considered Australia's worst race fall)
- 1906  7 horses

Protests:
- 1893 Tim Swiveller won, but was disqualified for pushing another horse out of the race (boring)
- 1969 Nausori came in first, a protest by jockey Roy Higgins on Big Filou for interference at the furlong pole (200m) was upheld

Caulfield Cup winners from 1879 to 2002 are listed in our category Racing History - Feature Race Winners - Caulfield Cup.