1877 Melbourne Cup

Annual horse race in Melbourne, Victoria April 2022 November 2021 1877 Melbourne Cup Melbourne Cup 1877 Melbourne Cup.jpg Wood engraving of the race published in the Australasian Sketcher Flemington Racecourse 6 November 1877 2 miles Chester 3:33.50 5/1 Paddy Piggott Etienne de Mestre James White Slippery and muddy Turf ≈85,000 1876 1878 thumb|Illustration of the winner Chester The 1877 Melbourne Cup was a two-mile handicap horse race which took place on Tuesday, 6 November 1877. This year was the seventeenth running of the Melbourne Cup. Although the track was slippery and muddy, the race time of 3:33.50 was a new record. Entries and odds Following its win in the 1877 Melbourne Stakes on the Saturday before the Melbourne Cup, Robinson Crusoe the colt that survived of the SS City of Melbourne shipwreck the previous year had firmed in pre-race betting. Other runners that were highly favoured included The Painter, Aldinga and Tom Kirk. 1874 Melbourne Cup winner Haricot, now owned by William Samuel Cox, wasn't favoured to be among the leading pack, whereas The King was the more likely winner from Cox's horses. Of the lightly-weighted runners, Pluto and Amendment were fancied, as was the winner of the 1877 AJC Derby Woodlands. Woodlands had been prepared with the Melbourne Cup in mind, skipping the Victoria Derby. Owned by bookmaker Joe Silberberg, Woodlands was the subject of a bungled attempt to nobble the horse in the days before the race, with assailants throwing glass and oyster shells onto the colt's stable. Woodlands emerged unscathed from the attack with only minor scratches.Ibbett Ian 1877 - The Defeat of Chester! https://www.kingsoftheturf.com/1877-the-defeat-of-chester/ Kings of the Turf 12 January 2026 21 December 2017 Chester, the Victoria Derby winner on the Saturday before the Melbourne Cup in wet conditions, was said to be a strong chance of repeating the performance of Briseis by winning the Melbourne Cup, but would not start the race as favourite, with plenty of money behind James Wilson's trained horse Savanaka to be ridden by Peter St Albans. Savanaka had been kept out of many of the lead-up races, with Wilson trying to win his third Melbourne Cup, although Savanaka was owned by VRC committee member and steward Herbert Power. The race In the first truly wet Melbourne Cup race, Etienne de Mestre sent out Chester without full horseshoe plates, instead electing just to have just a few nails hammered into the horse's hooves to prevent the colt from slipping. There were 33 runners that started the race, following the withdrawal of a number of runners. The rain eased just before the running of the race, with Fisherman rushing to the front. Both Robinson Crusoe and Amendment had been left at the start losing ground on the field. Fisherman had set a fast pace and joining it in the lead was Waxy. 1875 Melbourne Cup winner Wollomai joined the lead bunch down the riverside straight with Tom Kirk. Just after the far turn, The King slipped and fell, while Glemormiston joined the leaders as Fisherman started to fall back. It was at this point that Waxy fell and failed to finish, with the jockey injured and taken to hospital. The fall of Waxy severely interfered with Savanaka who lost a lot of ground behind what was a large leading pack.WINNERS AND PLACED HORSES IN MELBOURNE CUP. 1861-1913 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/155526601 12 January 2026 Winner 28 October 1914 Melbourne, Victoria 4 As the field turned for home, Glenormiston was leading just in front of Chester and The Vagabond. Glenormiston faded down the Flemington straight, leaving Chester to jump well clear of The Vagabond. Chester won in a close finish after jockey Paddy Piggott had eased off thinking the race won. Savanaka sprinted down the straight to almost catch the winner, recovering from the earlier interference to almost give Wilson and St Albans the win.Guthrie Ben Geelong's Melbourne Cup-VFA flag double https://www.geelongcats.com.au/news/271029/geelongs-melbourne-cup-vfa-flag-double Geelong Football Club 12 January 2026 6 November 2018 The Vagabond came home third, with Tom Kirk beating home Glenormiston for fourth. For the winning jockey, it was Piggott's second Melbourne Cup win following his win on board Haricot in 1874, while for trainer Etienne de Mestre, it was his fourth win in the race, equalling John Tait's record. Newspaper The Australasian criticised James Wilson's stable for the secrecy behind the preparation of Savanaka commenting "Certain we are that with the general public, there is a feeling of intense satisfaction that the clever party at St Albans, whose deeds are dark and ways mysterious, got bowled over for once and that de Mestre won the Cup for a man who races for sport, not money."The Savanaka Coup https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/143271792/15085812 12 January 2026 The Australasian 17 November 1877 Bookmaker Joe Thompson and others in the ring paid out big sums on Chester's win, including £10,000 to James White the owner of the winner.Rolfe Costa Winners of the Melbourne Cup 2008 Red Dog Fitzroy, Australia 9781742035093 42–43 Attendance was down on the previous year, mostly due to the unfavourable weather conditions. Estimates ranged from 80,000 to 90,000 people were at the racecourse which turned into something of a quagmire. Full results This is the list of placegetters for the 1877 Melbourne Cup.1871 to 1880 Melbourne Cup Winners http://www.races.com.au/melbourne-cup/melbourne-cup-history/past-winners/1871-to-1880-melbourne-cup/#1877 races com au 4 November 2021Cavanough Maurice The Melbourne Cup 1978 0727004859 445 81877 Melbourne Cup MillersGuide http://millersguide.identika.com.au/1877-melbourne-cup/ millersguide.identika.com.au 12 January 2026 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20220314100614/http://millersguide.identika.com.au/1877-melbourne-cup/ 14 March 2022Melbourne Cup Winners - 1861-1880 https://www.vrc.com.au/racing/melbourne-cup-winners-honour-roll/1861-1880/ Victoria Racing Club 5 November 2025The Cup Race https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/5943996/248999 12 January 2026 The Argus 6 November 1877 Melbourne, Victoria 5–6 1877-11-24 Melbourne Cup Day https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/244716744/26855492 Australasian Sketcher Adelaide, SA The Argus 2025-04-24The Cup Day https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/5944123/249015 12 January 2026 The Argus 7 November 1877 Melbourne, Victoria 5–6Second Day - Tuesday Nov. 6 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/143271646/15085776 12 January 2026 The Australasian 10 November 1877 Melbourne, Victoria 10–11The Victoria Racing Club Meeting - The Cup Day https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/206921944/19935457 12 January 2026 The Age 7 November 1877 Melbourne, Victoria 3 PlaceHorseAgeGenderJockeyWeightTrainerOwnerOddsMargin1Chester3y cPaddy Piggott 6 st 12 lb kg 1 onEtienne de MestreJames White5/1 ½ head2Savanaka3y cPeter St Albans 6 st 2 lb kg 1 onJames WilsonHerbert Power4/1 fav. Favourite3 lengths3The Vagabond (late Wizard)4y hCharles Ivemy 7 st 0 lb kg 1 on George W. Petty16/14Tom Kirk6y gJ. Mascall 7 st 4 lb kg 1 on Ike Carslake Mr C. JamesTomKirk Alias of Friedrich Wilhelm Prell, a Melbourne businessman.Death of Mr F.W. Prell https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/11671199 14 January 2026 The Argus 29 April 1912 Melbourne, Victoria 1316/15Glenormiston3y cGeorge Williams 5 st 12 lb kg 1 on William Filgate William Filgate16/16Woodlands3y cConnor 5 st 7 lb kg 1 on Joe Cook Joe J. Silberberg8/17Pluto3y cWilliamson 6 st 0 lb kg 1 on William Lang Mr Phillips16/18Amendment3y cJ. Williams 5 st 12 lb kg 1 on John Tait John Tait15/19Lockleys3y cDonald Nicholson 6 st 11 lb kg 1 on Tom Jordan Tom Jordan50/110Pride Of The Hills4y hJ. Jenkins 9 st 0 lb kg 1 on Mr R.T. Reid25/111Wollomai8y hRobert Batty 8 st 11 lb kg 1 on John Cleeland20/112Royalty3y cBraithwaite 6 st 7 lb kg 1 on Mr C. Edwards50/113The Painter5y hSam Davis 8 st 0 lb kg 1 on Charles Brown Fisher12/114Robinson Crusoe4y hJoe Morrison 8 st 10 lb kg 1 on Charles Brown Fisher12/1Imperial8y gD. Sullivan 8 st 5 lb kg 1 on William Samuel Cox50/1Janitor5y hBrickwood Colley 8 st 4 lb kg 1 on John Mayo100/1Newminster4y hWilliam Yeomans 8 st 3 lb kg 1 on Andrew Chirnside50/1KingfisherAged gHuxley 8 st 1 lb kg 1 on Mr W.S. Hill33/1Aldinga4y hTom Hales 7 st 10 lb kg 1 on William E. Dakin Samuel Gardiner8/1Haricot7y gMcInnes 7 st 7 lb kg 1 on Ike Carslake William Samuel Cox14/1Coquette6y mHarrison 7 st 4 lb kg 1 on Mr W. Mackenzie100/1Filibuster4y hWilliam Murphy 7 st 2 lb kg 1 on Eli Jellett20/1Artful Joe5y gJames Wilson Jr 6 st 12 lb kg 1 onJames WilsonJames Wilson 20/1Fisherman5y hPower 6 st 12 lb kg 1 on Mr Grant100/1Ralph Leigh4y hMcLachlan 6 st 9 lb kg 1 on James Bathe33/1Device3y fJohn KilduffKilduff Also known as Jack Kilduff 6 st 3 lb kg 1 on Mr Rounsevell100/1The Diver7y hWalter Higginbotham 9 st 2 lb kg 1 on Charles Madden Lloyd25/1Lord Harry6y gNolan 6 st 8 lb kg 1 onLordHarry Was supposed to carry 6st 6lb Mr A. Smith100/1Peerless4y mKing 6 st 9 lb kg 1 on Stephen Mahon Stephen Mahon25/1Waterford3y cT. Aspinall 6 st 9 lb kg 1 on Mr H.J. Bowler33/1Adelaide4y mW. Hughes 8 st 0 lb kg 1 on Mr H. Phillips33/1FellWaxy5y hJerrard 6 st 6 lb kg 1 onWaxy Was supposed to carry 6st 2lb Mr Henty100/1FellThe King6y gHeywood 7 st 2 lb kg 1 on William Samuel Cox20/1SCR Scratched Irish Stew 5y g 7 st 5 lb kg 1 on Mr W. DarginSCR Scratched Meteor 5y h 6 st 12 lb kg 1 on Mr PatersonSCR Scratched Salisbury 3y c 6 st 3 lb kg 1 on Mr DrewettSCR Scratched Devilshoof 3y c 5 st 12 lb kg 1 on Joe ThompsonSCR Scratched Idalia 3y f 5 st 7 lb kg 1 onJames WilsonJames Wilson SCR Scratched Hotspur 3y c 5 st 7 lb kg 1 on Mr HolmesSCR Scratched Explosion 3y c 5 st 7 lb kg 1 on James White Prizemoney First prize £1870, second prize £50, third prize £20. See also Horses Sports Australia Melbourne Cup List of Melbourne Cup winners Victoria Racing Club Notes References External links 1877 Melbourne Cup footyjumpers.com 1877-06-04 THE MELBOURNE CUP. https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ST18770604.2.9#text-tab The Southland Times 2791 4 Southland Region 2025-04-24 1877 Melbourne Cup Melbourne Cup Category:19th century in Melbourne Category:1870s in Melbourne