Print Version

 The Melbourne Cup

The first Tuesday, in November, is the day 
horse-racing people remember, at Flemington 
they say. When all Australia stops.

There's been royalty, generals and sirs and ladies
in fine furs or men dressed like Oscar Wilde or 
Noel Coward.

There's champagne and salmon, and people
playing backgammon in the car park
at lunchtime they say.

And there's been big punters, like Darcy Eccles
and bookmakers too.

With the race being thirty-two hundred metres,
with a five hundred metre strait.

If the jockeys want to win, it's best to have
their horses in position by the time they 
reach the Flemington clocktower.

The first horse to win was Archer, who won
twice in succession and travelled all the way
from Nowra in New South Wales, and there 
was Shadow King, who was entered six 

times.

And there were whip stories about jockey 
Jimmy Johnson, known as the Lion-Tamer,
and Harry White and Bobbie Lewis. Each
rode four winners, and four horses won 

twice, with Makybe Diva winning three 

times in succession.

And not many horses show any sign of
being as good as Phar Lap or Carbine.

And there was Bart Cumming who trained 
his horses not to come in late, and made 
history with twelve wins to date.

So if you look from Scotsman's Hill, choose 
the best horse if you can, a sure winner, like 
Peter Pan. 

James Fagan

40 Chippendale Crescent   

Palmerston North

New Zealand

jjfagan26@gmail.com