1881 Melbourne Cup

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1881 Melbourne Cup
Melbourne Cup
Melbourne cup 1881.jpg
Engraving of the finish line of the 1881 race
Location Flemington Racecourse
Date1 November 1881
Distance2 miles
Winning horseZulu
Winning time3:32.5
Final odds50/1
Jockey Jim Gough
Trainer Tom Lamond
OwnerCharles McDonnell
SurfaceTurf
Attendance≈100,000
←  1880
1882  →
Image of Zulu, published in the Australasian Sketcher. Zulu 1881.jpg
Image of Zulu, published in the Australasian Sketcher.

The 1881 Melbourne Cup was a two-mile handicap horse race which took place on Tuesday, 1 November 1881. [1]

Contents

This year was the twenty-first running of the Melbourne Cup. The race was won by 50/1 outsider, four-year-old stallion Zulu, trained by Tom Lamond. [1] [2] [3]

Entries and odds

When nominations closed for the race in June, 120 entries had paid the initial fee. [4] Easy winner of the 1881 Victoria Derby, Darebin started as the betting favourite, with a number of competitors in that race either not fancied or withdrawing from the final field for the Melbourne Cup. [5] 1881 AJC Derby winner Wheatear was considered an outside chance in the race, with the horses it defeated in that race, Monmouth and Sardonyx two of the horses withdrawn on race day. [2] Wheatear did win the Melbourne Stakes on the Saturday before the Melbourne Cup, having not been entered into the Victoria Derby. [2] In the paddock before the start, most observers fancied Waxy and Odd Trick, as well as the betting favourite Darebin. [6]

The race

The final field of 33 runners gatherered for the start, which was delayed when Coreena bolted and ran for more than a mile before being brought under control. [7] It would be Somnus leading the field early, ahead of Wheatear, Santa Claus and Bathurst. Somnus held the lead at the first turn, before Santa Claus took over near the end of the riverside straight. Paddy Piggott had taken Sweetmeat through the field to challenge for the lead, but before the final turn Zulu had challenged Santa Claus and taken over the running from the front. Waxy challenged Zulu ahead of Darebin, with Darebin's challenge falling short in the final mile, [7] dropping back into the pack much to the cheers of the bookmakers. [6]

Just before the field entered the Flemington straight, Wheatear's chances evaporated owing to a dog running across the course into the path of the large field. Wheatear fell, giving his jockey Emsworth a nasty spill although he was uninjured, [8] while Suwarrow fell over him in the mayhem. [2] [9] The jockey of Suwarrow, 19-year-old John Dodd was severely injured and subsequently died from his injuries. Dodd had been thrown from the saddle and other horses galloped over him while he on the turf. [10]

Trainer of Wheater Tom Lamond might have rued his misfortune, but at the very moment the fall occurred, his other horse the "lame pony" Zulu [11] was successfully defying all attempts to run him down, [2] leading by as much as two lengths. [6] The small black horse hanging on down the straight to win by close to a length ahead of The Czar who had run on near the finish ahead of a fast-finishing Sweetmeat ahead of the pack which included Waxy and Trump Yoss. [7] [6] [8]

Zulu was one of a number of horses brought to Melbourne for the spring by trainer Tom Lamond. With a light weight and at long odds, Zulu's win was a surprise to many, [6] with many bookmakers offering upwards of 100/1. [11] Lamond, who was largely responsible for preparing Archer on behalf of Etienne de Mestre for his two Melbourne Cups, finally had one of his own. [2] [3] Zulu was owned by Taree grazier Charles McDonnell who had sent the horse to be trained by Lamond in 1880. [3]

Zulu's rider was lightweight jockey Jim Gough was just 14-years-old in his first Melbourne Cup race. [3]

The Melbourne Cup was Zulu's first major race win, having won only the Parramatta Handicap and Birthday Handicap as a three-year-old, also winning the Country Purse at Hawkesbury, and the Squatters Handicap at Randwick earlier in the 1881 spring racing season. Living up to its moniker as a "lame pony", Zulu limped back to the weighing yard to half-hearted cheers from the stands. [6]

Full results

This is the list of placegetters for the 1881 Melbourne Cup. [12] [13] [14] [1] [3] [15] [5] [7] [16] [6]

PlaceHorseAge
Gender		JockeyWeightTrainerOwnerOddsMargin
1Zulu4y hJim Gough5 st 10 lb (36.3 kg)Tom LamondCharles McDonnell50/1¾ length
2The Czar5y hTrahan6 st 9 lb (42.2 kg)Joe MorrisonJoe Morrison20/1¾ length
3Sweetmeat6y hPaddy Piggott9 st 0 lb (57.2 kg)Thomas IvoryThomas Ivory14/1
4Waxy6y hDonald Nicholson6 st 1 lb (38.6 kg)Richard Rouse4/1
5Trump Yoss6y g Tom Hales 7 st 5 lb (46.7 kg)Tom Brown William A. Long 20/1
6Creswick4y hJohn Gainsford6 st 13 lb (44.0 kg)Patrick Brennan20/1
7First Water5y hWyman8 st 7 lb (54.0 kg)Tom JordanWilliam Pile20/1
8Odd Trick6y hWalker7 st 9 lb (48.5 kg)William Robert Wilson7/1
9Carmen4y mK. Russell5 st 12 lb (37.2 kg)Mr H. Herbert20/1
10Greyhound3y cKelby5 st 9 lb (35.8 kg)Mr E.E. Jones100/1
11Santa Claus3y cBowes5 st 9 lb (35.8 kg)Mr D. Macpherson12/1
12Darebin3y cPower7 st 0 lb (44.5 kg) [a] Francis F. DakinFrancis F. Dakin3/1 fav.
13Chatterer4y hWilliam Murphy7 st 0 lb (44.5 kg)Joe MorrisonJohn Whittingham200/1
N/aWellington6y hWilliam Yeomans8 st 11 lb (55.8 kg)Mr C.G. Baldock20/1
N/aSavanaka7y hBrickwood Colley8 st 7 lb (54.0 kg)John Crozier Jr20/1
N/aFlag of New Zealand.svg Sir Modred (NZL)4y hRawlings8 st 4 lb (52.6 kg)Mr H. Driver100/1
N/aLord Burghley6y hFrancis7 st 11 lb (49.4 kg)Thomas IvoryThomas Ivory50/1
N/aWaterloo4y hM. O'Brien7 st 8 lb (48.1 kg) Donald Smith Wallace 20/1
N/aBathurst (late Telephone)4y hWilliamson7 st 7 lb (47.6 kg) James White 25/1
N/aCanary4y hSullivan7 st 5 lb (46.7 kg)Harry ChifneyMr M. Jacobs50/1
N/aThe Wandering Jew5y hBurton7 st 1 lb (44.9 kg)Mr J.K. Maitland12/1
N/aPawnbroker5y hGeorge Williams6 st 11 lb (43.1 kg)Robert Trivess Moore50/1
N/aPollio5y hPearse6 st 7 lb (41.3 kg)William LangMr G. Livingstone20/1
N/aFlag of New Zealand.svg Somnus (NZL)3y cSam Cracknell6 st 7 lb (41.3 kg)Mr H. Driver25/1
N/aOrient4y hRiley6 st 6 lb (40.8 kg) Etienne de Mestre Etienne de Mestre 20/1
N/aGuinea4y hSheehan6 st 4 lb (39.9 kg) Etienne de Mestre Etienne de Mestre 25/1
N/aDuchess4y mYoung5 st 9 lb (35.8 kg) [b] Messrs. Skene Bros10/1
N/aCoreena3y fRicketson5 st 10 lb (36.3 kg)Mr H. Burrell100/1
N/aBandalbion4y hConnors6 st 10 lb (42.6 kg)Dan Melhado100/1
N/aThe Cockney3y cBarr5 st 7 lb (34.9 kg)Mr T. Coker100/1
LastOxaliaAged mPhillips5 st 10 lb (36.3 kg) [c] Mr R. Alexander12/1
FellSuwarrow5y hJohn Dodd8 st 3 lb (52.2 kg)Robert HowieRobert Howie50/1
FellWheatear3y cEmsworth6 st 12 lb (43.5 kg)Tom LamondFrank Osborne25/1
SCRRespite4y hN/a7 st 7 lb (47.6 kg)N/aMr A. Davies
SCRWarlock6y hN/aN/aMr J. Paterson
SCRMonmouth3y cN/a6 st 13 lb (44.0 kg)N/a James White
SCRSir Peter5y hN/a6 st 9 lb (42.2 kg)N/aMr M. Loughlin
SCRSpectre3y cN/a5 st 8 lb (35.4 kg)Tom JordanWilliam Pile
SCRSomerset3y cN/a6 st 10 lb (42.6 kg)N/aMr E. Lee
SCRRoyal Maid3y fN/a6 st 8 lb (41.7 kg) James Wilson William Branch
SCRSardonyx3y cN/a5 st 7 lb (34.9 kg)James MonaghanFitzwilliam Wentworth
SCRPrimrose3y fN/a5 st 7 lb (34.9 kg)N/a Thomas Chirnside
SCRSangfroid3y cN/a5 st 13 lb (37.6 kg)Tom Brown William A. Long
SCRSpinningdale3y fN/a6 st 9 lb (42.2 kg)Tom Lamond Thomas Chirnside
SCRWizard4y gN/a5 st 13 lb (37.6 kg)N/aMr J. Paterson

Prizemoney

First prize £1805, second prize £200, third prize £100. [1]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Was supposed to carry 6st 12lb
  2. ↑ Was supposed to carry 5st 7lb
  3. ↑ Was supposed to carry 5st 7lb

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "1881 Melbourne Cup MillersGuide". millersguide.identika.com.au. Archived from the original on 14 March 2022. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Ibbett, Ian (26 December 2017). "1881 – Wheatear and The Grange Stud". Kings of the Turf. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Melbourne Cup Winners - 1881-1900". Victoria Racing Club. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  4. ↑ "The VRC nominations". Launceston Examiner. Launceston, Tasmania. 13 June 1881. p. 3. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
  5. 1 2 "The Cup Day". The Argus. Melbourne, Victoria. 1 November 1881. p. 6. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "The Cup Day". The Argus. Melbourne, Victoria. 2 November 1881. pp. 5–7. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Reubertstein. The History of the Melbourne Cup from 1861 to 1894 (1895 ed.). Melbourne, Australia: James J. Miller. pp. 34–36.
  8. 1 2 "Melbourne Cup". The Mercury. Hobart, Tasmania. 4 November 1881. p. 2. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
  9. ↑ "The Cup: a timeline of shocks and stars". The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney, New South Wales. 31 October 2010. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
  10. ↑ "Fatal Fall From a Racehorse". The Argus. Melbourne, Victoria. 16 November 1881. p. 5. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
  11. 1 2 Roberts, Janine (7 July 2019). "Zulu – the dark horse". Mid Coast Stories. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
  12. ↑ "1881 to 1890 Melbourne Cup Winners". races com au. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  13. ↑ "WINNERS AND PLACED HORSES IN MELBOURNE CUP. 1861-1913". Winner. Melbourne, Victoria. 28 October 1914. p. 4. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  14. ↑ Cavanough, Maurice (1978). The Melbourne Cup (8 ed.). p. 445. ISBN   0727004859.
  15. ↑ Rolfe, Costa (2008). Winners of the Melbourne Cup. Fitzroy, Australia: Red Dog. pp. 50–51. ISBN   9781742035093.
  16. ↑ "Second Day - Tuesday Nov. 1". The Australasian. Melbourne, Victoria. 5 November 1881. pp. 10–12. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
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