1883 Melbourne Cup

1883 Melbourne Cup

Melbourne Cup
Location	Flemington Racecourse
Date	6 November 1883
Distance	2 miles
Winning horse	Martini-Henry
Winning time	3:30.50
Final odds	5/1
Jockey	John Williamson
Trainer	Michael Fennelly
Owner	James White
Surface	Turf
Attendance	≈123,000
←  1882 1884  →

The 1883 Melbourne Cup was a two-mile handicap horse race which took place on Tuesday, 6 November 1883.

This year was the twenty-third running of the Melbourne Cup. The race was run by 5/1 favourite Martini-Henry who became the first New Zealand bred horse to win the race. ^[1] The horse was also the first, and to date only Melbourne Cup winner to have a hyphen in its name. Martini-Henry won the race in just its second start, having won the Victoria Derby in its maiden start three days earlier. Martini-Henry would go on to the VRC St Leger in the autumn before breaking down in the Caulfield Cup and being retired to stud. ^[2]

The top weighted runner by the handicapper was five-year-old stallion Commotion. It had easily won the Melbourne Stakes on the Saturday before the Melbourne Cup, but wasn't seen as one of the more fancied chances in the race due to the extra distance and handicap. Instead favouritism in the betting ring went to Martini-Henry, Despot, Calma and Claptrap, especially after New Zealand import Sir Modred was withdrawn. ^[3] The chances of AJC Metropolitan winner The Gem were discounted due to the weight penalty applied for winning that race ahead of First Demon and Aide-de-Camp. Following its win in the Caulfield Cup, Calma odds had shortened to 10/1, while Adelaide Derby winner Dirk Hatteraick was thought to be a good chance over the two-mile distance after not being placed in the Melbourne Stakes behind Commotion. Martini-Henry would emerge as a fairly short-priced favourite following its fast win in the Victoria Derby, while the connections of Claptrap had heavily backed their horse into 7/1. ^[3] There was some controversy in the lead up to the race when it was accused that Huxley, the jockey who rode Archie in the Victoria Derby, did not ride the horse to win. After a hearing by the Victoria Racing Club stewards, Huxley was given a warning for his error in his ride where he pulled the horse to the back of the field during the race. ^[4]

From the initial acceptances of 150 runners, ^[5] there were 33 horses entered at the start of the day before a number of withdrawals. ^[5] The day had started warm, but a cool change passed through Melbourne during the afternoon. ^[6] At the fall of the flag, 29 runners made their way from the start. ^[6] Claptrap was the early leader, taking a lead of a length ahead of Archie at the first turn. Despot slipped at the turn, but was kept upright by its rider, but did lose several lengths to the field. Calma also slipped at the same turn. Down the riverside, Linda went to the lead, taking over from Claptrap and Archie. By the one mile marker, Archie had taken first position to lead by a length. Walker was ridden forward to join Archie, but had ran its race in that effort. Archie started to drop back as the field headed for the straight, leaving Linda to briefly lead before Commotion and Claptrap took over the running. At the final turn, Trahan challenged Claptrap and took a lead of a length in front of First Demon, First Water and Martini-Henry who was coming fast. Down the straight, Claptrap was the first to fall away, while Commotion looked to be struggling under the weight. In the final stages, Martini-Henry hit the front with a rush and won easily by more than a length. First Water finished strongly to beat home Commotion. Martini-Henry's time of 3:30.5 was the fastest time ever to win the Melbourne Cup, ^[6] beating the time of Darriwell to win the 1879 race. ^[7]

Martin-Henry was brought to Australia after being purchased as a yearling for £1,250 by colonial New South Wales politician, the pastoralist James White. He had previously won the Melbourne Cup with Chester in 1877.

The VRC estimated that over 123,000 people attended the racecourse, with the grandstands and additional work since the previous year's race deemed "altogether too small." ^[6]

Full results

This is the list of placegetters for the 1883 Melbourne Cup. ^{[8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [7] [3]}

Place	Horse	Age Gender	Jockey	Weight	Trainer	Owner	Odds	Margin
1	Martini-Henry  (NZL)	3y c	John Williamson [a]	7 st 5 lb (46.7 kg)	Michael Fennelly	James White	5/1 fav.	1½ lengths
2	First Water	7y h	Teddy McGrade	8 st 0 lb (50.8 kg)		Mr T. Barnfield	25/1	Head
3	Commotion	5y h	Trahan	10 st 1 lb (64.0 kg)	Joe Morrison	William Pearson	20/1	Head
4	First Demon (late The Demon)	3y c	Donald Nicholson	6 st 12 lb (43.5 kg)		Mr J. Mondy	10/1
5	Sardius (late Emerald)	3y c	Charles Hutchins	6 st 13 lb (44.0 kg) [b]		Mr H. Aldridge	14/1
6	Magnet	4y h	Power	8 st 0 lb (50.8 kg)	Joe Morrison	William Pearson	50/1
7	Aide-de-Camp	4y h	J. Gainsford	7 st 5 lb (46.7 kg)	Etienne de Mestre	Mr H. Bowler	12/1
8	Dukedom	4y h	Moore	7 st 0 lb (44.5 kg)	James Wilson	William Branch	50/1
9	Claptrap	4y h	Sam Cracknell	7 st 3 lb (45.8 kg)		John Whittingham	7/1
10	Calma	4y h	Mick O'Brien	8 st 7 lb (54.0 kg)		Donald Smith Wallace	10/1
—N/a	Recovery	5y h	Kelso	7 st 2 lb (45.4 kg)		Mr T. Sampson	50/1
—N/a	Sweet William	5y h	William Yeomans	9 st 5 lb (59.4 kg)		Mr W. Gannon	33/1
—N/a	The Gem	5y h	W. Huxley	9 st 4 lb (59.0 kg)		John Mayo	100/1
—N/a	Stockwell	5y h	J. Geoghegan	8 st 13 lb (56.7 kg)		Mr W. Bailey	33/1
—N/a	Cunnamulla	5y h	Brickwood Colley	8 st 1 lb (51.3 kg)		Mr W.R. Hall	50/1
—N/a	Archie	3y c	Jim Gough	8 st 3 lb (52.2 kg)	Baines	Mr A.F. Smart	33/1
—N/a	Nicholas	4y h	Tom Hales	8 st 0 lb (50.8 kg)	Etienne de Mestre	Etienne de Mestre	14/1
—N/a	Pollio	7y h	Burton	7 st 12 lb (49.9 kg)	T. Jones	Mr E. Weeks	33/1
—N/a	Dirk Hatteraick	3y c	Boase	7 st 10 lb (49.0 kg)		Mr S. Barnard	16/1
—N/a	Angelsey	4y h	Alec Robertson	7 st 10 lb (49.0 kg)		Mr S.G. Cook	50/1
—N/a	Kingsdale	3y C	Strickland	7 st 8 lb (48.1 kg)		Mr J. Stewart	100/1
—N/a	Santa Claus	5y h	Walker	7 st 5 lb (46.7 kg)		Mr H. James	50/1
—N/a	Koh-i-Nor	5y h	Thornton	7 st 0 lb (44.5 kg)		Mr H.T. Hart	50/1
—N/a	Despot	4y h	Ellis	7 st 0 lb (44.5 kg)	Michael Fennelly	James White	6/1
—N/a	Lesbia	4y m	English	6 st 12 lb (43.5 kg)		Mr S. McMahon	50/1
—N/a	Linda	5y m	Fallon	6 st 10 lb (42.6 kg)	James Wilson	James Wilson	50/1
—N/a	Kathleen Mavoureen	6y m	Barr	6 st 9 lb (42.2 kg)		Mr J. McKenzie	50/1
—N/a	Bis Bis	3y f	F. Hutchins	6 st 8 lb (41.7 kg)		Mr W. Gordon	50/1
Last	Le Grand [c]	3y c	T. Nerriker	7 st 5 lb (46.7 kg)		Donald Smith Wallace	25/1
SCR	Sir Modred (NZL)	6y h	—N/a	9 st 8 lb (60.8 kg)	—N/a	Mr D. Proudfoot
SCR	Off Colour	3y c	—N/a	7 st 12 lb (49.9 kg)	James Wilson	William Branch
SCR	Jessie	4y m	—N/a	7 st 9 lb (48.5 kg)	Thomas Ivory	Thomas Ivory
SCR	Signor	3y c	—N/a	7 st 1 lb (44.9 kg)		Mr E.P. Wilson
SCR	Bordeaux	Aged h	—N/a	6 st 9 lb (42.2 kg)		William Clarke

Prizemoney

For the 1883 race, the Victoria Racing Club increased the prize money awarded, adding £1000 to the winner's sweepstakes, while also increasing the second and third prizes each by £100. ^[7]

First prize £2157, second prize £300, third prize £200. ^[12]

See also

• Horses portal
• Sports portal
• Australia portal

• Melbourne Cup
• List of Melbourne Cup winners
• Victoria Racing Club

Notes

1. Also known at Jack Williamson
2. Was supposed to carry 6st 11lb
3. Sometimes spelled Legrand

References

1. "Martini Henry wins 1883 Melbourne Cup". nzhistory.govt.nz. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
2. O'Reilly, Paddy (2016). "Martini-Henri (1883)". Facts, Stats & Trivia of The Melbourne Cup. Melbourne: New Holland Publishers Pty Ltd. pp. 16–17. ISBN   9781742579054.
3. "The Eve of the Cup". The Argus. Melbourne, Victoria. 6 November 1883. p. 10. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
4. "The Melbourne Press on Archie's Running". The Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser. Sydney, New South Wales. 10 November 1883. p. 891. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
5. "The Cup Day". The Age. Melbourne, Victoria. 6 November 1883. p. 6. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
6. "News of the Day". The Age. Melbourne, Victoria. 7 November 1883. p. 4. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
7. Reubertstein. The History of the Melbourne Cup from 1861 to 1894 (1895 ed.). Melbourne, Australia: James J. Miller. pp. 38–40.
8. "1881 to 1890 Melbourne Cup Winners". races com au. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
9. "1881 to 1890 Melbourne Cup Winners". races com au. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
10. "WINNERS AND PLACED HORSES IN MELBOURNE CUP. 1861-1913". Winner. Melbourne, Victoria. 28 October 1914. p. 4. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
11. Cavanough, Maurice (1978). The Melbourne Cup (8 ed.). p. 445. ISBN   0727004859.
12. "1883 Melbourne Cup MillersGuide". millersguide.identika.com.au. Archived from the original on 14 March 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2026.
13. "Melbourne Cup Winners - 1881-1900". Victoria Racing Club. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
14. Rolfe, Costa (2008). Winners of the Melbourne Cup. Fitzroy, Australia: Red Dog. pp. 54–55. ISBN   9781742035093.

External links

• 1883 Melbourne Cup footyjumpers.com