The Caulfield Cup has probably lost its place as one of the elite races on the Australian racing calendar at a time where pop up races and prizemoney are running rampart. But that said, the 2400m contest has a long and proud history and is part of the ‘Grand Slam’ of Australian racing, to go with the Cox Plate, Melbourne Cup and Golden Slipper.
The Caulfield Cup has been won by some champions so down below is our top ten.
10: Sobar (1972) – Modern/younger punters wouldn’t have heard of this horse but it was a case of what could have been. His 1972 Spring was a campaign for the ages. He won the Underwood Stakes, beating the older horses, before bolting up in the Caulfield Guineas, beating boom colt Century, before heading to the Caulfield Cup where he made an absolute mess of them, prompting legendary caller Bill Collins to declare “He mightn’t be a Tulloch but he’s not far from it”. His win was dominant but unfortunately the horse was injured next start in the Victoria Derby with a bowed tendon and he was never the same horse. But he’ll be remembered as one of the more arrogant winners of the Caulfield Cup. The replay of his win is 6:30 into the video below.
9: Tulloch (1957) – He probably doesn’t get due recognition as one of the all time greats but he is indeed one of the all time greats and his win in the Caulfield Cup is still one of the best seen. It was a three year old and it followed victories in the Rosehill Guineas and AJC Derby before heading to Melbourne where he took out the Caulfield Guineas. He carried 48kg in the Caulfield Cup and he spanked them, with his race winning time holding that record until 2000 when Diatribe broke it. But, as it stands, no three year old with that weight has run 2400m on turf faster in history, which speaks volumes. His life is well documented, the ups and downs, but he still holds a place as one of the best winners of the race.
8: Taufan’s Melody (1998) – History making win in 1998 given he became the first internationally trained horse to win the race. Trainer Lady Herries got the taste for Australian racing 12 months prior when preparing Harbour Dues to run fourth in the Melbourne Cup won by Might And Power. Taufan’s Melody and his win is not only memorable for the previous factor but also because it was one of the roughest ever runnings, with winning rider Ray Cochrane receiving a two month suspension for the interference he caused. But, like Vintage Crop in the 1993 Melbourne Cup, this race gave international trainers food for thought in terms of bringing horses over.
7: Elvstroem (2004) – Sometimes it’s a case of a class horse winning over a trip not really to their liking. Northerly proved that in 2002 and this year, it was Elvstroem who ran the 2400m out, just, to win. The ride from Nash Rawiller on speed was an absolute beauty and no doubt the ride won the race given Makybe Diva launched late, who wasn’t the mighty champion mare at the time and little did we know what she would end up doing, so for Elvstroem to fend her off and win was a ripping effort.
Replay Unavailable
6: Mannerism (1992) – This race is best remembered for the loss of champion Kiwi galloper Veandercross. The ride from Shane Dye is still talked about to this day with most thinking Dye went too wide on the horse but Dye has always maintained that he would go that wide every day of the week and the only thing he did wrong was that he clicked the horse up too early. But history says Mannerism won the race for Lee Freedman and it essentially put a Perth kid, Damien Oliver, into the racing spotlight and the rest is history.
5: Mer De Glace (2019) – Recent history suggested the Japanese should be respected when they come to Australia and punters warmed to this horse leading into the Caulfield Cup. The arrogance of the win was something else under Damian Lane, with the galloper giving the field a start and a beating in what was a very true and testing staying contest. It started a wonderful seven days for Japanese horses in Australia with gun mare Lys Gracieux winning the Cox Plate the following Saturday, also ridden by Lane.
4: Verry Elleegant (2020) – When you are discussing all time greats, you think Winx, Phar Lap, Black Caviar…Verry Elleegant has to be in the discussion given she won the Melbourne Cup and placed in the Cox Plate but 12 months prior, she won a ripping edition of the Caulfield Cup. A race run in front of no crowd due to Covid, the mare showed tremendous ticker late to fend off a high class UK stayer in the ill fated Anthony Van Dyck. The win cemented her spot as a champion and provided Mark Zahra and Chris Waller with their first win in the great race.
3: Jameka (2016) – The top three are the three most arrogant impressive wins in the race, starting with Jameka. The writing was on the wall with a slashing effort in the Turnbull behind a star in Hartnell before going to this race where on paper, she was a moral, and under Nick Hall, who wasted hard to ride, the Ciaron Maher mare gave her rivals a galloping lesson in a commanding performance. It provided Maher with a first win in the race while it was another for Hall after partnering Fawkner to win it a couple of years prior.
2: Incentivise (2021) – One of the remarkable stories in recent history of Australian racing. A horse who couldn’t win a Toowoomba maiden, and six months later was a multiple Group l winner and recorded one of the most dominant Caulfield Cup wins in history. Covid meant there was no overseas interest for the race in terms of representatives but even allowing for that, the way in which Incentivise put them away before the turn and gapped his rivals was something to behold.
1: Might And Power (1997) – If you had a group of say 100 punters and you asked them to name your favourite horse, a fair percentage would say that the 1997 Caulfield Cup win of Might And Power made them fall in love with racing. The story behind the win was remarkable too. Jim Cassidy, sacked from the horse after the Autumn, was back on for the Caulfield Cup. Trainer Jack Denham ordered Cassidy not to lead but he took the horse to the front and from there, he was never getting beat, with his extravagant stride in the straight really standing out as he bounded away for the most dominant and arrogant Caulfield Cup win in history. He of course went on to win the Melbourne Cup and is regarded as one of the best ever stayers.
