The Melbourne Cup might belong to Flemington, but Sydney racing has helped write some of its most memorable chapters.
From Peter Pan’s two victories to Might And Power’s thrilling success and Verry Elleegant’s demolition job, horses prepared by Sydney trainers have repeatedly conquered Australia’s greatest staying race.
The history also contains some painful defeats, with champions and emerging stars falling just short of bringing the Cup back to Sydney.
New South Wales had a connection to the race from the very beginning. Archer won the first two Melbourne Cups in 1861 and 1862 for Etienne de Mestre, although he was trained near Nowra rather than in Sydney. His victories belong to the broader NSW story and should be distinguished from those of metropolitan Sydney stables.
One of Sydney’s greatest Cup heroes was Peter Pan, prepared by Randwick trainer Frank McGrath. He won in 1932 before returning to claim a second Cup in 1934, becoming one of the race’s celebrated multiple winners.
His second victory was particularly memorable. On a rain-affected track, Peter Pan overcame the widest barrier under Darby Munro and won by three lengths. McGrath even had his tail plaited and tied to keep it clear of the mud, a small detail that became part of the legend surrounding the performance.
For all his dominance of Sydney racing, Tommy Smith found the Melbourne Cup considerably harder to win than many of the other major races on the calendar.
Smith secured his first Cup with Toparoa in 1955, defeating defending champion Rising Fast. He then waited 26 years for his second, with Just A Dash winning in 1981 under Sydney jockey Peter Cook. The gap between those victories underlines how demanding the race can be, even for a trainer of Smith’s standing.
A year later, Smith came agonisingly close with Kingston Town. The champion finished second to Gurner’s Lane in the 1982 Melbourne Cup, leaving one of Australian racing’s greatest horses without a victory in its most famous handicap.
Sydney’s challenge produced another unforgettable result in 1997 when Rosehill trainer Jack Denham brought Might And Power to Flemington.
After a devastating victory in the Caulfield Cup, the free-running gelding faced a much tighter battle over the Melbourne Cup’s longer journey. With Jim Cassidy aboard, Might And Power held off the late challenge of Doriemus by a nose to complete the Cups double.
It was a very different performance from his runaway Caulfield success, but the narrow margin only added to the drama. Might And Power had shown that his extraordinary cruising speed could carry him all the way through a Melbourne Cup.
Gai Waterhouse’s road to Melbourne Cup success also involved several near misses. Te Akau Nick finished second in 1993, Nothin’ Leica Dane was runner-up in 1995, and Fiorente filled the same position in 2012.
Fiorente returned the following year to give Waterhouse her breakthrough victory, ridden by Damien Oliver. For the Randwick trainer, it was the reward for a long pursuit of the race and another major achievement for one of Sydney racing’s best-known stables.
Chris Waller added his name to the honour roll in 2021 through Verry Elleegant, whose performance ranks among the most commanding modern Cup victories.
Ridden by James McDonald, the mare swept to a four-length win, delivering Waller his first Melbourne Cup. She defeated Incentivise and demonstrated that a horse already established among the country’s elite could produce an even greater performance when stretched to 3200 metres.
These victories also highlight an important distinction when assessing Sydney’s Melbourne Cup history: where a horse was bred is different from where it was trained. Fiorente was imported from Europe, while Verry Elleegant was New Zealand-bred, but their Cup victories came under Sydney-based trainers.
For Sydney contenders, the challenge has always been to translate their ability to Flemington’s demanding staying test. Some have done it through sustained speed, others through patient preparation and a powerful finish.
Peter Pan, Might And Power, Fiorente and Verry Elleegant each found their own way to win. Together with the near misses of Kingston Town and others, they give Sydney a Melbourne Cup history rich in champions, persistence and unforgettable finishes.
