The 1982 Melbourne Cup was a two-mile handicap horse race which took place on Tuesday, 2 November 1982 at Flemington Racecourse.
The race was won by Gurner's Lane trained by Geoff Murphy and ridden by Mick Dittman. He won by a neck from Kingston Town trained by Tommy Smith and 3rd was Noble Comment trained by George Hanlon.
Background
Fellow Tommy Smith trained Just A Dash was sent out the 11/2 favourite.
Gurner's Lane had won the 1982 AJC and the VRC St Leger Stakes, ran third in the Metropolitan Handicap and then won the Caulfield Cup and incurred a 3 kg penalty for the cup. His impressive run of race victories saw him awarded the Australian Horse of the Year for the 1982–1983 season. Gurner's Lane broke down in early 1983 and although later returning to the track he never won another race.
The race is remembered for the defeat of champion Kingston Town who had won his third Cox Plate the start before. His jockey, Malcolm Johnston, was later criticised for taking him to the lead too early. Kingston Town went to Perth and broke down after winning what would be his last race, now named the Kingston Town Classic.
Field
This is a list of horses which ran in the 1982 Melbourne Cup.
PlaceHorseTrainerJockey1stGurner's LaneGeoff MurphyMick Dittman2ndKingston TownTommy SmithMalcolm Johnston3rdNoble Comment George HanlonRobert Heffernan4thMy Sir AvonBart CummingsHarry White5thBianco LadyR H ThomsenN Voigt6thPort CarlingTommy SmithRon Quinton7thAllez BijouC J HoneychurchGary Willetts8thWellington RoadP DawsonG Cook9thAstrolinWayne WaltersP Alderman10thAmarantGeorge HanlonJim Cassidy11thSilver BountyG M CarsonMidge Didham12thDealer's ChoiceR B MorganC Bromley13thBarmaxL M ArmfieldD Coleman14thToharRick Hore-LacyP Shepherd15thTriumphal MarchColin HayesBrent Thomson16thJust A DashTommy SmithPeter Cook17thMagistrateIan SteffertBrian Andrews18thDry WineJ V BurnsB McGinley19thCarringbushRay HutchinsPat Hyland20thRose And ThistleErrol SkeltonBob Skelton21stMr. DigbyTommy HughesG Murphy22ndBrewery BoyTommy SmithJohn Letts23rdGala MascotGeoff MurphyB Clements
References