The 1997 Melbourne Cup was a two-mile handicap horse race which took place on Tuesday, 4 November 1997. The race, run over , at Flemington Racecourse.
The race was won by Might And Power who completed the Caulfield Cup-Melbourne Cup double after winning the former by seven lengths which incurred a 3.5 kg penalty. In both races 1995 Cup winner Doriemus finished second. Leading from the front under Jim Cassidy Might And Power held off Doriemus whose jockey Greg Hall famously flashed his whip in a victory salute only for Might and Power to win in the Photo finish.
Might and Power would go on to win Tancred Stakes, AJC Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Doomben Cup, Cox Plate (joining Rising Fast as the only horse to win all races in the Spring Grand Slam) to claim the tile of World Champion Stayer of 1997-98.
The 1997 race was the second victory for Jim Cassidy, who had previously won the 1983 Melbourne Cup with Kiwi. It was the only Melbourne Cup win for veteran trainer Jack Denham. Might And Power was the first of three Melbourne Cup winners for the sire Zabeel, followed by Jezabeel in 1998 and Efficient in 2007.
The race was also noteworthy because of serial pest Peter Hore who ran onto the track during the race.
Field
This is a list of horses which ran in the 1997 Melbourne Cup.
PlaceHorseTrainerJockey1stMight and PowerJack DenhamJim Cassidy2ndDoriemusLee FreedmanGreg Hall3rdMarkhamCliff BrownMick Dittman4thHarbour DuesLady Anne HerriesR Cochrane5thLinesmanGai WaterhouseLarry Cassidy6thArabian StoryLord HuntingdonFrankie Dettori7thSkybeauL SmithDwayne Dunn8thEbony GrosveGraeme RogersonShane Dye9thSapioSylvia KayDanny Nikolic10thGrandmasterBart CummingsL Beasley11thCourt Of Honour Peter HayesBrent Thomson12thMagnet BayD FryeChris Johnson13thVialliPaul O'SullivanB York14thAlways AloofLee FreedmanSteven King15thScrupulousJ SmithM Carson16thYobroK Roberts G Cooksley 17thSunny LaneCharlie GogginB Stanley18thMarble HallsLee FreedmanDamien Oliver19thAlfaBart CummingsDarren Beadman20thBonsai PipelineR ThomasGary Grylls 21stCrying LaneA JohnsonGreg Childs22ndCount ChivasS MorrishD Brereton
References