1869 Melbourne Cup

The 1869 Melbourne Cup was a two-mile handicap horse race which took place on Thursday, 4 November 1869.

This year was the ninth running of the Melbourne Cup. This was one of the first instances where the day of the race was a declared public holiday in Melbourne.

A total of 33 runners declared for the race, including previous Cup runners Barwon and The Fly, but both horses broke down in the weeks before the race. Also scratched was early favourite Manuka who had been brought from New Zealand for the race only to suffer an injury. Sydney-trained horse Warrior had defeated previous Melbourne Cup winner Glencoe in the Essendon Stakes the previous weekend and was one of the favoured runners, behind Circassian who would start favourite who had won the Metropolitan earlier in the year.

Under grey skies with passing showers, a field of 26 runners started the race. Warrior got off to a good start, but was held back by his jockey Joe Morrison to allow Bishopsbourne, Sheet Anchor and Traverton to lead the field at the first turn. Along the river straight, Traverton and Circassian took up the lead running, until Warrior eased ahead before the final turn and lead comfortably down the Flemington straight to win the Cup. Unfancied runner The Monk had tried to make up ground, but was no match for Warrior to finish second, while Phoebe ran home strongly to finish third. Palmerston, which had missed the start, finished ahead of the rest of the field in sixth. At the final turn Paddy's Land was pushed into a post by Circassian. His jockey suffering a concussion after he was knocked off the horse who was injured in the collision.

Melbourne bookmaker Austin Saqui had purchased Warrior for £400 from Sydney following the horse's nomination for the Cup. It was reported that he won more than £10,000 on the outcome of the race.

In the lead up to the race, Saqui and trainer Robert Sevior had booked young jockey Andrew Mitchelson to ride Warrior in the race, but an altercation following a sluggish training gallop saw Mitchelson removed from the ride for the more experienced Joe Morrison. Saqui would later give Mitchelson £100 from his winnings as compensation.

Full results This is the list of placegetters for the 1869 Melbourne Cup.

PlaceHorseAgeGenderJockeyWeightTrainerOwnerOddsMargin1Warrior 6y gJoe Morrison Robert Standish SeviorAustin Saqui10/12 lengths2The Monk 5y hWilliam Enderson James Henderson200/11 length3Phoebe6y mSamuel Davis Edward Lee20/14Sir John5y hFinn Jack Chaafe50/15Freetrader5y gSwales Mr E.T. Bernard50/16Palmerston5y hHubbard William John Clarke50/17Aurora6y mChalker Hurtle Fisher16/18Miss Constance4y mClarke Jr. Mr C. Clarke100/19StropAged gS. Haynes William Field8/110Circassian6y hJ. Brown Mr W. Winch2/1 11Albany6y gD. Mitchell Hurtle Fisher20/112Charon3y cH. Lewis Hurtle Fisher10/1Coquette4y mBobby Waterman Dan Melhado100/16y hWilliam Yeomans Mr H.J. Bowler33/1TravertonAged gCharles Stanley John TaitThomas Ivory5/1Barbelle4y mBrickwood Colley Edward Lee33/1Lapdog5y gNunn Mr J. Gilbert50/1Salem ScudderAged gHarris Mr J.N. Perkins10/1Cymba4y mJames Wilson Jr Mr J. Moffatt33/1Norma5y mJohnny Day Mr G. Lewis33/1Bishopbourne4y gThomas Enderson William Field50/1Kestrel3y fDavidson William Pearson50/1Sheet Anchor5y hKerr Mr J. Kerr6/1MirandaAged mBourke Mr J. Cain50/1DoloAged gE. Davis Mr J. Brown50/1FellPaddy's LandAged hWard Mr H. Gamble30/14y hMr H. RedwoodLamplighter3y cPatrick KeighranPraetor4y hMr P. LewisPhosphorus5y hMr P. LewisShamrockAged gMr J. Brown

Prizemoney First prize £1190, second prize £50, third prize £20.

1869 Melbourne Cup

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