The 1974 Melbourne Cup was a handicap horse race which took place on Tuesday, 5 November 1974 over 3200m, at Flemington Racecourse.
The race was won by the gelding Think Big, trained by Bart Cummings and ridden by Harry White. The runner up was Leilani also trained by Bart Cummings, and third place went to Captain Peri. The winning margin was one length with a further length to third place.
This win gave Bart Cummings his fourth Melbourne Cup win and his third quinella of the race. Bart went on to record twelve Melbourne Cup training victories.https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/image-gallery/2d3ed522011c7441c02d4a5375cb339b
Bred by the estate of the late L. A. Alexander, Think Big was purchased by Bart for Dato Tan Chin Nam at the Trentham yearling sales in New Zealand at a price of $10,000. Think Big was sired by Sobig and his dam Sarcelle was by Oman. Think Big also won the 1975 Melbourne Cup for Bart and was once again ridden by Harry White.
As well as two victories on Think Big, Harry White also won the 1978 Melbourne Cup on Arwon and the 1979 race on Hyperno.
Field
This is the full field that contested the 1974 Melbourne Cup.
PlaceHorseTrainerJockeyWeightSP1stThink Big Bart CummingsHarry White53kg12/12ndLeilaniBart CummingsPeter Cook55.5kg7/2 fav3rdCaptain Peri (NZ)Jack WoodMax Baker52kg14/14thLord MetricMerv RitchieNoel Harris53kg20/15thPiping Lane Ray TrinderJohn Stocker53kg50/16thTurfcutter (NZ)Ray VernerDavid Peake53kg7/17thBattle Heights (NZ) Tim DouglasGary Willets61kg11/28thIgloo (NZ)Tommy SmithNeville Voigt57.5kg33/19thBelotta (NZ)R CampbellStan Aitkin51kg14/110thGrand ScaleM WillmottPat Trotter53kg20/111thHerminiaD JuddBrian Gilders50kg8/112thTaras BulbaGeorge HanlonLyle Harbridge47kg20/113thGala Supreme Ray HutchinsFrank Reys57.5kg15/114thCorroboreeT HoweDarby McCarthy55.5kg80/115thPaaetreulTommy SmithKevin Langby56.5kg40/116thTop OrderTommy HughesMalcolm Johnston43.5kg200/117thPilfer (NZ)Colin HayesJohn Miller53kg40/118thGay MasterTommy HughesMidge Didham51kg50/119thOur PocketB J BoyleJohn Letts53kg12/120thSequesterR WinksRay Setches48kg250/121stBig AngelE W LaingPat Hyland52kg33/122ndHigh Sail (NZ)Tommy HughesAlan Cooper53kg200/1 Scratched: Quick Answer (16), Stop The Music (23)
References