1865 Melbourne Cup
| Melbourne Cup | |
The 1865 Melbourne Cup trophy | |
| Location | Flemington Racecourse |
|---|---|
| Date | 2 November 1865 |
| Distance | 2 miles |
| Winning horse | Toryboy |
| Winning time | 3:44.0 |
| Final odds | 25/1 |
| Jockey | John Kavanagh |
| Trainer | Pat Miley |
| Owner | B.C. Marshall |
| Conditions | Hard |
| Surface | Turf |
| Attendance | 13,000 |
The 1865 Melbourne Cup was a two-mile handicap horse race which took place on Thursday, 2 November 1865.
This year was the fifth running of the Melbourne Cup. The Victoria Racing Club awarded a trophy for the first time in the history of the race. The race was won by an eight-year-old Gray named Toryboy becoming both the first gray and the oldest horse to win the race. The runner up, Panic actually protested the race which was quickly dismissed.[1]
This was the first year a trophy was awarded to the winning owner. Toryboy's owner Mr B.C. Marshall, reportedly sold the trophy, which he considered a monstrosity.[2] The trophy was designed and made by London company Smith and Nicholson.[3]
Following declarations, 26 horses were in the running for the race, with three horses scratched on race day leaving 23 horses to start the race.[4]
Foaled in England and imported to Tasmania,[5] Panic had been purchased by Thomas Dowling to win the Melbourne Cup.[6] Giving away much weight to much of the field, Panic led from the front for much of the race, only headed briefly by Frolic, Minstrel, and eventually by Toryboy. The field was widely spread and reports suggest that a number of horses failed to finish. Toryboy making advantage of the lighter weight won by two lengths from Panic, with Riverina third a further three lengths behind.[4]
Toryboy had previously finished fifth in the 1861 race, and sixth in 1862.
In 2021, Victorian Racing Club historian Andrew Lemon, confirmed that 12-year-old John Kavanagh was the winning jockey riding Toryboy. Kavanagh was presented with a silver mounted whip.[7]
Full results
This is the list of placegetters for the 1865 Melbourne Cup.[8][9][10][11][12][13][14]
| Place | Horse | Age Gender |
Jockey | Weight | Trainer | Owner | Odds | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toryboy | 8y g | John Kavanagh | 7 st 0 lb (44.5 kg) | Pat Miley | Mr B.C. Marshall | 25/1 | 2 lengths |
| 2 | Panic (GBR) | 7y h | Joe Morrison | 10 st 0 lb (63.5 kg) | Philip Dowling | 5/1 eq. fav. | 3 lengths | |
| 3 | Riverina | 5y m | William Yeomans | 7 st 7 lb (47.6 kg) | William Hutton | 16/1 | ||
| 4 | Angler | 3y c | J. Davis | 6 st 5 lb (40.4 kg) | Hurtle Fisher | 7/1 | ||
| 5 | Frolic | 3y c | Andrew Mitchelson | 6 st 12 lb (43.5 kg) | Philip Dowling | 12/1 | ||
| 6 | Cadland | 4y g | Harry Chifney[a] | 7 st 10 lb (49.0 kg) | William Field | 50/1 | ||
| 7 | Musidora | 6y m | Denis Fountain | 9 st 0 lb (57.2 kg) | James Wilson | James Wilson | 12/1 | |
| 8 | Julie-cum-Sneezer | Aged g | J. Bishop | 8 st 7 lb (54.0 kg) | Mr F. Hobson | 33/1 | ||
| 9 | Rose of Denmark | 5y m | Goodman | 8 st 5 lb (53.1 kg) | Hurtle Fisher | Hurtle Fisher | 5/1 eq. fav. | |
| N/a | Poet | 5y h | J. Ashworth | 9 st 6 lb (59.9 kg) | Isaac Pear | 8/1 | ||
| N/a | Oriflamme | 5y h | W. Lang | 9 st 0 lb (57.2 kg) | David Kennedy | 20/1 | ||
| N/a | Playboy | Aged g | J. Carter | 8 st 11 lb (55.8 kg) | Patrick Keighran | 12/1 | ||
| N/a | Minstrel | 5y g | Sam Waldock | 8 st 9 lb (54.9 kg) | Mr W.A. Wetton | 10/1 | ||
| N/a | Songster | 4y g | Charles Stanley | 8 st 7 lb (54.0 kg) | Isaac Pear | 100/1 | ||
| N/a | Viscount | Aged g | R. Clarke | 8 st 6 lb (53.5 kg) | William Pearson | 33/1 | ||
| N/a | Ellen | Aged m | Winter | 8 st 7 lb (54.0 kg) | William Field | 33/1 | ||
| N/a | Victoria (GBR) | 4y m | H. Cooke | 8 st 0 lb (50.8 kg) | William Cross Yuille | 12/1 | ||
| N/a | Shadow | Aged m | T. Handley | 7 st 7 lb (47.6 kg) | William Warren | 100/1 | ||
| N/a | The Miller | 3y c | McDonald | 6 st 0 lb (38.1 kg) | Mr N.J. Uren | 20/1 | ||
| N/a | Nightshade | 3y f | J. Hoysted | 6 st 0 lb (38.1 kg) | Mr H.G. Bowler | 100/1 | ||
| N/a | Mahratta | 4y h | P. Gill | 7 st 13 lb (50.3 kg) | John Field | 50/1 | ||
| N/a | Mozart | Aged g | A. Hill | 7 st 9 lb (48.5 kg) | Mr J. Armstrong | 12/1 | ||
| N/a | Alexandra | 3y f | Samuel Davis | 5 st 12 lb (37.2 kg) | Mr W. Faris | 16/1 | ||
| SCR | Maidstone | 3y f | N/a | 6 st 0 lb (38.1 kg) | N/a | Mr R.C. Wood | N/a | |
| SCR | Charles Albert | 3y c | N/a | 6 st 0 lb (38.1 kg) | N/a | William Cross Yuille | N/a | |
| SCR | Lancer | 4y g | N/a | 8 st 6 lb (53.5 kg) | N/a | Philip Dowling | N/a | |
| SCR | Ebor | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | |
| SCR | Shenandoah | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a |
Prizemoney
First prize £1,015, second prize £20.[10]
The owner of the winner also received a trophy for the first time. Manufactured in England, it was "an elaborate silver bowl on a stand with a narrow neck reinforced with two ornate handles and topped with a horse and rider."[2]
See also
Notes
- ^ Jockey Henry Dawes rode under the name Harry Chifney.
References
- ^ O'Reilly, Paddy (2016). "Toryboy (1865)". Facts, Stats & Trivia of The Melbourne Cup. Melbourne: New Holland Publishers Pty Ltd. pp. 14–15. ISBN 9781742579054.
- ^ a b "Melbourne Cup trophy has colourful and creative history". abc.net.au. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 1 November 2013. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
- ^ "The first Melbourne Cup trophy, 1865 [picture] / Batchelder & Co". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
- ^ a b "Victoria Racing Club - Melbourne Spring Meeting". The Argus. 3 November 1865. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
- ^ "The race for the Melbourne Cup". Gippsland Guardian. 10 November 1865. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
- ^ Ibbett, Ian (15 December 2017). "1871 – The Derby Throws Up Javelin!". Kings of the Turd. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
- ^ Kelly, Jen (28 October 2021). "Cup mystery solved". Herald-Sun. Melbourne, Victoria: News Corporation Australia. p. 57.
- ^ "1861 to 1870 Melbourne Cup Winners". races com au. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
- ^ Cavanough, Maurice (1978). The Melbourne Cup (8 ed.). p. 445. ISBN 0727004859.
- ^ a b "1865 Melbourne Cup MillersGuide". millersguide.identika.com.au. Archived from the original on 4 March 2020. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
- ^ "Melbourne Cup Winners - 1861-1880". Victoria Racing Club. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
- ^ "Victoria Racing Club - Melbourne Spring Meeting". The Argus. Melbourne, Victoria. 2 November 1865. p. 5. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
- ^ "Melbourne Spring Racing Meeting". The Leader. Melbourne, Victoria. 4 November 1865. p. 8. Retrieved 15 December 2025.
- ^ Reubertstein. The History of the Melbourne Cup from 1861 to 1894 (1895 ed.). Melbourne, Australia: James J. Miller. pp. 13–14.
External links
- 1865 Melbourne Cup footyjumpers.com