1878 Melbourne Cup

1878 Melbourne Cup
Melbourne Cup
LocationFlemington Racecourse
Date5 November 1878
Distance2 miles
Winning horseCalamia
Winning time3:35.75
Final odds10/1
JockeyThomas Brown
TrainerEtienne de Mestre
OwnerEtienne de Mestre
SurfaceTurf
Attendance≈80,000

The 1878 Melbourne Cup was a two-mile handicap horse race which took place on Tuesday, 5 November 1878.[1]

This year was the eighteenth running of the Melbourne Cup. Won by five-year-old Calamia, it was the fifth time a horse trained by Etienne de Mestre had won the Melbourne Cup.[2]

1877 cup winner Chester fell and collided with a post during the race. Chester's veteran jockey Joe Morrison was seriously injured in the fall, suffering a badly broken leg, an injury from which he never really recovered.[3][4][5]

Entries and odds

Highly fancied runner First King had suffered an injury prior to the race and had to be withdrawn by James Wilson ahead of the day of the race, while previous year's winner Chester had shown good form again in the lead-up, winning the Melbourne Stakes on the Saturday before the Melbourne Cup, easily beating both Cap-a-pie and Device. Savanaka, who had come second the previous year was not well-backed by its stable a year later, eventually being withdrawn from the race on the day.[6] Columbus had been heavily backed following the Victoria Derby which was won by Wellington. But the most backed runner was Wilson's Melita, taking favouritism ahead of Wellington and Firebell.[6] Many believed that Chester would be able to repeat its win from the year before.[7]

The race

Cup Day dawned under grey skies, but brightened as the morning progressed, and by the time the race was run the weather had turned to pleasant sunshine, albeit with a cool wind.[8] Following a number of withdrawals, 30 runners were sent to the start. Rapidity jumped clear after the flag fell, leading the field for more than the first mile of the race, Tom Kirk the only runner to match the speed of the leader. When Chester fell rounding a post, its jockey Joe Morrison was badly injured. The fall caused Glengarry to bolt inside the course. Wellington and Fireball looked in good position as the field tried to catch Rapidity, but it was Calamia that lead from beyond the final turn to ease home win by more than two lengths. Tom Kirk and Waxy finished in the minor placings, while the favourite Melita was never really in the race, having been run wide around much of the course.[8][7]

For jockey Thomas Brown it was his first win in the Melbourne Cup. He would return as a trainer to win the race in 1880 with Grand Flaneur. The fifth win in the race for Etienne de Mestre confirmed his standing as Australia's first outstanding racehorse trainer, and his stables at Terrara near Nowra to be the finest in the country.[5][9][10] In typical style, de Mestre had backed his other runner Firebell to win the race, despite expressing confidence in Calamia.[11]

As a three-year-old, Calamia had previously won the Randwick Plate over three miles, as well as the Canterbury Plate. In other races, Calamia finished second in the VRC Champion Stakes and the Australian Cup. It was unplaced in a number of races earlier in 1878, having not raced since the autumn race meetings in Sydney.[12][7][11]

Attendances at the racecourse were estimated to be at a similar level to the previous years,[13] with thousands of visitors from the other colonies making their way to Melbourne.[7] Reporters questioned whether the VRC would need to extend the grandstands before the next running of the Melbourne Cup as "for every additional mile of railway that is constructed to connect the country districts with Melbourne an increase in the number of visitors at carnival times may be expected."[7]

Full results

This is the list of placegetters for the 1878 Melbourne Cup.[3][14][1][15][6][8][7][11]

Place Horse Age
Gender 		Jockey Weight Trainer Owner Odds Margin
1 Calamia 5y h Thomas Brown 8 st 2 lb (51.7 kg) Etienne de Mestre Etienne de Mestre 10/1 2½ lengths
2 Tom Kirk 7y h William Murphy 7 st 8 lb (48.1 kg) Ike Carslake Mr C. James[a] 33/1 1¼ lengths
3 Waxy 6y h Braithwaite 6 st 11 lb (43.1 kg) Ike Carslake James Liddell Purves 16/1
4 Swiveller 4y h William Yeomans 7 st 13 lb (50.3 kg) Walter Hickenbotham Charles Madden Lloyd 25/1
5 Wellington 3y c J. King 5 st 13 lb (37.6 kg)[b] Edward Alfred Johnson-Boe 8/1
6 Strathearn 4y h C. Gordon 7 st 12 lb (49.9 kg) John Tait John Tait 33/1
7 Newminster 5y h Brickwood Colley 8 st 8 lb (54.4 kg) Andrew Chirnside 25/1
8 Glenormiston 4y h George Williams 7 st 12 lb (49.9 kg) William Filgate William Filgate 25/1
9 K.C.B. 3y c Emsworth 5 st 10 lb (36.3 kg) John Tait John Tait 50/1
10 Warlock 3y c R. Walker 6 st 7 lb (41.3 kg) Mr J. Paterson 33/1
11 Lockleys 4y h John Kilduff[c] 8 st 5 lb (53.1 kg) Tom Jordan Tom Jordan 33/1
12 Riverton 3y c C. Hutchins 5 st 12 lb (37.2 kg) John Whittingham 50/1
N/a Cap-a-pie 4y h W. Huxley 8 st 8 lb (54.4 kg) Mr G. Hill 20/1
N/a Macaroni 6y g Paddy Pigott 8 st 6 lb (53.5 kg) Thomas Ivory 20/1
N/a Rapidity 4y h Weston 7 st 5 lb (46.7 kg) Mr W. Brown 33/1
N/a Burwood 8y g Samuel Davis 7 st 4 lb (46.3 kg) Mr S. Bradbury 50/1
N/a Columbus 6y h T. Aspinall 7 st 3 lb (45.8 kg) Edward Alfred Johnson-Boe 16/1
N/a Devilshoof 4y h Pearson 7 st 2 lb (45.4 kg) Joe Thompson 100/1
N/a The King 6y h William Samuel Cox Jr 6 st 10 lb (42.6 kg) William Samuel Cox 50/1
N/a Darriwell 4y h Sam Cracknell 8 st 8 lb (54.4 kg) William Algernon Guesdon[d] 20/1
N/a Emily 3y f J. Williamson 6 st 6 lb (40.8 kg) Hercules Robinson 16/1
N/a Glengarry 5y h Donald Nicholson 6 st 6 lb (40.8 kg) Louis Lawrence Smith 100/1
N/a Auckland (late Maori) 4y h Cornwell 6 st 5 lb (40.4 kg) Mr A.E. Cornwell 12/1
N/a Melita 3y f Peter St Albans 5 st 7 lb (34.9 kg) James Wilson Henry J. Bowler 4/1 fav.
N/a Numa Pompilius 4y g G. Poole 5 st 7 lb (34.9 kg) Mr C.G. Baldock 100/1
N/a Firebell 4y h G. Burton 5 st 7 lb (34.9 kg) William Samuel Cox 8/1
N/a Pride Of The Vale 3y f Geoghegan 6 st 0 lb (38.1 kg) Mr R.T. Reid 100/1
N/a Franciscan 3y c J. Deasy 6 st 8 lb (41.7 kg) Stephen Mahon Stephen Mahon 100/1
N/a Device 4y m Tom Hales 7 st 5 lb (46.7 kg) Tom Jordan William Pile 50/1
Fell Chester 4y h Joe Morrison 9 st 0 lb (57.2 kg) Etienne de Mestre James White 12/1
SCR Savanaka 4y h N/a 8 st 1 lb (51.3 kg) James Wilson Herbert Power 16/1
SCR Democrat 5y h N/a 8 st 0 lb (50.8 kg) Etienne de Mestre James White
SCR His Lordship 3y c N/a 7 st 4 lb (46.3 kg) Charles Brown Fisher
SCR Vulcan 3y c N/a 7 st 3 lb (45.8 kg) Etienne de Mestre Etienne de Mestre
SCR Roodee 3y c N/a 7 st 1 lb (44.9 kg) Etienne de Mestre James White
SCR Jasper 3y c N/a 6 st 6 lb (40.8 kg) Etienne de Mestre Etienne de Mestre
SCR Murrabinna 4y h N/a 6 st 5 lb (40.4 kg) John Crozier Jr
SCR Coongoola 3y c N/a 6 st 2 lb (39.0 kg) Mr F. Williams
SCR Lillian 3y f N/a 5 st 8 lb (35.4 kg) Mr W. Kite

Prizemoney

First prize £1790, second prize £50, third prize £20.[1]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Alias of Friedrich Wilhelm Prell, a Melbourne businessman.[16]
  2. ^ Was supposed to carry 5st 11lb
  3. ^ Also known as Jack Kilduff
  4. ^ A Tasmanian businessman, Guesdon used the alias "W. Rawlinson" for his racehorse ownership.[17]

References

  1. ^ a b c "1878 Melbourne Cup MillersGuide". millersguide.identika.com.au. Archived from the original on 14 March 2022. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  2. ^ "The Cup Day". The Argus (Melbourne). No. 10, 106. Victoria, Australia. 6 November 1878. p. 5. Retrieved 5 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ a b "1871 to 1880 Melbourne Cup Winners". races com au. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
  4. ^ "WINNERS AND PLACED HORSES IN MELBOURNE CUP. 1861-1913". Winner. Melbourne, Victoria. 28 October 1914. p. 4. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  5. ^ a b Ibbett, Ian (21 December 2017). "1877 - The Defeat of Chester!". Kings of the Turf. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  6. ^ a b c "The Cup Race". The Argus. Melbourne, Victoria. 5 November 1878. p. 6. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
  7. ^ a b c d e f "THE VRC Spring Meeting - Second (The Cup) Day". The Age. Melbourne, Victoria. 6 November 1878. p. 3. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
  8. ^ a b c "The Cup Day". The Argus. Melbourne, Victoria. 6 November 1878. pp. 5–6. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
  9. ^ Walsh, G.P. "Etienne Livingstone de Mestre (1832–1916)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
  10. ^ Rolfe, Costa (2008). Winners of the Melbourne Cup. Fitzroy, Australia: Red Dog. pp. 44–45. ISBN 9781742035093.
  11. ^ a b c "Second (Cup) Day - Tuesday, Nov. 5". The Australasian. Melbourne, Victoria. 9 November 1878. pp. 10–11. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
  12. ^ "The Melbourne Cup". South Australian Register. Adelaide, South Australia. 1 October 1878. p. 6. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
  13. ^ "Melbourne Cup Day". Australasian Sketcher. Melbourne, Victoria. 23 November 1878. pp. 138–139. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
  14. ^ Cavanough, Maurice (1978). The Melbourne Cup (8 ed.). p. 445. ISBN 0727004859.
  15. ^ "Melbourne Cup Winners - 1861-1880". Victoria Racing Club. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  16. ^ "Death of Mr F.W. Prell". The Argus. Melbourne, Victoria. 29 April 1912. p. 13. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
  17. ^ "Darriwell". The Tasmanian. Launceston, Tasmania. 15 November 1879. p. 9. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
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