1887 Melbourne Cup

1887 Melbourne Cup
Melbourne Cup
LocationFlemington Racecourse
Date1 November 1887
Distance2 miles
Winning horseDunlop
Winning time3:28.50
Final odds20/1
JockeyThomas Sanders
TrainerJohn Nicholson
OwnerRichard Donovan
ConditionsHard
SurfaceTurf
Attendance83,000

The 1887 Melbourne Cup was a two-mile handicap horse race which took place on Tuesday, 1 November 1887.[1]

This year was the twenty-seventh running of the Melbourne Cup. Won by five-year-old stallion Dunlop at odds of 20/1.

With the addition of £2,500 to the winner's sweepstakes, the race was now the richest race in Australia.[2]

Entries and odds

From an initial subscription of 128 runners, only 24 entries had paid the final fee to run in the Melbourne Cup.[3][2] James White's runner Trident was the nominal top-weighted runner having won the Australian Cup in the autumn, but the horse would be withdrawn before the race following its run in the Melbourne Stakes, leaving Sardius carrying 8 st 5 lb (53.1 kg) at the top of the handicap list.[2]

Algerian, The Australian Peer, Silver Prince, Oakleigh, and Remus had all been heavily backed in the lead-up to the race, but it would be seven-year-old horse Meteor that would assume overall favouritism at 5/1.[2] Oakleigh had won the Caulfield Cup ahead of a disappointing Silvermine,[4] with Remus in second.[5][6] Silvermine though had improved by the start of the VRC Spring Meeting, defeating Dunlop to win the Melbourne Stakes. It was said that Silvermine was an "unlucky" horse and that it would more as soon finish high in the placegetters without winning.[6]

It was said that Dunlop had improved over the spring racing season, but Algerian would have the better run of the two horses.[4] Three-year-old colt The Australian Peer was strongly backed following its win in the Victoria Derby, where it beat Abercorn at even weights.[5] A few weeks earlier, Abercorn had won the AJC Derby at Randwick Racecourse in a canter,[7] where Niagara had also finished ahead of The Australian Peer.[6] Niagara had suffered interference in the Victoria Derby when Tranter stumbled and bumped Niagara off its stride down the Flemington straight.[6]

The Charmer was the only filly in the race, with many owners not electing to run mares in the arduous race. Previous Cup runners Silvermine, Meteor and Recall were again entered into the race.[5] Recall was seen as one of the better outside chances to win the race, with odds wound in to 14/1 by the start of the race.[6]

It was reported that Sardius was only entered in the race to win a wager for the owner that the horse would merely start the Melbourne Cup.[6]

In a first for the race, no Victorian-bred runners remained in the field following final acceptances.[8]

The race

A small field of just 18 runners went to the starting post following a few withdrawals on race day. It was the fewest runners since the 1874 Melbourne Cup.

Silver Prince had the quickest start and was the leading runner at the first turn ahead of Algerian, The Charmer, Tranter, Remus, Thunderbolt, Pakeha, The Australian Peer and Recall. Along the riverside, Silver Prince maintained its advantage, increasing the pace, while Sardius brought up the rear of the field. Algerian joined Silver Prince in the lead, with Remus in third in front of The Charmer and a large pack about a mile from the winning post. Cranbrook made a run to take third, while the leading pair battled for the advantage. Silver Prince was close on the rails, and with half a mile to go Algerian had a slight lead with Cranbrook and Dunlop coming around the outside. At the final turn, Silver Prince and Algerian were still locked together, with Cranbrook and Dunlop still applying pressure.[9]

Down the Flemington straight, the two leaders started to fade having run their race too soon. Dunlop took over the lead ahead of Silvermine, with The Australian Peer ahead of the chasing pack. Alec Robertson coaxed an effort out of Silvermine to draw close to Dunlop, but the Tasmanian-bred horse didn't have one more kick to take the lead. Jockey Thomas Sanders leading home Dunlop to win ahead of Silvermine by a length in the fastest Melbourne Cup time of 3:28.5.[9] The Australian Peer finished strongly to take third, ahead of Niagara. Sardius had broken down and failed to finish.[9] Bred in South Australia,[8] Dunlop was trained by John Nicholson, the brother of jockey Donald Nicholson who had died in a race fall during the 1886 Caulfield Cup.[10]

This would be the last Melbourne Cup race for jockey Alec Robertson. Winner of the 1884 Cup on Malua, Robertson had been third (1885) and second (1886) with Trenton. Robertson died following a fall on 2 January 1888. Silvermine was also killed in the same incident.[11]

Full results

This is the list of placegetters for the 1887 Melbourne Cup.[12][9][1]

Place Horse Age
Gender 		Jockey Weight Trainer Owner Odds Margin
1 Dunlop 5y h Thomas Sanders 8 st 3 lb (52.2 kg) John Nicholson Richard Donovan 20/1 1 length
2 Silvermine 6y h Alec Robertson[a] 8 st 3 lb (52.2 kg) Isaac Foulsham William Cooper 14/1 1 length
3 The Australian Peer 3y c Ted Gorry 7 st 5 lb (46.7 kg) Harry Rayner William Gannon 6/1 ½ length
4  Niagara (NZL) 3y c Trahan 7 st 5 lb (46.7 kg)[b] Isaac Foulsham William Cooper 20/1
5 Abercorn 3y c Tom Hales 7 st 7 lb (47.6 kg) Thomas Payten James White 20/1
6 Recall 5y h Power 7 st 5 lb (46.7 kg) Mr R. Orr 14/1
7 Oakleigh 5y h Fielder 7 st 4 lb (46.3 kg) Martin Loughlin 7/1
8 Algerian 5y h T. Nerriker 7 st 1 lb (44.9 kg) Mr G. Osborne 6/1
9 Remus 5y h Sam Cracknell 6 st 11 lb (43.1 kg) Mr S.G. Cook 15/1
10  Silver Prince (NZL) 4y h Cochrane 7 st 3 lb (45.8 kg) William Robinson 15/1
11 Cranbrook 3y c O'Keefe 6 st 12 lb (43.5 kg) Thomas Payten James White 20/1
12  Thunderbolt (NZL) 5y h M. Gallagher 7 st 8 lb (48.1 kg) William Robinson 25/1
13 Jebusite 3y c Howie 6 st 6 lb (40.8 kg)[c] Mr J. Cohen 100/1
14 Meteor 7y h Fiddes 7 st 2 lb (45.4 kg) Mr R.K. Maitland 5/1 fav.
15  Tranter (NZL) 3y c O'Connor 6 st 6 lb (40.8 kg) William E. Dakin Edwin Mitchelson 20/1
16 Pakeha 3y c O'Connor 6 st 6 lb (40.8 kg) A. Davis Mr A. Harvey 40/1
17 The Charmer 3y f O'Neil 6 st 10 lb (42.6 kg) Mr S.G. Cook 50/1
DNF Sardius 7y h Burton 8 st 5 lb (53.1 kg) Mr S. Nathan 50/1
SCR Trident 4y h N/a 9 st 8 lb (60.8 kg) Thomas Payten James White
SCR Frisco 4y h N/a 7 st 3 lb (45.8 kg) Mr T. Sampson
SCR Enfilade 3y c N/a 6 st 12 lb (43.5 kg) Harry Yeend William Robinson
SCR Affluence 5y h N/a 6 st 11 lb (43.1 kg) Mr J. Pile
SCR  Escutcheon (NZL) 3y c N/a 6 st 9 lb (42.2 kg) William E. Dakin Edwin Mitchelson
SCR Lord William 4y h N/a 7 st 7 lb (47.6 kg) Mr C.R. Ord

Prizemoney

With the Victorian economy booming, the Victoria Racing Club increased the prize money awarded for a second year, adding £2500 to the winner's sweepstakes and including a trophy valued at £100.[9] The trophy was a golden horseshoe mounted on a plush stand.

First prize £3155, second prize £500, third prize £250.[1]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Sometimes spelled Alick Robertson
  2. ^ Was supposed to carry 7st 3lb
  3. ^ Was supposed to carry 6st 3lb

References

  1. ^ a b c "1887 Melbourne Cup MillersGuide". millersguide.identika.com.au. Archived from the original on 17 March 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  2. ^ a b c d "Victoria Racing Club Spring Meeting - Second (Cup) Day". The Age. Melbourne, Victoria. 1 November 1887. p. 5.
  3. ^ "The Melbourne Cup Forfeits". Sportsman. Melbourne, Victoria. 26 October 1887. p. 5. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  4. ^ a b "Flemington Anticipations". The Leader. Melbourne, Victoria. 29 October 1887. p. 17. Retrieved 15 February 2026.
  5. ^ a b c "Cup Day". The Argus. Melbourne, Victoria. 1 November 1887. p. 7. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  6. ^ a b c d e f "The VRC Spring Meeting - Derby Day". Sportsman. Melbourne, Victoria. 31 October 1887. p. 1. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  7. ^ Ibbett, Ian (2 February 2018). "1887 – The King of Kirkham!". Kings of the Turf. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  8. ^ a b "Sporting Topics". Sportsman. Melbourne, Victoria. 31 October 1887. p. 5.
  9. ^ a b c d e Reubertstein. The History of the Melbourne Cup from 1861 to 1894 (1895 ed.). Melbourne, Australia: James J. Miller. pp. 47–49.
  10. ^ "The Winning Jockey". The Leader. Melbourne, Victoria. 5 November 1887. p. 20. Retrieved 25 February 2026.
  11. ^ Ibbett, Ian (1 January 2018). "1886 – Trident Trumps a Future Baronet!". Kings of the Turf. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
  12. ^ "1881 to 1890 Melbourne Cup Winners". races com au. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
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