Melbourne Cup Legends

Phar Lap

Most people in the World know of Black Beauty well to the Australians Phar Lap is the same mythical horse and goes down in Melbourne Cup history. Phar Lap emerged onto the Horse Racing scene in Australia at a time when things were not very good as there was a major depression going on around the late nineteen twenties.

Phar Lap was bought for a mere 160 guineas in 1928 and was commonly known as the Red Terror and he won the 1930 Melbourne Cup going off one of the shortest priced favourites for the race ever and won it in such style that those who backed it never had any worries during the race. Similar to Sea Biscuit a movie was made about Phar Lap and there was much made of his escape from death before the 1930 race when thugs attempted to shoot him. After his 1930 victory the grandstand at Flemington was named after this racing legend.

Makybe Diva

Makybe Diva has to go down as one of the legends of the Melbourne Cup as no other race horse has won the Melbourne Cup on three occasions and to top it off in succession. Her years of greatness were 2003, 2004, 2005 and in her final victory she carried to weight to victory. Makybe Diva had an unique raport with her jockey G Boss who gave her a magnificent ride to complete the hat trick of wins as he steered her through on the inside for most of the race knowing that her big weight would have told against her had he not taken this shortest way round. Makybe Diva never let her jockey down and the scenes afterwards would have filled to hardest of hearts with joy.