The 1974 Melbourne Cup was a handicap horse race which took place on Tuesday, 5 November 1974 over 3200m, at Flemington Racecourse.
| Melbourne Cup | |
| Location | Flemington Racecourse |
|---|---|
| Date | 5 Nov 1974 |
| Distance | 3200m |
| Winning horse | Think Big |
| Winning time | 3:23.2 |
| Final odds | 12/1 |
| Jockey | Harry White |
| Trainer | Bart Cummings |
| Owner | Dato Tan Chin Nam & Rick O'Sullivan |
| Conditions | Good |
| Surface | Turf |
Battle Heights is up going for the lead now, on the outside coming out to have a crack at Igloo, Leilani is looking for a run between them will need it and here comes Captain Perri down the outside and Turfcutter, Turfcutter is mowing grass! Battle Heights went to the front at the 200 meter mark, from Leilani, Captain Peri on the outside then is Turfcutter and Think Big. Leilani is getting to Battle Heights and on the outside Captain Perri. Leilani just in front, Think Big is picking it up down the outside and Think Big has got up to win the Cup! Think Big has won, Leilani is second, third in the race then was Captain Perri.
Commentator Bert Bryant describes the climax of the race
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,[1] and third place went to Captain Peri.[2] 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.[3][4]
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.[5]
As well as two victories on Think Big, Harry White also won the 1978 Melbourne Cup on Arwon and the 1979 race on Hyperno.[6][7]
Field
editThis is the full field that contested the 1974 Melbourne Cup.
| Place | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Think Big | Bart Cummings | Harry White | 53kg | 12/1 |
| 2nd | Leilani | Bart Cummings | Peter Cook | 55.5kg | 7/2 fav |
| 3rd | Captain Peri (NZ) | J E Wood | M Baker | 52kg | 14/1 |
| 4th | Lord Metric | Merv Ritchie | Noel Harris | 53kg | 20/1 |
| 5th | Piping Lane | R W Trinder | J Stocker | 53kg | 50/1 |
| 6th | Turfcutter (NZ) | Ray Verner | David Peake | 53kg | 7/1 |
| 7th | Battle Heights (NZ) | Tim Douglas | Gary Willets | 61kg | 11/2 |
| 8th | Igloo (NZ) | Tommy Smith | N Voigt | 57.5kg | 33/1 |
| 9th | Belotta (NZ) | R Campbell | S Aitkin | 51kg | 14/1 |
| 10th | Grand Scale | M Willmott | P Trotter | 53kg | 20/1 |
| 11th | Herminia | D Judd | B Gilders | 50kg | 8/1 |
| 12th | Captain Peri (NZ) | J E Wood | M Baker | 52kg | 14/1 |
| 13th | Taras Bulba | George Hanlon | L Harbridge | 47kg | 20/1 |
| 14th | Corroboree | T Howe | R McCarthy | 55.5kg | 80/1 |
| 15th | Paaetreul | Tommy Smith | K Langby | 56.5kg | 40/1 |
| 16th | Top Order | T Hughes | Malcolm Johnston | 43.5kg | 200/1 |
| 17th | Pilfer (NZ) | Colin Hayes | J Miller | 53kg | 40/1 |
| 18th | Gay Master | T Hughes | E Didham | 51kg | 50/1 |
| 19th | Our Pocket | B J Boyle | John Letts | 53kg | 12/1 |
| 20th | Sequester | R Winks | R Setches | 48kg | 250/1 |
| 21st | Big Angel | E W Laing | Pat Hyland | 52kg | 33/1 |
| 22nd | High Sail (NZ) | T Hughes | A Cooper | 53kg | 200/1 |
Scratched: Quick Answer (16), Stop The Music (23)
References
edit- ^ "Leilani: The one that got away". 10 play. 12 July 2022.
- ^ "Past Winners - 1971 to 1980 Melbourne Cup Winners - Races.com.au". www.races.com.au. 22 September 2009.
- ^ https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/image-gallery/2d3ed522011c7441c02d4a5375cb339b
- ^ "Bart Cummings – Twelve Melbourne Cups. Thirteen Australian Cups". www.vrc.com.au.
- ^ "Think Big racehorse Melbourne Cup winner 1974 - 75". www.racerate.com.
- ^ "Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Harry White dies, aged 78". racenet.com.au. 22 October 2022.
- ^ "Four-time Melbourne Cup winning jockey Harry White passes away aged 78 > Australia and International Horse Racing news updated daily". www.thoroughbrednews.com.au.