1873 Melbourne Cup

1873 Melbourne Cup
Melbourne Cup
LocationFlemington Racecourse
Date6 November 1873
Distance2 miles
Winning horseDon Juan
Winning time3:36.0
Final odds3/1
JockeyWilliam Wilson
TrainerJames Wilson
OwnerW. Johnstone
SurfaceTurf
Attendance63,000

The 1873 Melbourne Cup was a two-mile handicap horse race which took place on Thursday, 6 November 1873.

This was the thirteenth running of the Melbourne Cup.

Don Juan's victory was a controversial one. Immediately following the race Don Juan's victory was called into question and a protest was lodged. The Sydney Mail reported on 22 November that the protest claimed the horse was a year older than his stated four years of age.[1] There were also rumours that Don Juan was substituted for a better horse. The protest was dismissed and the rumours were never proven.[2]

Following morning showers,[3] a final field of 24 horses started the race. Protos and Calaba were in front at the first post, with Protos maintaining its lead in front of King Tom and Lapidist down the back straight. King Tom took the lead approaching the final turn, but it was Don Juan that lead the field down the final straight. Don Juan pulled away to win easily, the betting favourite saluting ahead of Dagwood who held off a fast-finishing Horatio.[4][3]

Don Juan won by three and a half lengths in a new record time of 3:36.0.[5]

Three horses were injured in the race with Horatio badly splitting a hoof, while Hamlet broke down during the race. It was reported that Index returned to the paddock lame.[6]

For trainer James Wilson it was his first Melbourne Cup victory coming after three second-place finishes.[3] The owner of the horse was listed as "Mr W. Johnstone" which was a known alias of Melbourne bookmaker Joe Thompson. Don Juan had been listed for sale before the spring season and had been sold to grazier Joe Inglis,[7] but remained at the stables of James Wilson until after the spring season.[3] Thompson won so handsomely on the race that he directed some winnings to charity and built himself a mansion in East Melbourne which he named Don Juan House in tribute to the winning horse.[8] Don Juan had also won the Caulfield Handicap and the Essendon Stakes in the lead-up to the Melbourne Cup.[3]

Then Governor of New South Wales, Sir Hercules Robinson's horse Fitz-Yattendon finished the race in eighth place, with the governor one of the distinguished attendees at the race.[3]

Newspaper reports of the race were limited by the withdrawal of free passes to the racecourse provided by the Victoria Racing Club, leading both The Argus and The Australasian to reduce their coverage and complain about the lack of access.[9]

A new grandstand was opened in time for the running of the race, housing 3,000 people at the foot of the hill overlooking the final part of the course. Designed by civil engineer Robert Cooper Bagot, the secretary of the Victoria Racing Club, it was nicknamed "Bagot's Cowshed."[10]

Full results

This is the list of placegetters for the 1873 Melbourne Cup.[11][12][5][13][4][3]

Place Horse Age
Gender 		Jockey Weight Trainer Owner Odds Margin
1 Don Juan 4y h William Wilson 6 st 12 lb (43.5 kg) James Wilson Mr W. Johnstone[a] 3/1 fav. 3½ lengths
2 Dagworth 5y h George Donnelly 9 st 9 lb (61.2 kg) Etienne de Mestre Mr. R. Bloomfield 20/1 ½ length
3 Horatio 4y h M. Thompson 7 st 13 lb (50.3 kg) Etienne de Mestre Etienne de Mestre 5/1
4 The Arrow 4y h H. Lewis 8 st 2 lb (51.7 kg) John Tait John Tait 10/1
5 King Tom 4y h Samuel Davis 6 st 12.5 lb (43.8 kg)[b] Mr P. Lewis 14/1
6 Ace of Trumps 5y h Sam Cracknell 7 st 2 lb (45.4 kg) Tom Jordan Mr W. Gerrard 50/1
7 Dolphin 5y m Nolan 7 st 11 lb (49.4 kg) Mr W. Pearson 50/1
8 Fitz-Yattendon 3y c Duggan 5 st 10.5 lb (36.5 kg)[c] Hercules Robinson 8/1
N/a Hamlet 5y h Thomas Enderson 9 st 7 lb (60.3 kg) Mr J. Crozier Jr 14/1
N/a Priam 5y h G. Thomson 8 st 2 lb (51.7 kg) Mr H. Herbert 25/1
N/a Lancer 5y h Tom Hales 8 st 0 lb (50.8 kg) Thomas Joseph Ryan 10/1
N/a Exile (late Lapdog) Aged g Gardener 7 st 12 lb (49.9 kg) Mr S.G. Bowler 50/1
N/a King of Clubs 4y h J. Jellett 7 st 11 lb (49.4 kg) Eli Jellett 10/1
N/a McCallum Mohr 4y h William Enderson 7 st 11 lb (49.4 kg) John Tait John Tait 20/1
N/a Early Morn 6y h M. Bryan 7 st 9 lb (48.5 kg) John Coldham 14/1
N/a Calaba 4y h T. Hill 7 st 7 lb (47.6 kg) Mr R. Holland 20/1
N/a Protos 6y g Haughtey 7 st 7 lb (47.6 kg) Mr S.P. Winter 33/1
N/a Index Aged g Swannell 7 st 4 lb (46.3 kg) Mr E. Gough 50/1
N/a Benjiroo 5y h Chalker 6 st 10 lb (42.6 kg) Mr C.S. King 12/1
N/a Lapidist 3y c H. Grubb 6 st 11 lb (43.1 kg)[d] William Filgate William Filgate 50/1
N/a Victorian Aged g Robert Batty 6 st 10 lb (42.6 kg) Mr K. Brown 20/1
N/a Lothair 5y h John Kean 6 st 8 lb (41.7 kg) Mr Cassidy Mr R.J. Hunter 50/1
N/a  Fearnought (NZL) 4y g A. Ross 6 st 8 lb (41.7 kg) Andrew Chirnside 50/1
N/a Bismarck Aged g J. Green 6 st 7 lb (41.3 kg) Eli Jellett 50/1

Prizemoney

First prize £1360, second prize £50, third prize £20.[5]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Alias of Melbourne bookmaker Joe Thomson
  2. ^ Was supposed to carry 6st 10lb
  3. ^ Was supposed to carry 5st 9lb
  4. ^ Was supposed to carry 6st 10lb

References

  1. ^ "The Melbourne Cup". The Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser. Vol. XVI, no. 699. New South Wales, Australia. 22 November 1873. p. 661. Retrieved 5 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. ^ O'Reilly, Paddy (2016). "Don Juan (1873)". Facts, Stats & Trivia of The Melbourne Cup. Melbourne: New Holland Publishers Pty Ltd. p. 25. ISBN 9781742579054.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Second (Cup) Day - Thursday, Nov. 6". The Australasian. Melbourne, Victoria. 8 November 1873. pp. 10–11. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
  4. ^ a b "The Races - Second Day". The Argus. Melbourne, Victoria. 7 November 1873. p. 5. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
  5. ^ a b c "1873 Melbourne Cup MillersGuide". millersguide.identika.com.au. Archived from the original on 23 March 2022. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
  6. ^ "News of the Day". The Age. Melbourne, Victoria. 7 November 1873. p. 2. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
  7. ^ Rolfe, Costa (2008). Winners of the Melbourne Cup. Fitzroy, Australia: Red Dog. pp. 33–35. ISBN 9781742035093.
  8. ^ "East Melbourne, Albert Street 268, Woollahra". East Melbourne Historical Society. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
  9. ^ "The Press and the Victoria Racing Club". The Australasian. Melbourne, Victoria. 8 November 1873. p. 9. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
  10. ^ Bernstein, D.L. (1969). The First Tuesday in November. Melbourne: William Heinemann Ltd. pp. 27–28.
  11. ^ "1871 to 1880 Melbourne Cup Winners". races com au. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  12. ^ Cavanough, Maurice (1978). The Melbourne Cup (8 ed.). p. 445. ISBN 0727004859.
  13. ^ "Melbourne Cup Winners - 1861-1880". Victoria Racing Club. Retrieved 5 November 2025.


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