Melbourne Cup 31 October 1873 announced that the following Thursday (Cup Day) be observed as a bank and civil (public) service holiday. The Melbourne Cup was first run on a Tuesday in 1875, the first Tuesday in that month. On 7 November 1876, the three-year-old filly, Briseis, owned and trained by James Wilson Snr., won in a time of 3.36.25. Briseis then went on to create a record that is never likely to be equalled, winning the VRC Derby, the Melbourne Cup and the VRC Oaks in the space of six days. She was ridden in the Melbourne Cup by the tiny
Hobart Cup Hobart Cup The Hobart Cup is a Tasmanian Racing Club Group 3 Thoroughbred horse race held as an open handicap race over a distance of 2400 metres at Luxbet Park in Glenorchy, Tasmania, Australia. The Cup is usually held on the first or second Monday in February. Total prizemoney is A$250,000. The 1972 winner of this race, Piping Lane, went on to win the Melbourne Cup later in the year. The Assyrian is the only other horse to win both the Melbourne Cup and Hobart cup in 1882/83. In the past the race has been held on the Australia Day