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
Coongy Cup Sandown Park Racecourse in 1997 and 1998 on a Sunday. † Dead heat Coongy Cup The Coongy Cup, registered as the Coongy Handicap, is a Melbourne Racing Club Group 3 Thoroughbred horse race held under open handicap conditions, for horses aged three years old and upwards, over a distance of 2000 metres, held at Caulfield Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia in October. Total prize money is A$150,000. The race is run on the third day of the MRC Spring Carnival (Caulfield Cup day). Prior to 1997 the race was run on the second day of the MRC Spring Carnival. During World War