Trainer: Jack Scully
Jockey: Andy Knox
Silks: Orange, White Sash, Red Cap

One year into the six years of the Second World War, life in Australia was changing. The Melbourne Cup went ahead as normal, and for the first time in the history of the race, a Queensland-bred horse was the winner, bred by J.G. McDougall of Lyndhurst Stud near Warwick. Old Rowley was foaled in1933, a son of the imported British horse The Buzzard, a prolific sire and descendant of Carbine. Old Rowley was owned and trained in Sydney by Jack Scully and showed good form in 1938 with a win in the AJC Plate at Randwick and third placings in the Australian Cup and in the Hotham Handicap at Flemington. He was a 7YO when he returned to Melbourne in 1940 with just two placings in recent races, so he started at odds of 100/1. The experienced Sydney jockey Andy Knox had the ride. The favourite, Beau Vite, had been the target of a botched shooting attempt the Wednesday prior to the Cup, and finished a credible fourth.

Trainer: Jack Fryer
Jockey: W. (Billy) Cook
Silks: Grey, Green Band, Black Cap

Skipton, son of 1935 winner Marabou, won the Melbourne Cup as a 3YO. Until that time, many three-year-olds had won the Cup, several of them after the winning the Victoria Derby. Skipton was the last to complete this double and, after Skipton, no 3YO won the Cup for the rest of the century. The saddlecloth number 13 is ‘unlucky for some’, yet not for Skipton. His owner, Myrtle Kitson was sufficiently superstitious to think she would jinx the horse if she attended the Cup. Instead, she listened in from the Grand Central Hotel in Hamilton, where she and her husband were the licensees. New Zealand trainer Jack Fryer had settled in Melbourne after he won the 1936 Cup with Wotan. Skipton was ridden by Sydney lightweight rider Billy Cook who won again on Rainbird in 1945. His son Peter would ride two Melbourne Cup winners. Skipton won a Caulfield Cup in 1943 when it was run in two divisions at Flemington.

Trainer: Frank Manning
Jockey: Harry McCloud
Silks: Yellow And Green Spots, Red Cap

The Melbourne Cup race won by Colonus was a sombre affair, with Australia itself under threat in the Second World War. In Victoria, racing continued under severe limitations, restricted to three Saturdays each month, with many courses closed. The 1942 Cup was run in wet conditions on Saturday 21 November, in front of the smallest crowd in 70 years. Colonus boasted Comedy King and Carbine in his pedigree. He had been foaled at Warlaby Stud, Melbourne and first raced unsuccessfully under trainer Cecil Godby before being sold cheaply to Sydney businessman Leo Menck. He remained in Victoria, in the care of Frank Manning at Mentone. Colonus relished the heavy Melbourne Cup track, winning by seven lengths, ridden by 17-year-old apprentice Harry McCloud, whose later riding career was in Perth. ‘War Bonds’ to the value of £200 were presented to the owner in lieu of the traditional gold trophy, as they were again in 1943 and 1944. Menck later commissioned a replica Cup trophy with the money

Trainer: Ray Webster
Jockey: Victor Hartney
Silks: Pink, Black Band And Cap

Dark Felt was a son of 1926 Melbourne Cup winner, Spearfelt. He was bred in Queensland at Thomas Jennings’s Alma Vale Stud, Greenmount and sold at the Sydney yearling sales to Frank Musgrave, famous as trainer of champion Ajax. Dark Felt ran third in the 1940 Victoria Derby. Reducing his team in 1943, Musgrave sold the horse to E.W. Spark who leased the horse to former jockey J. Alby Cain, who trained the horse himself before sending him to Ray Webster at Pakenham. His wins included the 1942 Moonee Valley Cup and the 1942 and 1943 Hotham Handicaps. As a wartime Cup, the race was run on Saturday 13 November. Vic Hartney, 23 when he won the Cup, was one of the top Melbourne jockeys in the era, later a successful trainer. 

Trainer: Elwood (Ted) Fisher
Jockey: Richard (Darby) Munro
Silks: Cream, Royal Blue Sleeves And Cap

Sirius was owned and bred by Richard Turnbull, who became the first incumbent VRC Chairman to own a winner of the Melbourne Cup. Turnbull had been a committeeman since 1935 and became Chairman in 1942, steering the Club through one of the most difficult periods in its history. Wartime conditions severely curtailed the transport of racehorses, but the 1944 Cup attracted a good field. Sirius won the Herbert Power Handicap and then the Hotham Handicap leading into the Cup, which for the third successive year was run on a Saturday. Ted Fisher was a veteran Flemington trainer who had first come to Melbourne in 1911 as a jockey after riding with success for several seasons in Singapore. For Darby Munro, this was the second of his three Melbourne Cup victories. Sirius later stood as a sire at Sir Chester Manifold’s Talindert Stud before being retired to Queensland.   

Trainer: Sam H. Evans
Jockey: W. (Billy) Cook
Silks: Gold, White Spots

With the Second World War at last ending, and Peace declared in September 1945, the Melbourne Cup returned to its traditional date, the First Tuesday in November. Dubbed ‘the Victory Cup’, it attracted a huge crowd. South Australian businessman and pastoralist Malcolm Reid bred the winning filly, Rainbird (by The Buzzard, sire of 1935 winner Marabou) and sold her to his brother Clifford. Malcom won his own Melbourne Cup with Gatum Gatum (1963) while Cliff scored twice again with champion Rain Lover (1968, 1969). Rainbird had run second in the 1944 VRC Oaks. In 1945 she won a Port Adelaide Cup and South Australian St Leger and was second in the 1945 Caulfield Cup. Her Melbourne Cup win was the career highlight of trainer Sam Evans, a former Australian Rules footballer for Footscray at the turn of the century. Billy Cook picked up the ride only the Sunday before, for his second Cup win after Skipton (1941). His son, Peter, rode two Cup winners.

Trainer: Ted Hush
Jockey: Richard (Darby) Munro
Silks: Red, Brown Sash, Black Cap

Russia’s Cup was overshadowed when the crowd favourite, Bernborough, went amiss on the Saturday before, during the running of the Mackinnon Stakes. If Bernborough had won the Cup he would have carried a record topweight of 10 stone 9 pounds (67.6 kg) following his sequence of top-class victories in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne. Bernborough never raced again but went on to a brilliant stud career in the USA. His absence from the 1946 Cup left the door open for Russia, whose earlier wins included the 1944 Newcastle Cup. The horse had been bred by J. Gordon Leeds at Trangie, NSW, who raced him in partnership with his Randwick trainer, Ted Hush, a former NSW jockey. It was the third Cup win for jockey Darby Munro. In 1949, with 22 wins and a dead-heat in his career, Russia was sold to a syndicate headed by David Davis, the American owner of Phar Lap, to stand at stud in California, where he sired several winners.

Trainer: James (Jim) W. McCurley
Jockey: Jack Purtell
Silks: Red And White Checks, Red Cap

Hiraji became only the second grey to win the Melbourne Cup, after Toryboy (1865). He was bred in New Zealand, bought as a yearling in 1944 by businessman Fred William Hughes who owned the extensive Kooba Stud near Wagga Wagga. Two years later, Hughes acquired the sire, the French-bred Nizami, and brought him to stand at Kooba. Leading into the 1947 Melbourne Cup, Hiraji had strung together a run of minor placings in big races: the King’s Cup, Theo Marks Quality Hcp, Toorak Hcp, Caulfield Cup and Hotham Handicap. Hughes chose not to be on course on Melbourne Cup Day, despite a confident plea from Jim McCurley, the trainer. McCurley’s stables were near Sydney’s old Moorefield Racecourse. The Cup win was the first for popular jockey Jack Purtell, who won the Cup twice again, with Wodalla (1953) and Rising Fast (1954). 

Trainer: Stan Boyden
Jockey: Ray Neville
Silks: White, Royal Blue Sleeves, Red Cap

The lightly weighted Rimfire, at 66/1, was not expected to win the Melbourne Cup: his form had been poor, and he seemed lame the day before the race. But his owner-breeder wanted him to run: H. Guy Raymond was a VRC Committeeman who had revived the famous St Albans Stud at Geelong. Stan Boyden was his private trainer. For apprentice jockey Ray Neville, it was just good to ride in the Cup. The boy was due to turn 16 the following day and had been riding in races for only two months. Rimfire was his ninth race ride, and only his second winner. He picked up the late ride on the morning of the race. Rimfire won narrowly from Dark Marne, ridden by experienced jockey Jack Thompson, amid conjecture over the result: Thompson could not believe he had not won. It was the first time a photo finish camera had been used to decide a Melbourne Cup. This was the high point of Ray Neville’s riding career. And Rimfire never won another race after the Melbourne Cup.

Trainer: Dan Lewis
Jockey: William (Bill) Fellows
Silks: Purple, White Maltese Cross, Red Cap

Like Hiraji in 1947, Foxzami who won the 1949 Melbourne Cup was foaled in New Zealand. His sire, the French-bred Nizami, was later purchased to stand at stud in Australia. Len G. Robinson, an Australian businessman who lived most of the year on Lord Howe Island, bought Foxzami at the New Zealand yearling sales and entrusted him to veteran Randwick trainer, Dan Lewis. At three years, Foxzami ran third in the AJC Derby and finished second behind Comic Court in the Victoria Derby. Dan Lewis had held ambitions for the Melbourne Cup for more than 40 years. He now trained Foxzami specifically for the 1949 Cup. After modest performances in the Caulfield Stakes and Cox Plate, Foxzami reached his peak form to win the Hotham Handicap before triumphing three days later in the Cup. This was the biggest race win for Sydney jockey Bill Fellows, 33, who had been riding since the age of 14. 

Trainer: James (Jim) M. Cummings
Jockey: Patrick Glennon
Silks: Dark Blue, White Diamonds, Red Sleeves And Cap

Comic Court was one of the true greats of the Australian turf. He won the Fulham Plate in Adelaide as a 2YO, the Victoria Derby as a 3YO, and a string of weight-for-age races and handicap races as an older horse. His consistent rival was his contemporary, Carbon Copy. In winning the 1950 Melbourne Cup, Comic Court created a new race and course record of 3 minutes 19.5 seconds which stayed intact for 18 years. Three months after the Cup, first up from a spell, he beat the best sprinters over six furlongs at Moonee Valley in the Freeway Stakes. Comic Court’s strapper on Cup Day was the trainer’s 20-year-old son, J.B. ‘Bart’ Cummings, who would go on to train 12 Melbourne Cup winners. Victorian jockey Pat Glennon rode a second Melbourne Cup winner, Macdougal (1959). Comic Court became a successful sire based in South Australia. His son Grand Print was twice placed in Melbourne Cups (1961, 1963).

Trainer: Maurice McCarten
Jockey: Neville Sellwood
Silks: Brown And Dark Blue Hoops, Red Cap

Delta proved a number of theories wrong when he won the Cup in 1951. Top weights can win in successive years; high priced yearlings can make good racehorses; and winners of the AJC Metropolitan can win the Cup— even if the last horse to do so had been Tim Whiffler in 1867. Delta won 22 races in his illustrious career including the Victoria Derby and the Cox Plate. The Melbourne Cup win was popular. His Sydney owner, Sir Adolf Basser, was a successful jeweller and philanthropist. Maurice McCarten, formerly a top jockey, was now among the best Sydney trainers. Neville Sellwood, who won the Cup again on Toparoa (1955), had already cemented his place among the best Australian jockeys. He later rode with success in Britain and Europe, tragically losing his life in a race fall in France in 1962.

Trainer: Clarrie McCarthy
Jockey: W. (Bill) Williamson
Silks: Light Blue, White Sleeves, Dark Blue Armbands And Cap

The New Zealand horse Dalray’s victory in the Cup was a grand effort in carrying eight pounds (3.6 kg) over weight-for-age. As a 3YO his wins included the NZ Derby and Auckland’s Great Northern Derby. On that form he went to Sydney and ran a close second in the Sydney Cup and was allotted 9 stone 6 pounds (59.9 kg) for the 1952 Melbourne Cup. When Dalray was further penalised two pounds (0.9 kg) for his Metropolitan Handicap victory, his owner Cyril Neville said the horse would not start in the Cup. But the New Zealand trainer, Clarrie McCarthy, declared the Flemington track ideal for Dalray, the horse duly won the Mackinnon Stakes on Derby Day, ridden by local jockey Bill Williamson, who controversially replaced Dalray’s regular rider, Keith Nuttall, at the last minute. Williamson retained the ride for the Melbourne Cup.

Trainer: Robert (Bob) Sinclair
Jockey: Jack Purtell
Silks: Red, White Diamonds

Wodalla became the fourth horse to win the Moonee Valley Gold Cup and Melbourne Cup double. Before the Moonee Valley Cup win, he had finished a close second to My Hero in the Caulfield Cup. Wodalla was sired by the imported Helios, son of Hyperion. He was foaled at Warlaby Stud, near Melbourne, bred and raced by E.A. (Ted) Underwood, who had been a VRC Committee member since 1939 and was the Vice-Chairman of the day. Bob Sinclair was his private trainer. Wodalla nearly did not get his chance of Cup glory after a lacklustre run the Saturday before the race. Persuasive powers of trainer and jockey kept the Cup hopes alive and delivered the dream. It was Jack Purtell’s second of three Melbourne Cup wins.

Trainer: Ivan Tucker
Jockey: Jack Purtell
Silks: Royal Blue, Black Sleeves, Gold Armbands And Cap

New Zealand hero, Rising Fast, through his amazing spring of 1954, was able to string together a succession of victories which included the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups as well as the Cox Plate. He is the last horse to win these three races in the same season. Following the Caulfield Cup, he was allotted the full ten-pound (4.5 kg) penalty, ensuring he carried weight-for-age in the Melbourne Cup. Rising Fast was ridden by Jack Purtell, a last-minute ride following the unavailability of Arthur Ward who rode him in the Caulfield Cup and an injury sustained by regular race rider, Bill Williamson, during the race prior to the Melbourne Cup. Rising Fast won on three days of the four-day Melbourne Cup Carnival. Throughout that year, Rising Fast was trained by New Zealander, Ivan Tucker. The champion was then transferred to veteran trainer Fred Hoysted for the remainder of his illustrious career. 

Trainer: T.J (Tommy) Smith
Jockey: Neville Sellwood
Silks: Dark Blue, Orange Stars And Sleeves, Dark Blue Armbands

If not for New Zealand trainer, Joe Bromby, Toparoa may never have come to Australia to write his name in Cup history. Bromby recommended the gelding be sent to top Sydney trainer T.J. Smith in a quest for bigger and better races. Although an 8YO by the time of the 1955 Cup, he showed form with a good second in the AJC Metropolitan and, with a light weight in the Cup, had support at 6/1 to thwart the topweight, Rising Fast’s, bid to repeat his 1954 victory. In the closing stages, Toparoa moved up to Rising Fast and drew away to win by three-quarters of a length. Toparoa’s rider, Neville Sellwood received a two-month suspension for interference in the closing stages but, in a great sporting gesture, Rising Fast’s connections elected not to protest. They believed that Rising Fast was labouring under his heavy weight and could not have beaten the winner. It was Sellwood’s second Melbourne Cup win, Smith’s first of two.

Trainer: E.D (Peter) Lawson
Jockey: George Podmore
Silks: Black, White Maltese Cross And Cap

Evening Peal, bred in NSW, was a daughter of the imported British sire Delville Wood. She became the first mare since Rainbird to win the Cup and the first to secure the VRC Oaks-Cup double in consecutive years. She also won the 1955 Queensland Oaks and the 1956 Adrian Knox Stakes. She won the Cup carrying 8 stone (50.8 kg), defeating the Caulfield Cup winner Redcraze (64.9 kg) by a neck. This was the year of the Melbourne Olympic Games, with many visitors arriving from beyond Australia. Two of the unplaced horses—Fighting Force and Pandie’s Son—had figured in a history-making triple dead heat at Flemington the Saturday prior, with Ark Royal, in the Hotham Handicap. ‘Peter’ Lawson had been a prominent Randwick trainer since the 1930s, and George Podmore was a regular rider for the stable.

Trainer: Jack Mitchell
Jockey: Noel L. McGrowdie
Silks: Red, Yellow Quarters

The New Zealand-bred Straight Draw, raced by the Sydney newspaper proprietor Ezra Norton, won the 1957 Melbourne Cup after winning the AJC Metropolitan Handicap, but it was the 3YO Tulloch who commanded all the newspaper headlines. Touted as the next Phar Lap, Tulloch was trained by T.J. Smith and had already won the Rosehill and Canterbury Guineas, the Caulfield Cup and the Victoria Derby. His ultimate career tally would be 36 wins from 53 starts. Controversially his owner elected not to start Tulloch in the 1957 race, to the public dismay of the trainer. The horse he beat in the Derby by eight lengths, Prince Darius, finished second by a neck to Straight Draw in the Cup. Illness kept Tulloch out of contention for future Melbourne Cups until 1960, late in his career, when he failed under a heavy weight. Jack Mitchell had been training horses at Randwick since the 1930s. Queensland-born Noel McGrowdie had become one of Sydney’s top riders. He lost his life in a road accident in Malaya four years later.  

Trainer: Jack Green
Jockey: Mel Schumacher
Silks:  Lilac And Dark Blue Stripes, Red Cap

For the fourth successive year it was a Randwick trainer—this time Jack Green—who prepared the winner of the Melbourne Cup. Green also found success with sprinters, notably Sky High and Skyline, sons of Star Kingdom. Baystone was always going to be a stayer. Foaled in NSW, he had been bought at the 1954 yearling sales for a modest sum by Narramine grazier and shearing contractor Bob Burns and his sons, Norman and Noel. The gelding showed promise, winning or running places in lesser stakes races in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane before being set for the 1958 Melbourne Cup. He started among the favourites after winning the Hotham Handicap three days earlier after a good fourth in the Moonee Valley Cup. Former top Queensland apprentice, based in Sydney, Mel Schumacher, was 21 when he won the race.

Trainer: Richard (Dick) W. Roden, NSW/QLD
Jockey: Pat Glennon
Silks: White, Pale Blue Maltese Cross, Lilac Cap

Bred by Seton Otway at his Trelawney Stud, New Zealand, Macdougal was hand-reared after the death of his dam, Lady Fox. His name was bestowed in recognition of Helen Macdougal who looked after the orphaned foal. He was sold as yearling to the Brown family of far west Queensland Nonda Station, near Julia Creek. In 1958, under the care of Queensland trainer Dick Roden, Macdougal won the AJC Queen’s Cup at Randwick and in 1959 the Brisbane Cup and The Metropolitan at Randwick before heading to the Melbourne Cup. Roden was 34 at the time but not, as sometimes reported, the youngest trainer to have prepared a Cup winner to that time. In the 1960s he relocated to Sydney and trained on a large scale. Pat Glennon chanced the ride on Macdougal when top jockey Ron Hutchinson preferred the mount on Mackinnon Stakes winner Helios.