The 1988 Melbourne Cup was a two-mile handicap horse race which took place on Tuesday, 1 November 1988. The race, run over 3,200 metres (1.988 mi), at Flemington Racecourse.

1988 Melbourne Cup
Melbourne Cup
LocationFlemington Racecourse
Date1 Nov 1988
Distance3200 Meters
Winning horseEmpire Rose
Winning time3:18.3
Final odds5/1
JockeyTony Allan
TrainerLaurie Laxon
SurfaceTurf
← 1987
1989 →

Empire Rose has kicked away in the cup from Apollo Run, Na Botto, Natski's flying out wide! Empire Rose in front, Natski's gonna challenge late. Empire Rose a length in front, Natski trying to get to her. Empire Rose a half in front, Natski won't make it and the big mare wins!

Commentator Bruce McAvaney describes the climax of the race

The race was won by Empire Rose, the popular New Zealand mare who had finished fifth in 1986 when trained by Bart Cummings and second to Kensei the previous year. She did one better in 1988 after winning Mackinnon Stakes she held off 5/1 equal favourite (Empire Rose was also 5/1) Metropolitan Handicap winner Natski in the "Bicentenary" Melbourne Cup[1] Empire Rose became the first mare to win the race since 1965. Empire Rose had previously placed second to Royal Heights in the 1986 New Zealand Oaks and won the 1987 New Zealand Cup. She subsequently placed third in the 1989 W. S. Cox Plate.[2] This would be the last of four Melbourne Cup calls by Bruce McAvaney though his call of this race is considered to be among the best in the race's history.[3][better source needed]

Field

edit

This is a list of horses which ran in the 1988 Melbourne Cup.[4]

Place Horse Trainer Jockey
1st Empire Rose Laurie Laxon Tony Allan
2nd Natski Jack Denham Mick Dittman
3rd Na Botto R Otto P D Johnson
4th Apollo Run Colin Alderson Alf Matthews
5th Round The World Bart Cummings J Marshall
6th Banderol Dave O'Sullivan Lance O'Sullivan
7th Ideal Centeman C Balfour Michael Clarke
8th Mr. Bunnythorpe M Griffin B E Griffin
9th Full At Last John Sadler G Murphy
10th Kensei Les Bridge Larry Olsen
11th Our Classic Boy M Andrews David Walsh
12th Tawrrific Lee Freedman S D Marshall
13th Shantaroun J Meagher Greg Hall
14th Copatonic Paul Perry Gary Willetts
15th Secret Seal G Shinn N Willams
16th Congressman George Hanlon Darren Gauci
17th It's Candide G Haigh R N Elliot
18th Algonquin Club B Lockwood Shane Dye
19th Authaal Colin Hayes Brent Thomson
20th Lord Hybrow N McBurney K Moses
21st Balciano Neville Voigt Harry White
22nd Might Tommy Smith Brian York

References

edit
  1. ^ O'Reilly, Paddy (2016). "Empire Rose (1988)". Facts, Stats & Trivia of The Melbourne Cup. Melbourne: New Holland Publishers Pty Ltd. p. 123. ISBN 9781742579054.
  2. ^ "1981 to 1990 Melbourne Cup Winners". www.races.com.au/. 1 November 2021.
  3. ^ "1988 Melbourne Cup 🏆 Empire Rose ......A classic call from the sporting maestro". facebook.com.au. 1 November 2021.
  4. ^ "1988 Melbourne Cup". millersguide.identika.com.au. 1 November 2021.