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Story: Horse and greyhound racing

New Zealand-bred Melbourne Cup winners

Year Horse’s name

1 1st, 2nd and 3rd all New Zealand-bred horses

2 New Zealand-owned

3 New Zealand-owned and trained
1883 Martini Henry
1890 Carbine
1907 Apologue 2
1916 Sasanof 3
1 1929 Nightmarch 3
1930 Phar Lap
1936 Wotan 3
1938 Catalogue 3
1947 Hiraji
1949 Foxzami
1952 Dalray 3
1954 Rising Fast 3
1 1955 Toparoa 2
1957 Straight Draw
1959 Macdougal
1 1960 Hi-Jinx 3
1962 Even Stevens 3
1964 Polo Prince 3
1965 Light Fingers 2
1966 Galilee
1967 Red Handed
1970 Baghdad Note 3
1971 Silver Knight 3
1 1974 Think Big
1 1975 Think Big
1976 Van der Hum 3
1977 Gold and Black
1 1978 Arwon
1979 Hyperno
1982 Gurner's Lane
1983 Kiwi 3
1985 What a Nuisance
1987 Kensei
1988 Empire Rose 3
1989 Tawrrific
1991 Let's Elope
1995 Doriemus
1997 Might and Power
1998 Jezabeel
2000 Brew 3
2001 Ethereal 3
2007 Efficient
2015 Prince of Penzance

This table shows the 42 New Zealand-bred horses that won the Melbourne Cup from its inception in 1861 to 2015. There were 43 wins in total, as one horse, Think Big, won twice. In 2015, New Zealand-bred horses placed first (Prince of Penzance) and third (Criterion).

Using this item

Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

Sources: Max Lambert, November gold: New Zealand's quest for the Melbourne Cup. Auckland: Moa, 1986; NZHistory; Races.com.au

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How to cite this page

Mary Mountier, Horse and greyhound racing – Growth from the 1880s, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/interactive/38953/new-zealand-bred-melbourne-cup-winners (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Mary Mountier, published 30 November 2012, updated 1 November 2015.