| 1974 Melbourne Cup | |
| Horse Race: | Melbourne Cup |
| Location: | Flemington Racecourse |
| Date: | 5 Nov 1974 |
| Distance: | 3200m |
| Winning Horse: | Think Big |
| Winning Time: | 3:23.2 |
| Final Odds: | 12/1 |
| Winning Jockey: | Harry White |
| Winning Trainer: | Bart Cummings |
| Winning Owner: | Dato Tan Chin Nam & Rick O'Sullivan |
| Conditions: | Good |
| Surface: | Turf |
| Previous: | 1973 |
| Next: | 1975 |
The 1974 Melbourne Cup was a handicap horse race which took place on Tuesday, 5 November 1974 over 3200m, at Flemington Racecourse.
The race was won by the gelding Think Big, trained by Bart Cummings and ridden by Harry White. The runner up was Leilani also trained by Bart Cummings,[1] and third place went to Captain Peri.[2] The winning margin was one length with a further length to third place.
This win gave Bart Cummings his fourth Melbourne Cup win and his third quinella of the race. Bart went on to record twelve Melbourne Cup training victories.[3] [4]
Bred by the estate of the late L. A. Alexander, Think Big was purchased by Bart for Dato Tan Chin Nam at the Trentham yearling sales in New Zealand at a price of $10,000. Think Big was sired by Sobig and his dam Sarcelle was by Oman. Think Big also won the 1975 Melbourne Cup for Bart and was once again ridden by Harry White.[5]
As well as two victories on Think Big, Harry White also won the 1978 Melbourne Cup on Arwon and the 1979 race on Hyperno.[6] [7]
This is the full field that contested the 1974 Melbourne Cup.
| Place | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Weight | SP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Bart Cummings | Harry White | 53kg | 12/1 | ||
| 2nd | Leilani | Bart Cummings | Peter Cook | 55.5kg | 7/2 fav | |
| 3rd | Captain Peri (NZ) | J E Wood | M Baker | 52kg | 14/1 | |
| 4th | Lord Metric | Merv Ritchie | Noel Harris | 53kg | 20/1 | |
| 5th | R W Trinder | J Stocker | 53kg | 50/1 | ||
| 6th | Turfcutter (NZ) | Ray Verner | David Peake | 53kg | 7/1 | |
| 7th | Battle Heights (NZ) | Tim Douglas | Gary Willets | 61kg | 11/2 | |
| 8th | Igloo (NZ) | Tommy Smith | N Voigt | 57.5kg | 33/1 | |
| 9th | Belotta (NZ) | R Campbell | S Aitkin | 51kg | 14/1 | |
| 10th | Grand Scale | M Willmott | P Trotter | 53kg | 20/1 | |
| 11th | Herminia | D Judd | B Gilders | 50kg | 8/1 | |
| 12th | Captain Peri (NZ) | J E Wood | M Baker | 52kg | 14/1 | |
| 13th | Taras Bulba | George Hanlon | L Harbridge | 47kg | 20/1 | |
| 14th | Corroboree | T Howe | R McCarthy | 55.5kg | 80/1 | |
| 15th | Paaetreul | Tommy Smith | K Langby | 56.5kg | 40/1 | |
| 16th | Top Order | T Hughes | Malcolm Johnston | 43.5kg | 200/1 | |
| 17th | Pilfer (NZ) | Colin Hayes | J Miller | 53kg | 40/1 | |
| 18th | Gay Master | T Hughes | E Didham | 51kg | 50/1 | |
| 19th | Our Pocket | B J Boyle | John Letts | 53kg | 12/1 | |
| 20th | Sequester | R Winks | R Setches | 48kg | 250/1 | |
| 21st | Big Angel | E W Laing | Pat Hyland | 52kg | 33/1 | |
| 22nd | High Sail (NZ) | T Hughes | A Cooper | 53kg | 200/1 |