1981 Melbourne Cup Explained

1981 Melbourne Cup
Horse Race:Melbourne Cup
Location:Flemington Racecourse
Date:3 Nov 1981
Distance:3200m
Winning Horse:Just a Dash
Winning Time:3:21.20
Final Odds:15/1
Winning Jockey:Peter Cook
Winning Trainer:Tommy J. Smith
Winning Owner:Lloyd Williams, George Grew and Tom Peppiona
Surface:Turf
Previous:1980
Next:1982

The 1981 Melbourne Cup was a handicap horse race which took place on Tuesday, 3 November 1981 over 3200m, at Flemington Racecourse.

Background

The race was won by the Australian bred gelding Just a Dash, trained by the legendary trainer Tommy Smith (also known as T. J. Smith) and ridden by Peter Cook. The runner up was El Laurena, trained by G F Burns, and third place went to Flashing Light trained by Tommy Hughes.[1] The winning margin was two and a quarter lengths with a further length and a quarter to third place.

Just a Dash was spotted by Tommy Smith racing in the Riverina district in New South Wales. He went on to win the 1981 SAJC Adelaide Cup (3200m) and the SAJC St. Leger Stakes. Prior to the Cup he had placed 6th in the Caulfield Cup and 5th in the Dalgety Handicap.[2]

It was the second Melbourne Cup victory for Tommy Smith and it had been a long wait between wins in the great race for him. Smith's previous success was the New Zealand bred stayer, Toparoa, in the 1955 Melbourne Cup. In between the two wins the best he had managed was Gunsynd's 3rd to Piping Lane in the 1972 Cup.

It was the first Melbourne Cup win for Peter Cook, following his 2nd in the previous year's event with Blue Denim. Cook was the son of Billy Cook who had ridden the winners of the 1941 Melbourne Cup (Skipton) and 1945 Melbourne Cup (Rainbird). Peter went on to win the 1984 Melbourne Cup on Black Knight for George Hanlon.

The 3rd placed Flashing Light had won the Herbert Power Handicap (2400m) and placed 5th in the Caulfield Cup.

The champion Kingston Town could only finish 20th.

Field

The following are the placegetters in the 1981 Melbourne Cup.[3] [4] [5]

NumberPlaceHorseWeight (kg)TrainerJockey
1Kingston Town60.5Tommy J. SmithMalcolm Johnston
2Hyperno58Bart CummingsLarry Olsen
34thOur Paddy Boy (NZ)57Colin HayesBrent Thomson
4Belmura Lad (NZ)55Bart CummingsMidge Didham
5Koiro Trelay (NZ)54.5E TempertonP Smith
6Arwon (NZ)54George HanlonB Clements
71stJust a Dash[6] 53.5Tommy J. SmithPeter Cook
8Mr Cromwell (NZ)53J J AtkinsM Pelling
92ndEl Laurena52G F BurnsG Killen
10Bright Halo (NZ)51Theo GreenRon Quinton
11Deck The Halls51R J McGuinessMick Dittman
12No Peer (NZ)51Bart CummingsHarry White
13Anzaas (NZ)50.5I D HayM Baker
14Lord Warden (NZ)50H H RileyGary Willetts
15Pelican Point50H R WehlowJohn Letts
16Magistrate (NZ)49.5I H SteffertBob Skelton
17Red Gun49.5A A ArmanscoM Riley (A)
18Sepol49.5A LopesN Barrett
193rdFlashing Light49Tommy HughesA Cooper
20Cocked Hat48K M KearneyR Heffernan
21Diatric46.5T J HarrisonG Doughty
22Favoloso46J U PolettiD Short

Notes and References

  1. News: Past Winners - 1980 to 1989 Melbourne Cup Winners. www.races.com.au/.
  2. New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 1982 (11th edition). Costello, John, Editor. Moa Publications, Auckland, New Zealand
  3. Web site: Just A Dash too good in the 1981 Melbourne Cup. www.racing.com.
  4. Web site: Past results of the Melbourne Cup | Racing Online. Kevin. Pitstock. 4 November 2012.
  5. Official Programme: Melbourne Cup Carnival, Victoria Racing Club, Melbourne, Australia
  6. Web site: Just A Dash racehorse Melbourne Cup Winner 1979. www.racerate.com.