1982 Melbourne Cup Explained

1982 Melbourne Cup
Horse Race:Melbourne Cup
Location:Flemington Racecourse
Date:2 Nov 1982
Distance:3200 metres
Winning Horse:Gurner's Lane
Winning Time:3:21.1
Final Odds:8/1
Winning Jockey:Mick Dittman
Winning Trainer:Geoff Murphy
Surface:Turf
Previous:1981
Next:1983

The 1982 Melbourne Cup was a two-mile handicap horse race which took place on Tuesday, 2 November 1982 at Flemington Racecourse.

The race was won by Gurner's Lane trained by Geoff Murphy and ridden by Mick Dittman. He won by a neck from Kingston Town trained by Tommy Smith and 3rd was Noble Comment trained by George Hanlon.

Background

Fellow Tommy Smith trained Just A Dash was sent out the 11/2 favourite.

Gurner's Lane had won the 1982 AJC and the VRC St Leger Stakes, ran third in the Metropolitan Handicap and then won the Caulfield Cup and incurred a 3 kg penalty for the cup. His impressive run of race victories saw him awarded the Australian Horse of the Year for the 1982–1983 season.[1] Gurner's Lane broke down in early 1983 and although later returning to the track he never won another race.[2]

The race is remembered for the defeat of champion Kingston Town who had won his third Cox Plate the start before. His jockey, Malcolm Johnston, was later criticised for taking him to the lead too early. Kingston Town went to Perth and broke down after winning what would be his last race, now named the Kingston Town Classic.

Field

This is a list of horses which ran in the 1982 Melbourne Cup.[3]

PlaceHorseTrainerJockey
1stGurner's LaneGeoff MurphyMick Dittman
2ndKingston TownTommy SmithMalcolm Johnston
3rdNoble Comment George HanlonRobert Heffernan
4thMy Sir AvonBart CummingsHarry White
5thBianco LadyR H ThomsenN Voigt
6thPort CarlingTommy SmithRon Quinton
7thAllez BijouC J HoneychurchGary Willetts
8thWellington RoadP DawsonG Cook
9thAstrolinWayne WaltersP Alderman
10thAmarantGeorge HanlonJim Cassidy
11thSilver BountyG M CarsonMidge Didham
12thDealer's ChoiceR B MorganC Bromley
13thBarmaxL M ArmfieldD Coleman
14thToharRick Hore-LacyP Shepherd
15thTriumphal MarchColin HayesBrent Thomson
16thJust A DashTommy SmithPeter Cook
17thMagistrateIan SteffertBrian Andrews
18thDry WineJ V BurnsB McGinley
19thCarringbushRay HutchinsPat Hyland
20thRose And ThistleErrol SkeltonBob Skelton
21stMr. DigbyTommy HughesG Murphy
22ndBrewery BoyTommy SmithJohn Letts
23rdGala MascotGeoff MurphyB Clements

Notes and References

  1. News: Past Winners - 1980 to 1989 Melbourne Cup Winners. www.races.com.au/.
  2. Book: O'Reilly , Paddy . Gurner's Lane (1982). Facts, Stats & Trivia of The Melbourne Cup. 2016. New Holland Publishers Pty Ltd. Melbourne. 116–117. 9781742579054.
  3. News: 1982 Melbourne Cup. millersguide.identika.com.au. 29 September 2021.