17 1924 - 2024 Altogether, Gloaming made four visits back to Australia, but until he was nine he never raced in Victoria. His visit here for the spring carnival of 1924 created huge anticipation. Rain was predicted. Greenwood declared he would not start Gloaming on a wet track. By now Gloaming was nine, with 51 wins on the board, his latest two in Sydney. Victoria Derby Day attracted a huge crowd, many intent on seeing the famous Gloaming for the first time, in the 10 furlong (2011m) Melbourne Stakes. As when fans flocked to Flemington hoping to see Makybe Diva, Black Caviar and Winx add to their exceptional records, so racegoers packed around the Mounting Yard—in use that spring for the very first time— and took up every vantage point. The rain held off, The hero did not disappoint. Ridden by his New Zealand jockey George Young, and starting odds-on favourite, Gloaming easily won in a field of five, with Whittier (a dual Caulfield Cup winner) and Easingwold (a Cox Plate winner) in his wake. Downpours came later in the week, robbing Melburnians of the chance of seeing Gloaming race again. He went home to New Zealand, won his final five races on the trot, and retired with glory: 67 starts, 57 wins, 9 second places. The weight-for-age Melbourne Stakes, won that day in 1924 by Gloaming, had been part of the Derby Day card since the 1860s. In 1936 it became the Mackinnon Stakes to honour the late Chairman of the VRC. In 2016, the Club moved the Mackinnon to the final day of the spring carnival, and in 2022 the concept of Champions Day began. The Mackinnon became one of the three headline Champions races. Great horses have won this race, twenty Melbourne Cup winners among them. Gloaming stands in a league of his own.
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