70 130 YEARS AGO Hamlet (Maribyrnong-Rose of Denmark) stood at stud at James Moran’s National Hotel, Woolsthorpe. His dam Rose of Denmark finished third to Banker and Musidora in the 1863 Melbourne Cup and third to Lantern and Poet in that race the following year. Hamlet’s wins included the Australian Champagne Stakes, AJC Sires’ Produce Stakes, VRC and AJC St. Legers, and the AJC Mares Produce Stakes. He finished second in a Sydney Cup and in the Melbourne Stakes, best known as the Mackinnon Stakes, but now the Emirates Stakes. The principal wins of Hamlet’s offspring at Warrnambool were in the Grand Annual Steeplechase (Macduff, 1892 and 1893); Warrnambool Cup (Jim Cain, 1886; Taurus, 1892); Handicap Hurdle Race (Emerald, 1892 and 1893); and the Wangoom Handicap (Speculation, 1886). 90 YEARS AGO In 1932 Eastern Glow became the last of the four horses to have won the Wangoom Handicap-Warrnambool Cup double. Robert Geddes’ bonny mare carried only 7 stone (44.5 kg) in the Wangoom and 7.3 (45.8 kg) in the Cup – victory in which brought her record to 15 wins from 22 starts. Three of Eastern Glow’s progeny won races at Warrnambool – but nothing of nearly the same significance as their mother. 20 YEARS AGO In 2002 Majestic Avenue gave Russell Cameron, a frequent visitor to this carnival, his third win in the Cup. Cameron won with Seattle Hawk in 1997 and Majestic Avenue gave him victories in 2000 and 2002. Cameron subsequently won the 2009 Galleywood Hurdle with Desert Master. Steven Arnold rode Majestic Avenue in his 2002 Cup victory. Warrnambool Cup First run 1873 Le Don De Vie (GB) ridden to victory by Mark Zahra in the 2021 Sungold Milk Warrnambool Cup. As a teenager Arnold left Alice Springs to join Cameron’s Adelaide stables. When Cameron moved to Flemington, Arnold followed and upon completing his apprenticeship Arnold, who became one of Australia’s top jockeys, maintained his association with Cameron. Majestic Avenue thwarted local trainer Peter Lafferty’s dream of winning his hometown Cup, with Condies Fair. LAST YEAR Le Don De Vie gave Anthony and Sam Freedman their first Warrnambool major. The English import was a true international – with a French name, a Brazilian pedigree, and a four-time winner in England. When Mark Zahra asked the five-year-old for an effort he quickly put paid to his rivals, defeating the favourite Heart of Puissance by 2¾ lengths. Mark McNamara, April 2022
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