Kiwi wins the 1983 Melbourne Cup

Kiwi wins the 1983 Melbourne Cup.

Live television coverage certainly helped raise the profile of the Melbourne Cup in this country – as exemplified by Kiwi’s victory in 1983. Kiwi was last at the turn, and his dash to victory was barely picked up by the commentators until the last few strides

As the field was within sight of the finish, the commentator suddenly yelled, ‘and here comes Kiwi out of the blue’, signalling one of the greatest-ever finishes in the history of the Cup.

Kiwi’s victory was the ultimate Kiwi triumph. Ridden by a New Zealander, Jim Cassidy, he was trained by Waverley’s Snowy Lupton. When he was purchased for $1000 Kiwi was not expected to race, and his original role was ‘to round up sheep on the farm’.

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Anonymous

Posted: 01 Oct 2015

It was truly a great day for New Zealand & Kiwi Coming from near last at the turn he showed his class to time his run to perfection. Jimmy Cassidy what a ride and Snowy Lupton the owner/trainer what a gem for them. Memorable day for NZ