Equine History The Shire of Melton has a rich history in the equine industry. It has been home to thoroughbred breeding since the 1850s, with reputable industry identities and studs developed in the region over 150 years, producing many successful racehorses. Melton is known as the “Home of Harness”, the Shire is home to over 140 registered trainers and over 1200 horses. Melton trainers combined with local drivers, have won every major racing trophy in Australia and New Zealand. With ongoing development and its recognition as an ideal location for developing young racehorses, the Shire was acclaimed as ‘The Heart of the Thoroughbred Country’ in 1985.   Timeline Year   Event     1819   Father of Melton’s Equine Industry and founding father of the Victorian racing industry William Cross Yuille was born. Yuille established the first pastoral and horse property in Melton in 1846 and won the Melbourne Cup riding his own racehorse in 1865, four years after the Cup’s inception.     1852   Yuille, who had taken up the Rockbank Run in 1846, sold to Sir William John Clarke. Clarke bred thoroughbreds and his filly Petrea won the Victorian Oaks in 1879.     1859   ‘Birdswing’ owned by WC Yuille became Melton’s first winner of the Victorian Turf Club Oaks. Melton horses have won the Oaks on many occasions. At one stage Emirates Park Stud, then known as Stockwell Stud, had bred seven winners of the Oaks.     1865   ‘Toryboy’ owned by WC Yuille, became Melton’s first horse to win the Melbourne Cup.     1877   WC Yuille established the first Australian Stud book.     1918   Before the turn of the Century Mr EED (Ernest) Clarke created the Melton Park Stud, which became the famous home of the celebrated sire ‘The Welkin’, Australian champion sire 1918-19, 1920-21, 1921-22.     1921   Melton racehorse ‘The Gloaming’ won 19 races in a row and was honoured with one of Australia’s top races, ‘The Gloaming Stakes’, named after him.     1927   ‘Trivalve’, owned by Melton land owner Mr EED Clarke, won the Melbourne Cup.     1957   Stockwell Stud became one of the largest breeders of thoroughbreds in Australia.     1960   ‘Tauto’ sired by Dreelburn Stud’s famous ‘Good Brandy’, won the WS Cox Plate.     1966   Melton Stud bought UK’s Champion Mile Racehorse, ‘Showdown’, who went on to become a leading Australian champion sire.     1983   Local trotter ‘Scotch Notch’ named “Australian Trotter of the Year” and held the title until 1985.     1987   To celebrate the local thoroughbred industry, the Shire ran the Melton Cup from 1987 to 1989. The first inaugural winner was ‘Gallipoli Prince’     1988   ‘Our Poetic Prince’, 1988 Cox Plate champion, stood at Emirates Park and was retired to Cornwell Park, now the Independent Stallion Station, in 1989.     1989   The first “Melton Plate” held at Moonee Valley, reaffirming the Shire’s dominance in the harness industry. The first inaugural winner was local trotter ‘Victorys Phil’ owned by local identity Danny Mullan.     1990   ‘Cole Diesel’, sired by Melton sire ‘Brigand’ at Tamarin Stud, won the Caulfield Cup.     1992   Harness trotter ‘Franco Tiger’, trained by Glen Tippet, wins Miracle Mile.     1995   “Australian Trotter of the Year” won by ‘Wagon Apollo’.     2000   The 2000 Australian Horse of the Year ‘Shakamaker’, trained by John Justice, wins the Inter Dominion.
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Date Printed: 25/11/2009 © Melton Shire Council  2009 Source: http://www.melton.vic.gov.au/
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