FEATURE MELBOURNE CUP
100 YEARS AGO 1926 SPEARFELT
WORDS JOE MCGRATH
In 1926, Spearfelt added his name to the honour roll, having previously finished third to the imported Backwood in 1924 and unplaced (18th) in 1925. He was a descendant of the mighty Carbine, which won the 1890 Cup carrying 10 stone 5 pounds (65kg) and was an orphaned foal. Spearfelt’s breeder, John Vincent Smith of Victoria, long had an obsession with breeding a Melbourne Cup winner. Although registered as the breeder, he sadly didn’t live long enough to see
Spearfelt’s victory, having dispersed his bloodstock in 1921. At the time of dispersal, his mare Lady Champion was carrying Spearfelt as a foal at foot. Ridden by New Zealander Hughie Cairns, who would tragically lose his life in a race fall at Moonee Valley in 1929, Spearfelt was trained by Caulfield-based Vin O’Neil, and was clearly his best horse. The winner was owned by Douglas Grant, who used his deferred pay upon returning from World War I to purchase
Spearfelt. The horse turned out to be a champion, also winning the 1924 Victoria Derby and the 1927 Australian Cup. Grant later sold Spearfelt for 1300 Guineas to Queensland for stud duties. He proved most successful there, siring over 28 stakes winners, including Dark Felt, the winner of the 1943 Melbourne Cup. Spearfelt is one of only six Cup winners to go on and sire another Cup winner.
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