BRISEIS STAR OF THE OAKS
STAR OF THE OAKS Briseis
By Dr Andrew Lemon
W hen the Geelong filly, James Wilson’s Briseis, won the VRC Oaks in 1876 two days after winning the Melbourne Cup and five days after winning the Victoria Derby, the magnitude of her achievement passed most racegoers by. It was expected, after all. Although decent prize money was on offer, only three fillies came to the starting post for the Oaks, and Briseis was a cut above them. Peter ‘St Albans’, a lightweight boy, had won on her in the Cup, but at the higher set weights in the Oaks she was ridden, as in the Derby, by Tom Hales, the best in the business. Naturally Briseis started odds-on favourite. The distance was 1½ miles (2414 metres), the winning time was slow. She won easily.
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