BRISEIS STAR OF THE OAKS
The following Saturday she returned to Flemington to contest the rich Mares’ Produce Stakes. The prospect of four wins looked bright as Briseis led up the home straight, only to be passed by Pride of the Hills. What those racegoers of 1876 could not have guessed is that in the 150 years to follow, no filly would ever emulate those three victories: Derby, Cup and Oaks. Still, there are two other champion fillies who came close, and their achievements have too often been overlooked. Auraria, a daughter of dual Melbourne Cup placegetter Trenton, came to Flemington in spring 1895 with the Adelaide weight-for-age Elder Stakes and the South Australian Derby to her name. In the Victoria Derby on the opening Saturday she ran a close third to Wallace, champion son of Carbine. On Tuesday she won the Melbourne Cup in a huge field of thirty-six, beating Hova who had won a Newmarket Handicap. On Thursday, Auraria won the Oaks, easily. As with Briseis, it was a small field, four starters only. On the final Saturday she contested the weight-for-age C.B. Fisher Plate against Wallace and Hova. That race was two miles, like the Cup. The result was a thriller: Auraria in front, Wallace wearing her down. No photo finish in those days. Dead heat, said the judge! Frances Tressady has the distinction of being the last filly to win the Victoria Derby—and that was in 1923, more than a century ago. She
OPPOSITE: Tom Hales on Briseis, with 1876 Melbourne Cup-winning jockey, Peter St. Albans (left), who rode the filly to victory as an eleven-year-old. (Painting by Frederick Woodhouse) ABOVE: 1895 Melbourne Cup winning filly, Auraria. (Image: Ern Halley/VRC Collection)
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