Historical information

The Melbourne Cup Carnival covers four days of racing and includes the Melbourne Cup, Derby Day, Oaks Day and the Champion Stakes. The four day carnival began in 1869. The first Melbourne Cup was run in 1861, and Derby day in 1856. In 1899 the winner of the Melbourne Cup was Merriwee who also won the Derby that year. At that time the Champions Stakes was called the Mackinnon Stakes, named after Lachlan Kenneth Scobie Mackinnon, a previous chairman of the Victorian Racing Club. In 1899 the race for age race was won by Mora. The Oaks is a race for 3yo fillies racing over one and a half miles in 1899 when it was won by Nitre.

Physical description

Large ledger book probably from Arthur Allsop. Includes the starting prices wagers of horse races in Victoria and the Commercial Bank records of deposits and withdrawals. It covers the years from 1897 to 1922. With the book there is also a handwritten letter to Arthur recording the bets of A. Connell and W.P. Bayus (?) over the Melbourne Cup carnival 1899.