Melbourne Cup: Etienne de Mestre was a master trainer

Archer won the race twice

Etienne de Mestre trained a battery of horses during the mid-1800s and put Australia on the map. He won the inaugural Melbourne Cup with Archer, in 1861.

The horse was virtually unheard of and was given 8 to 1.

As they made the run home, Archer increased his lead and won easily from Mormon and Prince in 3:52, “the longest time” for the event.

De Mestre again entered the horse in the 1862 Cup and won it, too.

The trainer had three other Cup victories – Whiffer 1867, Chester 1877, Claim 1878.

To prepare for is first Cup, de Mestre was going to have Archer walk from Nowra to Melbourne – a journey of over 550 miles. So the story goes, de Mestre and team walked 27 miles each day to cover the arduous expedition.

Naturally, with that type of preparation, Archer won the Cup easily.

MAIN: Etienne de Mestre with his wife and daughter. Above: Archer, winner of the first two Melbourne Cups.
 

De Mestre was a master trainer with advanced techniques. Rather than praise de Mestre’s training efforts, it was better for the Melbourne rivals to devise a yarn about the New South Welshman.

Noted Australian artist, Roy de Maître, is the son of the famous Etienne de Mestre.

De Mestre is second only to the legend, Bart Cummings, as the Cup’s most successful trainer.

Following The Legend Of Archer