Gold And Black - Melbourne Cup winner 1977

Gold And Black, trained by Bart Cummings, won the Melbourne Cup in 1977, ridden by John Duggan. He was bred in New Zealand and raced in partnership by H Gage from Sydney and Adelaide's Jack Harris.

Gold And Black was by In The Purple from the NZ mare Gem and was foaled in 1972.

Just prior to winning the Melbourne Cup, Gold And Black had been unplaced in the Caulfield Cup but had run second in the McKinnon Stakes and had run second to Van Der Hum in the muddy 1976 Melbourne Cup.

He had also run second to Reckless in the 1977 Sydney Cup and was later found to be suffering from pneumonia which further enhanced the value of that run.

In the 1977 Melbourne Cup he started 7/2 favourite and started from barrier 14. He beat Reckless in to second place and Hyperno in to third. The race was never really in doubt as he surged forward from the 800 metre mark and won by a couple of lengths with plenty in hand.

He picked up $156,700 in prize money for that effort and ran the trip in 3.18.4 carrying 57 kgs.

After retiring from racing Gold And Black became a Clerk Of The Course horse on South Australian tracks and was buried at the Gawler race course when he died in the mid 1980's.

The presentation ceremony to Gold And Black after the race went down in political folk lore as a drunken Governor General, Sir John Kerr, made what was to be his farewell appearance. During his presentation of the cup he was booed by many in the crowd.

 

To view a video of Gold And Black winning the 1977 Melbourne Cup click here