VAN DER HUM - rachorse - Melbourne Cup winner

New Zealand bred Van Der Hum was by the sire Hermes from Tip O'Dawn.

He won the rain marred Melbourne Cup in 1976 when a heavy storm struck the track an hour before the race was due to be run and turned it in to a "bog". Van Der Hum, who was regarded as a wet track specialist, attracted a lot of "smart money"bets after the storm and successfully defeated the Cummings trained Gold And Black who ran second.

Ridden by Bob Skelton at 54.5 kgs and from barrier 6, Van Der Hum, 9/2 favourite, won by 2 lengths from Gold And Black in the slow time of 3.34.1 and picked up the $150.000 purse. ''I cruised past them effortlessly,'' Skelton recalled regarding the opposition in the straight.

Prior to winning the Melbourne Cup, Van Der Hum had won the Herbert Power Handicap by 7 lengths, 3rd in the Caulfield Cup with 54kgs and was unplaced in the Cox Plate.

Legend has it that Van Der Hum was only in the race as a result of a joke. As the story goes, One of the members of the Waikato Racing Club in New Zealand was in the office when nominations for the Melbourne Cup were due.

An office clerk, having a bit of a crack, told him to enter one of his horses. Asked which one, the clerk responded: "Van Der Hum." So he did.

Van Der Hum was put down in July 2001, just short of his thirtieth birthday at Te Rore, near Pirongia in New Zealand.

Van Der Hum's win in the Melbourne Cup can be viewed by clicking here

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

In association with: Credit Card Debt Problems Australia, Tasmanian horse racing and ratings, Racing Ratings rating service, Greyhound Racing Systems, Staking Plans and Staking Systems, Sunshine Coast Things To Do,  Kangaroo Island Things To Do, Hobart things to do, Accommodation Las Vegas hotels, Accommodation Launceston, Accommodation Hobart, Accommodation Anaheim hotels, Accommodation San Francisco Hotels, Accommodation Los Angeles Hotels, Horse Racing Australia history, Racing systems software