Frank McGrath was yet another star Melbourne Cup trainer plying his trade in the early part of the 20th century.
He managed a trio of wins in the Cup, two of them coming with Peter Pan. That horse was one of very few to win the race more than once.
Check out a little more about one of the best trainers in early Australian racing history. We also take a closer look at his three Melbourne Cup wins.
About Frank McGrath
Francis McGrath, known as Frank, was born in 1866 in New South Wales.
A jockey and a trainer, horse racing was McGrath’s true vocation and he was to go on to condition many winners of top events, including the Melbourne Cup.
What made McGrath more extraordinary in his success is that he rarely had more than 20 horses in training. The size of his string didn’t seem to affect his winning ability at all.
After achieving big things on the track, McGrath was elected president of the NSW Breeders’, Owners’ and Trainers’ Association. He retired in 1945, handing over the stables to his son Frank junior.
Melbourne Cup Achievements
Though he undoubtedly deserved three Melbourne Cup wins on the balance of his training prowess, McGrath’s record in the race shows just how much you need to have the right animal.
Following his first win in 1909, McGrath struggled to have a Melbourne Cup winner. Eventually, superstar horse Peter Pan came along and the rest is history.
Frank McGrath’s Melbourne Cup Wins
McGrath had some outstanding success as a trainer. His three Melbourne Cup wins were:
| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Horse Owner | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1934 | Peter Pan | 5 | Darby Munro | Rodney R. Dangar | 3:40.50 |
| 1932 | Peter Pan | 3 | Bill Duncan | Rodney R. Dangar | 3:23.25 |
| 1909 | Prince Foote | 3 | William McLachlan | John Brown | 3:27.50 |
Peter Pan was not only a striking-looking horse with his unusual blonde mane and tail, but an outstanding racehorse too.
In a little over three years, Peter Pan won several races twice. He took the AJC Derby, the Melbourne Stakes, Hill Stakes, Randwick Stakes, AJC St Leger, AJC Cumberland Plate and the AJC Autumn Plate twice each. As you can see, he achieved the same feat in the Melbourne Cup.
McGrath had to wait more than 20 years for him to come along in order to achieve more Melbourne Cup glory since Prince Foote’s win.
In 2009, Prince Foote won the Sires Produce Stakes, the AJC Derby and the VRC Derby. He went on to take the Melbourne Cup that year and had a fantastic 1910 too.
