A great of the training ranks in the late 1800’s was Scotsman John Tait.
Much has changed in the Melbourne Cup down the years. The race looks markedly different now. One thing that has remained true is that excellence stands the test of time. Tait is part of that excellence.
We’re looking into the man himself, who arrived in Australia aged 30 and within four years won a NSW St Leger. We’re checking out all four of his Melbourne Cup winners in the early years of this great race.
About John Tait
John Tait was born way back in 1813 in Melrose, Scotland. He moved to New South Wales in 1843 at the age of 30, initially becoming a publican although a career in sport was to follow.
After taking up racehorse training, Tait won the New South Wales St Leger in 1847. The race was won by Whalebone at Homebush Racecourse. After this, Tait purchased a whole string of horses from local breeders.
A successful trainer, Tait’s most recognisable horse was The Barb. Known as “the Black Demon”, The Barb won 17 races in 24 starts including the AJC Derby, the Melbourne Cup and the Sydney Cup.
Melbourne Cup Achievements
Scotsman Tait trained all of his Melbourne Cup winners between 1866 and 1872. It was quickfire success, that’s for sure.
This closely mirrors the excellent if short-term success in the race for Etienne De Mestre. Between Tait and De Mestre, they claimed seven of the first 12 Melbourne Cup races in history.
His prowess in this event may have been somewhat short lived, but it stands to scrutiny even now. Including De Mestre, only three people are above Tait outright in terms of the number of Melbourne Cup winners trained.
John Tait’s Melbourne Cup Wins
Following a familiar pattern for the time, John Tait managed his four Melbourne Cup wins in short order.
Within just seven seasons, Tait racked up four Cup wins. Had he continued training at a high level for longer, he may well have given 12-time winner Bart Cummings a much tougher target to reach and surpass. All Melbourne Cup wins for John Tait:
| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Horse Owner | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1872 | The Quack | 6 | W Enderson | John Tait | 3:39.00 |
| 1871 | The Pearl | 5 | J Cavanagh | John Tait | 3:39.00 |
| 1868 | Glencoe | 4 | C Stanley | John Tait | 3:42.00 |
| 1866 | The Barb | 3 | W Davis | John Tait | 3:43.00 |
