It may sound like the start of a joke but it is actually the story of Posinatus and the punch line was delivered 100 years ago at Flemington.

Sports reporter JOSH CALLINAN delves a little deeper into the century old tale of a world famous horse from just down the road.

Posinatus left the township of Morpeth as a 100-1 shot and returned home to the banks of the Hunter River as a Melbourne Cup champion.

A century may have passed since that historic victory at Flemington but the story still resonates around the streets where Posinatus once roamed and beyond.

Not only was Posinatus the last Maitland connection to win the famed two mile race, following on from four others in the decade before him, but the five-year-old gelding clearly defied the odds to claim one of the sport’s ultimate prizes.

And according to the Melbourne Argus from 1913 the success of this otherwise mediocre miler, who eventually retired to perform parish duties in Morpeth, was a popular one on a rain-affected first Tuesday in November. 

“The field was in the straight when the Maribyrong Stand arose a terrific shout of ‘Posinatus’,” the article states.

“It was not like a shout as the sound floated to the grandstand – it was like the roar or surf on a rock bound coast. The rhythmic beat of the horse’s feet as they sped along the straight was drowned by the roar of swelling cheers from a hundred thousand throats. 

“The experts for a moment mute as the harp on Tara’s walls caught the spirit of the crowd and joined in the mad cheer as Posinatus dashed past the post a winner. 

“Their prophecy had failed. 

“They had reckoned without the great heart of the conquering horse.  Posinatus had won against the very flower of racing aristocracy.”

Mr J Chambers, who leased Posinatus from Sydney business man Mr Clancy after the horse was bred by Messrs J & W Thompson of Widden Stud, sent his charge from his Swan Street stables (located where the chemist is now) to Victoria by boat, apparently on the aptly named vessel Archer.

However, a fair share of the kudos has been attributed to Newcastle jockey Albert Shanahan, the defending Melbourne Cup champion who reportedly took the ride after a coin toss came down heads.

News of his appointment saw the odds of Posinatus shorten considerably to 15-1 but the nag, trained and owned by Chambers who opted against travelling to Flemington, was still not considered a serious chance.

“Much of the credit for Posinatus’ upset win was heaped on jockey Albert Shanahan, whose perceptive and cheeky ride somehow managed to turn the five-year-old into a stayer – if only for a day,” Costa Rolfe writes in his book Winners of the Melbourne Cup: Stories that Stopped a Nation.

“Aware that his mount was both hopelessly out of his preferred distance range and class, Shanahan bustled the gelding to the front in the early stages, thereafter embarking on a series of sudden accelerations and decelerations that thoroughly confused the runners behind him.

“In setting such a ponderous pace and 

saving his mount’s energy, Shanahan transformed the mighty Melbourne Cup as if by magic into a viral sprint, and sprinting was Posinatus’ forte.

“Grateful to his jockey for giving him a breather, the speedy gelding snuck away around the turn, eventually surviving the late runs of Allen’s Beloved and Ulva’s Isle to seal his moment of glory.”

At three minutes and 31 seconds it was one of the slowest winning times ever recorded in the Melbourne Cup yet the tactics proved fruitful by three quarters of a length. 

The spoil, after recording a rare start-to-finish style triumph repeated only by Might and Power 16 years ago, was an ornate silver Victorian centrepiece made in Birmingham by Elkington & Co. in 1866.

The details of the horse and owner are engraved on shields located between three female figures representing “health, wisdom and good fortune”.

Up until 1919, when the current Melbourne Cup trophy known today was introduced, individual prizes were presented post race and only 15 years ago Posinatus’ piece was sold by Christie’s in Melbourne for $68,000 to an unknown buyer.

Others to cash in included Melbourne businessman Albert Coppell, whose prophetic dream came to fruition and after backing Posinatus and the Caulfield Cup winner a fortnight earlier collected a reported 25,000 pounds. 

Upon returning to Morpeth the 1913 Melbourne Cup winner was given to parish priest Father Corcoran to ride around the parish. 

Posinatus is said to be buried in Tenterfield where he spent his final years performing parish duties in the north west of NSW.

Posinatus managed to follow in the footsteps of four other horses with Maitland connections - Pisatre (1912), Prince Foote (1909), Lord Nolan (1908) and Lord Cardigan (1903) - to win the Melbourne Cup and become part of the nation’s rich horse racing history.

This information, along with photographs; footage of the race (said to be the first one filmed from start to finish); equipment from the time; and replica silks coloured lavender, red and white – are part of a six-week exhibition at Morpeth Museum, which opened on Thursday.

The milestone will also be marked at Maitland Golf Club with the Posinatus Cup played for on Tuesday morning, incorporating the par four eighth hole named after the horse which used the training track formerly located on the course. 

But wherever you might be at 3pm on the first Tuesday in November, take a moment to remember the mighty win of Morpeth horse Posinatus from 100 years ago.

MAITLAND'S RICH CUP HISTORY

POSINATUS

# A 100-1 shot from Morpeth which won the 1913 Melbourne Cup

# Ridden by Newcastle jockey Albert Shanahan on the toss of a coin

# Travelled to Melbourne via boat, including a vessel called Archer

# Melbourne businessman has prophetic dream and collects 25,000 pounds from bookmakers

# Retired to perform parish duties with priest in Morpeth

MAITLAND’S MELBOURNE CUP CONNECTIONS

# 1903 - Lord Cardigan

# 1908 - Lord Nolan

# 1909 - Prince Foote

# 1912 - Piastre

# 1913 - Posinatus