A magical combination
The Melbourne Cup has been raced and won. For many - lost! Great Trip who had only won one other race in over 12 months took it out in style. Well done to the owners, trainers, mucker-outers, the Jockey and of course the horse. Today's post is about the Jockey who not only rode the mighty Archer to victory in the first Melbourne Cup but backed up for the victory again on the same horse the following year! JOHN CUTTS DILLON John was born @ 1829 to Tom Dillon, a clerk, and his wife Ann nee Butler. Tragically his father died before he was born, and his mother was merely 17 years old. Ann married again in 1837 to Robert Cutts who had been sentenced to death for horse -stealing in 1825 but commuted to life originally being sent to Moreton Bay. Robert's father, William Cutts, also arrived on these shores as a convict in 1829 sentenced to 14 years for receiving stolen goods, William Cutts went on to be the licensee of the Homebush Inn and died in 1858. John was given the sec...