The 1956 Hotham Handicap...

The "Hotham Handicap", run on Victoria Derby Day since 1869, produced Australia's first recorded triple dead heat, in 1956.

Triple treat: (from left)  Fighting Force (J. Purtell), Ark Royal (R. Heather) and Pandie Sun (W. Williamson).

"THERE was a hush while the crowd waited for the film of the finish to go down from the camera tower to the judge's box. Then came a deafening roar from all parts of the course with the official announcement that the judge, Stanley Shannon, had signalled a triple dead-heat for first. Accompanied by the clerk of the course, the three horses walked back abreast to the weighing enclosure. For nearly an hour after the running of the last race, racegoers gazed at the copy of the photo, which was on view outside the judge's box."

Report by "Heroic" in The Age,  Monday, 5 November, 1956

Since 1979, the race has taken the name of a sponsor: Which do you prefer?

'The Dalgety’ (1979-1993), ‘Crown Quality’ (1994 - 1995). ‘Ten News Stakes’(1996), ‘Lean Cuisine Quality’(1997) , ‘Saab Quality’(1998 - 2008) , 'Lexus Stakes' (2009- ),

...or just the Hotham Handicap?