Local History

The 1915 Melbourne Cup was unique and auspicious. For the very first time, the winner - a plucky brown colt named Patrobas - was owned by a woman, Edith Widdis, from a farm near Rosedale, Victoria. Edith, mother of eight, intuitive horsewoman and clear-eyed businesswoman, drew the attention of a nation. The rising legend of the jockey and the chequered career of the trainer added colour to the result. Some took the sight of rose-pink silk charging up the outside as a portent of change. But the dominant hue of the day was khaki. Patrobas's triumphant 1915 racing season was played out against the backdrop of an unfolding and traumatic war, giving it a bitter-sweet poignancy. Patrobas was a brilliant, brave and tenacious stayer. The same can be said for Edith Widdis. This is the story of both of them.