This clip shows a group of men posing for the camera at the 1896 Melbourne Cup. Unfamiliar with moving image, the men remain still as if posing for a photograph.

This clip shows the end of the 1896 Melbourne Cup horse race through the onlooking crowd. Newhaven wins.

Summary by Elizabeth Taggart-Speers

Phar Lap's incredible win at the Melbourne Cup in 1930 made him an Australian icon.

How did a New Zealand-born horse become one of Australia’s most loved and enduring icons?

A winner with a big heart and a liking for sugar cubes - Phar Lap's story captivated the nation.

Discover many of the incredible moments in the life of Australia's greatest racehorse, Phar Lap.

Tommy Woodcock (Tom Burlinson) runs Phar Lap onto the track at Flemington for the 1930 Melbourne Cup.

Mr Telford (Martin Vaughan) arrives at the stables with his son Cappy (Steven Bannister).

Harry Telford (Martin Vaughan) watches his new horse arrive on the docks from New Zealand. His wife, Vi (Celia de Burgh), wonders why the horse looks so skinny.

The Great War did not succeed in killing interest in horseracing in Australia. The 1915 Melbourne Cup was filmed and screened less than 24 hours after the race.