title: Toparoa
text: # Toparoa
  
  Toparoa (foaled 1948) was a New Zealand bred thoroughbred racehorse that was most notable for winning the 1955 Melbourne Cup.
  
  ## Melbourne Cup
  
  Toparoa started as the 6/1 second favourite in the 1955 Melbourne Cup. Holding favouritism at 2/1 was future Hall of Fame champion Rising Fast who was attempting to go back-to-back after winning the race in 1954.
  
  Rising Fast carried the top weight of 10 stone (63.5 kilograms), whilst Toparoa with jockey Neville Sellwood carried just 7 stone 8 pound (48 kilograms).
  
  Toparoa was able to hold off the fast finishing Rising Fast to win the race by three quarters of a length and give trainer T J Smith his first winner of the Melbourne Cup. Sellwood was subsequently suspended for two months for causing interference to Rising Fast during the race, however controversy followed when no protest was lodged and Toparoa remained the winner.
  
  ## Pedigree
  
  Pedigree of Toparoa (NZ) 1948 :
  
  | Sire Massowa (GB) 1939 | Massine (FR) 1920 | Consols | Doricles |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | Sire Massowa (GB) 1939 | Massine (FR) 1920 | Consols | Console |
  | Sire Massowa (GB) 1939 | Massine (FR) 1920 | Mauri | Ajax |
  | Sire Massowa (GB) 1939 | Massine (FR) 1920 | Mauri | La Camargo |
  | Sire Massowa (GB) 1939 | Evangeline (GB) 1933 | Press Gang | Hurry On |
  | Sire Massowa (GB) 1939 | Evangeline (GB) 1933 | Press Gang | Fifinella |
  | Sire Massowa (GB) 1939 | Evangeline (GB) 1933 | Daughter-in-Law | Son-in-Law |
  | Sire Massowa (GB) 1939 | Evangeline (GB) 1933 | Daughter-in-Law | Clerical Error |
  | Dam Miss Sally (NZ) 1937 | Posterity (GB) 1926 | Son-in-Law | Dark Ronald |
  | Dam Miss Sally (NZ) 1937 | Posterity (GB) 1926 | Son-in-Law | Mother in Law |
  | Dam Miss Sally (NZ) 1937 | Posterity (GB) 1926 | Hemlock | Spearmint |
  | Dam Miss Sally (NZ) 1937 | Posterity (GB) 1926 | Hemlock | Keystone |
  | Dam Miss Sally (NZ) 1937 | Miss Thespian (NZ) 1925 | Thespian | Absurd |
  | Dam Miss Sally (NZ) 1937 | Miss Thespian (NZ) 1925 | Thespian | Leta |
  | Dam Miss Sally (NZ) 1937 | Miss Thespian (NZ) 1925 | Sea Elf | Seaton Delaval |
  | Dam Miss Sally (NZ) 1937 | Miss Thespian (NZ) 1925 | Sea Elf | St Evelyn |
  