Melbourne Cup Facts And Statistics

2020 Melbourne-Cup-Trophy

Some general facts and figures on the Melbourne Cup:

  • First run in 1861 under the banner of the Victorian Turf Club and won by the Etienne de Mestre-trained Archer who beat the favourite Mormon by six lengths. The prize was 1420 pounds and the trophy a gold watch.
  • Archer came back the following year to beat Mormon, this time by eight lengths, a record margin that still stands (it was equalled in 1968 by Rain Lover).
  • De Mestre would go on to train three other winners of the Melbourne Cup – Tim Whiffler (1867), Chester (1877) and Calamia (1878).
  • Trainer Bart Cummings claimed the first of his 12 Melbourne Cups in 1965 with Light Fingers. The following year stablemate Galilee was the only horse to prevent Light Fingers making it back-to-back Cups and in 1967 Red Handed gave Cummings his third straight victory.
  • Cummings’ other winners were Think Big (1974, 1975), Gold And Black (1977), Hyperno (1979), Kingston Rule (1990), Let’s Elope (1991), Saintly (1996), Rogan Josh (1999) and Viewed (2008).
  • Other trainers to have multiple Cup wins include:
    • 5 – Lee Freedman: Tawrrific (1989), Subzero (1992), Doriemus (1995), Makybe Diva (2004, 2005);
    • 4 – John Tait: The Barb (1866), Glencoe (1868), The Pearl (1871), The Quack (1872);
    • 4 – Richard Bradfield: Patron (1894), The Victory (1902), Night Watch (1918), Backwood (1924);
    • 4 – James Scobie: Clean Sweep (1900), King Ingoda (1922), Bitalli (1923), Trivalve (1927);
    • 4 – W S Hinkenbothem: Mentor (1888), Carbine (1890), Newhaven (1896), Blue Spec (1905).
  • In 1972 the race was altered to the metric distance of 3200m, 18.7 metres or 61.5 feet short of two miles.
  • Kingston Rule holds the metric race record of 3:16.30.
  • 1985 marked the dawn of a new era for the Cup with prize money raised to $1 million. The owners of What A Nuisance received $650,000 and a $23,000 Cup.
  • This year the race is worth $4.4 million to the winning owners.
  • Four-year-olds (46) and five-year-olds (44) have the best record of any age group. Other age groups are three-year-old (23), six-year-old (32), seven-year-old (11) and eight-year-old (3).
  • The oldest horses to win the race were the eight-year-olds Twilight Payment (20120), Toryboy (1865) and Catalogue (1938).
  • The last three-year-old to win was Skipton (1941), who gave champion jockey Billy Cook his first Cup win. (Technically 2018 winner Cross Counter and 2017 winner Rekindling were three but considered four in the southern hemisphere).
  • There have been no dead-heats for first in the race but Topical and Gaine Carrington dead-heated for third in Hall Mark’s 1933 Cup and Lahar and Zazabelle also dead-heated for third in the 1999 Cup won by Rogan Josh.
  • Bobby Lewis and Harry White are the most successful jockeys. In 33 rides in the Cup Lewis saluted the judge four times with The Victory (1902), Patrobas (1915), Artilleryman (1919) and Trivalve in 1927. He was also runner-up four times and finished third on Phar Lap in 1929.
  • Harry White steered the Bart Cummings-trained Think Big to successive victories in 1974 and 1975. He was back in the winner’s circle again with Arwon in 1978 and another Cummings’ runner Hyperno in 1979.
  • Three jockeys will be chasing their fourth Melbourne Cup win on Tuesday – Kerrin McEvoy (Grand Promenade), Damien Oliver (Delphi) and Glen Boss (Sir Lucan).
  • Think Big failed to win a race between his two Melbourne Cup wins.
  • Makybe Diva is the only horse to win the Cup three times in 2003, 2004 and 2005.
  • Perhaps the unluckiest of all Melbourne Cup runners was Shadow King who ran in six Cups between 1929 and 1935 finishing third to Phar Lap in 1930, second to White Nose in 1931, third to Peter Pan in 1932 and second again behind Hall Mark in 1933.
  • The longest-priced horses to win: Four horses have won at 100-1: The Pearl (1871), Wotan (1936), Old Rowley (1940) and Prince Of Penzance (2015).
  • The shortest priced are Archer 2-1 (1862), Tim Whiffler 5-2 (1867), Revenue 7-4 (1901), Phar Lap 8-11 (1930), Even Stevens 3-1 (1962), Let’s Elope 3-1 (1991) and Makybe Diva at 5-2 in 2004.
  • Melbourne Cup winners to produce other Melbourne Cup winners:-
    • Grand Flaneur (1880) sired Bravo (1889) and Patron (1894);
    • Malua (1884) sired Malvolio (1891);
    • Comedy King (1910) sired Artilleryman (1919) and King Ingoda (1922);
    • Spearfelt (1926) sired Dark Felt (1943);
    • Marabou (1935) sired Skipton (1941);
    • Silver Knight (1971) sired Black Knight (1984).
  • Surprise Baby is a son of 2009 winner Shocking.
  • Heaviest weights carried in the Cup:- Winners – Carbine 10.5 (65.5kg), Archer 10.2 (64.5kg), Poitrel 10.0 (63.5kg), Redcraze 10.3 (65kg). Others: Rising Fast 10.0 (65.5kg) 2nd, Eurythmic 10.5 (65.5kg), Phar Lap 10.10 (68kg) in 1931 8th, Peter Pan 10.6 (66kg) in 1935 15th.
  • In 1993, Vintage Crop became the first northern hemisphere-trained horse to win. The Irish stayer was trained by Dermot Weld and ridden by Mick Kinane and is credited with putting the race on the world stage.
  • In 2015, Michelle Payne became the first woman to ride the winner of the Melbourne Cup when she steered the Darren Weir-trained Prince Of Penzance to a famous victory.
  • Rachel King will be striving to become the second female to ride the winner when she partners Pondus on Tuesday.
  • Trainer Lee Freedman completed racing’s grand slam of the four major races in the same season in 1992/93 with Mannerism (Caulfield Cup), Super Impose (Cox Plate), Subzero (Melbourne Cup) and Bint Marscay (Golden Slipper).

There is more helpful statistics and trivia on the Melbourne Cup statistics page.

2021 Melbourne Cup

No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight Odds
1 Twilight Payment Melbourne Cup 2021 Twilight Payment Joseph O’Brien Jye McNeil 2 58kg $11
2 Incentivise Melbourne Cup 2021 Incentivise Peter Moody Brett Prebble 16 57kg $2.50
3 Spanish Mission Melbourne Cup 2021 Spanish Mission Andrew Balding Craig Williams 14 57kg $9
4 Verry Elleegant Melbourne Cup 2021 Verry Elleegant Chris Waller James McDonald 19 57kg $15
5 Explosive Jack Melbourne Cup 2021 Explosive Jack C Maher & D Eustace John Allen 4 54kg $51
6 The Chose One Melbourne Cup 2021 The Chosen One M Baker & A Forsman Damian Lane 5 54kg $61
7 Delphi Melbourne Cup 2021 Delphi A & S Freedman Damien Oliver 3 53.5kg $41
8 Ocean Billy Melbourne Cup 2021 Ocean Billy Chris Waller Damian Thornton 13 53.5kg $101
9 Selino Melbourne Cup 2021 Selino Chris Waller Ron Stewart 24 53.5kg $151
10 Johnny Get Angry Melbourne Cup 2021 Johnny Get Angry Denis Pagan Lachlan King 22 53kg $101
11 Knights Order Melbourne Cup 2021 Knights Order G Waterhouse & A Bott Daniel Stackhouse 9 53kg $201
12 Persan Melbourne Cup 2020 Persan C Maher & D Eustace Luke Currie 11 53kg $31
13 Carif Melbourne Cup 2021 Carif P & P Snowden Blaike McDougall 8 52.5kg $201
14 Master Of Wine Melbourne Cup 2021 Master Of Wine Team Hawkes Fred Kersley 6 52.5kg $101
15 Pondus Melbourne Cup 2020 Pondus Robert Hickmott Rachel King 1 52.5kg $41
16 Grand Promenade Melbourne Cup 2021 Grand Promenade C Maher & D Eustace Kerrin McEvoy 21 52kg $21
17 Miami Bound Melbourne Cup 2021 Miami Bound Danny O’Brien Patrick Moloney 17 52kg $151
18 Port Guillaume Melbourne Cup 2021 Port Guillaume Ben & JD Hayes Harry Coffey 23 52kg $151
19 She's Ideel Melbourne Cup 2021 She’s Ideel Bjorn Baker Craig Newitt 20 52kg $101
20 Future Score Melbourne Cup 2021 Future Score Matt Cumani Dean Yendall 15 51.5kg $301
21 Tralee Rose Melbourne Cup 2021 Tralee Rose Symon Wilde Dean Holland 12 51kg $17
22 Floating Artist Melbourne Cup 2021 Floating Artist C Maher & D Eustace Teo Nugent 10 50kg $18
23 Great House Melbourne Cup 2021 Great House Chris Waller Michael Dee 7 50kg $31
24 Sir Lucan Melbourne Cup 2021 Sir Lucan G Waterhouse & A Bott Glen Boss 18 50kg $26

2021 Melbourne Cup Odds

Flemington – Race 7
Lexus Melbourne Cup

Status: Open
Track Rating: Good4
Weather: FINE
AUS

3200m03:00pm – Tue 2nd Nov

1. Delphi
A & S Freedman

Best odds atLadbrokes

2. Miami Bound
D T O’brien

Best odds atBet365

3. Port Guillaume
Ben & J D Hayes

Best odds atNeds

4. Spanish Mission
Andrew Balding

Best odds atBet365

5. Tralee Rose
Symon Wilde

Best odds atBet365

6. Grand Promenade
C Maher & D Eustace

Best odds atBet365

7. Floating Artist
C Maher & D Eustace

Best odds atBet365

8. Knights Order
G Waterhouse & A Bott

Best odds atNeds

9. Twilight Payment
Joseph O’brien

Best odds atBetStar

10. Great House
C J Waller

Best odds atBet365

11. She’s Ideel
Bjorn Baker

Best odds atBet365

12. Future Score
Matthew Cumani

Best odds atBookmaker

13. The Chosen One
M Baker & A Forsman

Best odds atBet365

14. Carif
P & P Snowden

Best odds atBetStar

15. Ocean Billy
C J Waller

Best odds atBet365

16. Incentivise
P G Moody

Best odds atBet365

17. Master Of Wine
M, W & J Hawkes

Best odds atLadbrokes

18. Pondus
Robert Hickmott

Best odds atBetStar

19. Verry Elleegant
C J Waller

Best odds atBet365

20. Persan
C Maher & D Eustace

Best odds atBet365

21. Sir Lucan
G Waterhouse & A Bott

Best odds atBet365

22. Johnny Get Angry
Denis Pagan

Best odds atBetStar

23. Selino
C J Waller

Best odds atBetStar

24. Explosive Jack
C Maher & D Eustace

Best odds atLadbrokes


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