Can Cleveland win the 2023 Melbourne Cup?

Can Cleveland win the 2023 Melbourne Cup?

Cleveland will be looking to join the likes of Kingston Rule, Wodalla and Blue Spec to complete the Moonee Valley Gold Cup/Melbourne Cup double.

The Kris Lees-trained stayers has always threatened to win a big race since arriving in Australia and will get his chance to do so in the 2023 Melbourne Cup.

Can Cleveland etch his name into Melbourne Cup folklore?


When will Cleveland run in the Melbourne Cup?

The Melbourne Cup will be run on the first Tuesday in November at Flemington in front of a sold out crowd.

The one thing that hasn’t changed about the 2023 Melbourne Cup is the horses.

Once again The Cup has brought together an elite field of Melbourne Cup horses to contest the two mile race for $8.41 million.

Cleveland Melbourne Cup 2023

Cleveland (23)

T: Kris Lees
J: Michael Dee (52kg)
  • Age: 6YO
  • Color: Bay
  • Sex: Horse
  • Sire: Camelot (GB)
  • Dam: Venus de Milo (IRE)

Win: +2500

Place: +550

Best odds at Neds


Career stats for Cleveland

  • Career: 15: 3-3-0
  • Flemington: 0: 0-0-0
  • Distance: 1: 0-0-0
  • Good: 9: 2-3-0
  • Wet: 6: 1-0-0
  • Group 1: 3: 0-0-0
  • Win %: 20%
  • Place %: 40%

Melbourne Cup results for Cleveland

The Kris Lees-trained Cleveland will make his Melbourne Cup debut on November 7, 2023.


Recent Form for Cleveland

Date Race Track Distance Placing Jockey Barrier Weight Odds Margin
Oct 27 Moonee Valley Gold Cup Moonee Valley 2500m 1/14 James McDonald 9 55kg $6.50
Oct 14 ATC St Leger Stakes Randwick 2600m 2/10 James McDonald 4 55.5kg $3.80 2.71L
Sep 30 The Metropolitan Randwick 2400m 6/15 Damien Oliver 12 54.5kg $16 6.14L
Sep 15 Newcastle Gold Cup Newcastle 2300m 9/16 Ben Melham 15 58kg $4.40 4.54L

Can Cleveland win the 2023 Melbourne Cup?

Cleveland was the beneficiary of Vow And Declare’s bad luck in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup and brings ok enough form to be considered a chance on Tuesday. He was given an inch-perfect steer from James McDonald on that night, but from barrier 23, we have our concerns as to where he will land from the barrier. If he goes back to the rear, Cleveland doesn’t have the turn of foot that some of his rivals have. If he rolls forward, he is likely to be trapped wide throughout, potentially without cover. On that basis, we’re happy to leave Cleveland alone in the Cup.


Watch Cleveland Finish 1st in the 2023 Moonee Valley Gold Cup


READ ALSO:


How do you think Cleveland will go in the 2023 Melbourne Cup? Give us your thoughts in the box below!

Related posts