The Melbourne Cup truly is “the race that stops a nation”, as 24 of the world’s best horses battle it out over 3200 metres at Flemington Racecourse. While there are a number of other high profile Group 1 events hosted in Melbourne during the Spring, nothing gets the same level of attention or undergoes the same level of analysis as the Melbourne Cup.
The Melbourne Cup has always been associated with statistics and trivia, with this one race getting more than its fair share of attention from the wider Australian public. Along with results and other popular statistics, there is also a lot of fun trivia published about this great Australian horse race.
Lucky Numbers
Saddlecloth numbers 4 and 12 have won the Melbourne Cup a record 11 times each, which is well above the statistical average. In terms of barriers, 5, 10, 11 and 14 are the luckiest with 7 wins each, followed by barriers 6, 8, and 19 with 5 wins.
Changing Times
While the Melbourne Cup is now worth $6.2 million, when it started back in 1861 it was worth 1,420 pounds. Crowd numbers have grown almost as much as the value of the Cup, with 4000 people at the inaugural race and about 100,000 today.
Colours
17 winning jockeys have worn black as the main colour, followed by 14 wearing navy blue and royal blue. Reddish-brown or ‘bay’ horses account for the most winners with 66 victories, with brown horses winning 35 times, chestnuts 34 times, greys 6 times, blacks 3 times, and brown/bay/black mixes 7 times.
The Race Must Go On
While World War I and World War II stopped almost every major and minor sporting event in Australia, the Melbourne Cup was raced each and every year.
Melbourne Cup History
The Melbourne Cup is the most famous horse race in Australia and one of the richest thoroughbred races in the entire world. Raced over 3200 metres by horses three years old and over, this great event is the major highlight of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival. Hosted every year at Flemington Racecourse, the Melbourne Cup truly is “the race that stops a nation”.
With a history that stretches back to 1861, many of Australia’s most elite horses have won this event. Archer won the inaugural race in front of an estimated crowd of 4000 people, in a race that was eventful to say the least. With one horse bolting before the start and seventeen starters falling during the race, two of which died, the Melbourne Cup got off to a rather inauspicious start.
The Melbourne Cup quickly became popular with racing fans, however, with 100,000 people in attendance by 1880. The Cup was originally held on a Thursday, moving to its Tuesday timeslot in 1875 and remaining that way ever since except for a few years during the Second World War. While a number of great horses have won the Melbourne Cup over the years, perhaps the most famous winner was Phar Lap in 1930, who became the shortest priced favourite to win this event.
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Some of the other champions who have won the Melbourne Cup over the years include Carbine in 1890, Peter Pan in 1932 and 1934, Comic Court in 1950, Rising Fast in 1954, Rain Lover in 1968 and 1969, Kiwi in 1983, Vintage Crop in 1993, Might and Power in 1997, and Makybe Diva in 2003, 2004 and 2005. In the last few years, winners include Viewed in 2008, Shocking in 2009, Americain in 2010, Dunaden in 2011, and Green Moon in 2012.
The last decade has been an eventful one for the Melbourne Cup, with a number of historic races and events taking place. Makybe Diva became the only horse to win the race three times in 2005, Bart Cummings took his 12th victory as a trainer in 2008, and French horse Dunaden crossed the finish line first in the closest finish ever in 2011.
Melbourne Cup notable winners
The Melbourne Cup is the most popular horse race in Australia, with a prize pool of $6.2 million up for grabs every year. “The race that stops a nation” has been won by many of the biggest names in Australian thoroughbred racing, including household names like Phar Lap and Makybe Diva. In fact, over the years since the inaugural race of 1861, the winners list for this great event reads like a who’s who of Australian horse racing.
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Held each year at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, the Melbourne Cup has been won by champion horses from around the world. Since 1882, New Zealand bred horses have won 40 Melbourne Cup, British bred horses have won 5 Cups, United States bred horses have won 4 Cups, Irish horses have won 2 Cups, and a single Japanese horse won in 2006. While the majority of winners are from Australia, as you can see, this is a truly international competition.
The most notable names to win the Melbourne Cup include Carbine in 1890, Peter Pan in 1932 and 1934, Comic Court in 1950, Rising Fast in 1954, Rain Lover in 1968 and 1969, Kiwi in 1983, Vintage Crop in 1993, Might and Power in 1997, and Makybe Diva in 2003, 2004 and 2005. In the last few years, winners include Viewed in 2008, Shocking in 2009, Americain in 2010, Dunaden in 2011, and Green Moon in 2012.
The most outstanding Melbourne Cup champion would have to be Makybe Diva, as the only horse to win this race on three seperate occasions between 2003 and 2005. This record will long live on as one of the most outstanding performances in Australian sporting history. Four horses have managed to win the Cup twice over its long history, with other notable winners combining victory in the Melbourne Cup with a Caulfield Cup win in the same season.
Dual Winners:
Archer 1861 – 1862
Peter Pan 1932 – 1934
Rain Lover 1968 – 1969
Think Big 1974 – 1975
Triple Winner:
Makybe Diva 2003- 2005
Winners of the Melbourne Cup and Caulfield Cup Double:
Poseidon 1906
The Trump 1937
Rivette 1939
Rising Fast 1954
Even Stevens 1962
Galilee 1966
Gurner’s Lane 1982
Let’s Elope1991
Doriemus 1995
Might and Power 1997
Ethereal 2001
In the news:
Apprehension has turned to excitement for young English trainer Ed Walker following the decision to start Ruscello in the Melbourne Cup.
After initial hesitation about progressing to Tuesday’s $6.2 million Cup after Ruscello’s qualifying win in the Lexus Stakes on Saturday, Walker said the decision became a “no brainer” later that afternoon.
A three-day back up is not something that would normally be attempted in Europe, especially with a stayer, and one who was bought by Australians with the intention of running in next year’s Cup.
On Saturday afternoon Walker was even considering seeking the advice of the 12-time winner Bart Cummings on backing horses up from the Derby day meeting into the Melbourne Cup.
But then he thought better of it.
“I was actually going to ask Mr Cummings for some advice for backing up a horse but when I found out that we knocked him out, I thought I better not,” Walker said.
Had Ruscello bypassed the Cup as expected, the Cummings-trained Precedence would have gained a start.
OTI’s Simon O’Donnell said the way the horse won the Lexus and his demeanour on the big day convinced him and the other owners to take the chance.
Walker was delighted with the way Ruscello had come out of Saturday’s race after checking on the horse at Werribee on Sunday morning.
“If I hadn’t have accepted I would have been kicking myself now because he has come out of it great,” Walker said.
The trainer knows the five-year-old faces a “huge task” in the Cup, especially after drawing the outside gate, but says everything is a bonus after the surprise Lexus Stakes win.
Ruscello’s Cup weight of 50kg also paved the way for Cox Plate-winning apprentice Chad Schofield to gain his first Melbourne Cup ride.
Schofield was hovering in the mounting yard straight after the Lexus, keen to lock in the chance to partner the English horse.
“Full credit to the guy,” Walker said.
“You admire people with that sort of hunger and ambition. He’s obviously doing very well down here, he got his first Group One win the other day so he’s full of confidence.”
