Melbourne Cup Statistics

Last updated on October 17, 2023

Any Australian knows that the Melbourne Cup is the most prestigious and popular event in Australia. But do you know some of the fascinating facts and statistics behind this race? Here are some of them to get you started:

• The Melbourne Cup was first run in 1861, making it one of the oldest races in the world. The inaugural winner was Archer, who also won the following year.
• The race is known as “the race that stops a nation” because it attracts millions of viewers and bettors across Australia and beyond. In 2020, the race was watched by 3.5 million people on TV and online.
• The race has a prize money of $8 million, making it the richest handicap race in the world. The winner takes home $4.4 million, plus a trophy worth $250,000.
• The race is run over a distance of 3200 metres, or two miles, at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne. The track is shaped like a pear and has a long straight of 450 metres.
• Despite many tries to cancel the race(based on the “nup to the cup” campaign), it’s still one of the biggest races in the world
• The most successful age group is four-year-olds and five-year-olds, which have both won 45 times each, followed by six-year-olds with 33 wins. The oldest horse to win was Twilight Payment at eight years old in 2020, while the youngest horses to win were two-year-olds in the early years of the race.
• The most successful gender is stallions, which have won 72 times, followed by geldings with 54 wins. Only 14 mares have won the race, with Makybe Diva being the most famous, winning three consecutive cups from 2003 to 2005.
• The most successful barrier is number 5. It’s produced eight winners, followed by barriers 10, 14 and 19, which have each produced seven winners. The least successful barrier is number 18 and has never produced a winner.
• The heaviest weight carried to victory was 65.5 kg by Carbine in 1890, while the lightest weight carried to victory was 33.5 kg by Banker in 1863.

The race has also seen some remarkable feats and records over the years. Some of them are:

• Makybe Diva is the only horse to win the race three times, in 2003, 2004 and 2005. She is also the most famous mare to win the race, as only 14 mares in total and 12 individual mares have won the Melbourne Cup.
• Bart Cummings is the most successful trainer in the race’s history, with 12 wins between 1965 and 2008. He is known as “the Cups King”.
• Bobby Lewis and Harry White are the most successful jockeys, with four wins each. Lewis won his first Cup in 1902 and his last in 1927, while White won his first in 1974 and his last in 1979.
• Barrier 5 is the most successful barrier, with eight wins. However, no horse has ever won from barrier 18.
• Kingston Rule holds the record for the fastest time, with 3 minutes and 16.3 seconds in 1990. Archer holds the record for the slowest time, with 3 minutes and 52 seconds in 1861.
• Carbine holds the record for carrying the heaviest weight, with 65.5 kg in 1890. He also won by three lengths, despite having 24 rivals.

The wildest bookie payouts

But what are the odds of picking a winner in this unpredictable event? Here are some facts and statistics about the horses that have won with the most outsider odds in the past.

• The biggest upset in Melbourne Cup history was Prince of Penzance in 2015, who won at 100/1 odds with Michelle Payne becoming the first female jockey to win the race.
• The second biggest shock was The Pearl in 1871, who also won at 100/1 odds but in a much smaller field of only seven runners.
• The third biggest surprise was Wotan in 1936, who won at 100/1 odds after being rejected by his original owner and sold for only 50 pounds.
• Other notable long shots that have won the Melbourne Cup include Old Rowley in 1940 (100/1), Rimfire in 1948 (80/1), Hi Jinx in 1960 (50/1), Westwood in 1963 (50/1), Van Der Hum in 1976 (33/1), Viewed in 2008 (40/1) and Vow And Declare in 2019 (25/1).
• The average winning odds of the Melbourne Cup since 1861 is 19.4/1, which means that picking a winner is not an easy task.

Anything can happen with The Melbourne Cup, It’s a race full of surprises and drama. It is a test of endurance, skill and luck for both horses and jockeys. The Melbourne Cup is a cultural phenomenon that showcases the best of Australian spirit and passion, and not just “a horse race”

Audience attendance statistics for the  Melbourne Cup

The Melbourne Cup attracts huge crowds every year to Flemington Racecourse, as well as millions of viewers on television and online. However, the attendance numbers have fluctuated over the years, heavily influenced by various factors such as weather, COVID-19, animal welfare concerns and changing social trends.

• The highest attendance record for the Melbourne Cup was set in 2003, when 122,736 people witnessed Makybe Diva win her first of three consecutive cups.
• During COVID there was a the lowest attendance record was set. Nobody was allowed to attend due to the pandemic.
• The average attendance for the Melbourne Cup from 2000 to 2019 was 99,919 people.
• The Melbourne Cup is part of a four-day carnival that also includes the Victoria Derby, the VRC Oaks and the Mackinnon Stakes. The highest attendance record for the entire carnival was set in 2006, when 418,069 people attended the four days of racing.
• The real lowest attendance record for the entire carnival was set in 2021, when only 35,000 people were allowed to attend due to COVID-19 restrictions.
• The average attendance for the entire carnival from 2000 to 2019 was 314,599 people.

The race has a strong and loyal fan base, but has also faced some challenges in maintaining its appeal and relevance in the modern era. The impact of COVID-19 has been unprecedented and devastating for the racing industry, but also offers the opportunity to rethink and reinvent the event for the future.

Fashions on the field

The Melbourne Cup is also a chance for everyone to flex their fashion style for one day of the year.

• In 2018, $62.9 million was spent on retail (fashion and grooming), while $35.4 million was spent on 357,928 individual fashion items, including 54,821 pairs of shoes, 49,559 dresses, 19,089 suits, and 55,433 hats and fascinators.
• The Birdcage is the exclusive enclosure reserved for celebrities, models and high society types that attend Flemington Racecourse on Melbourne Cup Day. They often wear outfits from luxury brands like Chloé, Paolo Sebastian and Dion Lee.
• Fashions on the Field is a popular competition that awards prizes for the best-dressed male and female racegoers. The contest started in 1962 and has since become a major attraction of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
• Some of the most memorable outfits at the Melbourne Cup include Rebecca Harding’s carousel horse dress in 2019, Megan Gale’s star-studded gown in 2018, Lara Worthington’s white lace ensemble in 2018, and Gabi Grecko’s carnival-style corset in 2014.

Betting statistics on The Melbourne Cup

If you’ve picked the favourite in the office sweeps, hang on to it. History has shown the favour almost always gets up in the top 3. Consider this:

• The favourite is not always a sure bet. Historically, only 34 favourites have won the Melbourne Cup, and 75 favourites have finished in the first three placings. The last favourite to win was Fiorente in 2013 .
• The barrier draw can make a difference. Some barriers have produced more winners than others, such as barrier 5 (8 wins), barrier 10 (8 wins), barrier 14 (8 wins) and barrier 19 (8 wins). However, no horse has ever won from barrier 18 .

The most important thing is to have fun, whether you dress up, have a party or celebrate in your own way – the Melbounre Cup Carnival is always an amazing day.

It’s a fascinating race that showcases the best of Australian racing and culture. Whether you are a casual punter or a serious gambler, you can enjoy the excitement and drama of the race that captivates the nation every year.

We can’t ignore the glaring fact that the Melbourne Cup will always be a part of Australia’s cultural identity. It will also need to adapt and evolve to keep attracting new and diverse audiences.  But that’s a whole other can of worms.

Annexure

The race time over the years

The fastest horse has been Kingston Rule in 1990  with a time of 3:16.30 and the slowest was in 1861 of Archer at 3:52.00 witch was equalled in 1864 by Lantern. The average over all the years is 3 minutes, 22 seconds, and 10 milliseconds.

Year	Winner	Time
1861	Archer	3:52.00
1862	Archer	3:47.00
1863	Banker	3:44.00
1864	Lantern	3:52.00
1865	Toryboy	3:44.00
1866	The Barb	3:43.00
1867	Tim Whiffler	3:39.00
1868	Glencoe	3:42.00
1869	Warrior	3:40.00
1870	Nimblefoot	3:37.00
1871	The Pearl	3:39.00
1872	The Quack	3:39.00
1873	Don Juan	3:36.00
1874	Haricot	3:37.50
1875	Wollomai	3:38.00
1876	Briseis	3:36.25
1877	Chester	3:33.50
1878	Calamia	3:35.75
1879	Darriwell	3:30.75
1880	Grand Flaneur	3:34.75
1881	Zulu	3:32.50
1882	The Assyrian	3:40.00
1883	Martini-Henry	3:30.50
1884	Malua	3:31.75
1885	Sheet Anchor	3:29.50
1886	Arsenal	3:31.00
1887	Dunlop	3:28.50
1888	Mentor	3:30.75
1889	Bravo	3:32.50
1890	Carbine	3:28.25
1891	Malvolio	3:29.25
1892	Glenloth	3:36.25
1893	Tarcoola	3:30.50
1894	Patron	3:31.00
1895	Auraria	3:29.00
1896	Newhaven	3:28.50
1897	Gaulus	3:31.00
1898	The Grafter	3:29.75
1899	Merriwee	3:36.50
1900	Clean Sweep	3:29.00
1901	Revenue	3:30.50
1902	The Victory	3:29.00
1903	Lord Cardigan	3:29.25
1904	Acrasia	3:28.25
1905	Blue Spec	3:27.50
1906	Poseidon	3:31.25
1907	Apologue	3:27.50
1908	Lord Nolan	3:28.75
1909	Prince Foote	3:27.50
1910	Comedy King	3:27.75
1911	The Parisian	3:27.75
1912	Piastre	3:27.50
1913	Posinatus	3:31.00
1914	Kingsburgh	3:26.00
1915	Patrobas	3:28.25
1916	Sasanof	3:27.75
1917	Westcourt	3:26.75
1918	Night Watch	3:25.75
1919	Artilleryman	3:24.50
1920	Poitrel	3:25.75
1921	Sister Olive	3:27.75
1922	King Ingoda	3:28.25
1923	Bitalli	3:24.25
1924	Backwood	3:26.50
1925	Windbag	3:22.75
1926	Spearfelt	3:22.75
1927	Trivalve	3:24.00
1928	Statesman	3:23.25
1929	Nightmarch	3:26.50
1930	Phar Lap	3:27.75
1931	White Nose	3:26.00
1932	Peter Pan	3:23.25
1933	Hall Mark	3:27.50
1934	Peter Pan	3:40.50
1935	Marabou	3:23.75
1936	Wotan	3:21.25
1937	The Trump	3:21.50
1938	Catalogue	3:26.25
1939	Rivette	3:27.00
1940	Old Rowley	3:26.00
1941	Skipton	3:23.75
1942	Colonus	3:33.25
1943	Dark Felt	3:23.25
1944	Sirius	3:24.50
1945	Rainbird	3:24.25
1946	Russia	3:21.25
1947	Hiraji	3:28.00
1948	Rimfire	3:21.00
1949	Foxzami	3:28.50
1950	Comic Court	3:19.50
1951	Delta	3:24.25
1952	Dalray	3:23.75
1953	Wodalla	3:23.75
1954	Rising Fast	3:23.00
1955	Toparoa	3:28.25
1956	Evening Peal	3:19.50
1957	Straight Draw	3:24.50
1958	Baystone	3:21.25
1959	Macdougal	3:23.00
1960	Hi Jinx	3:23.75
1961	Lord Fury	3:19.50
1962	Even Stevens	3:21.40
1963	Gatum Gatum	3:21.10
1964	Polo Prince	3:19.60
1965	Light Fingers	3:21.10
1966	Galilee	3:21.90
1967	Red Handed	3:20.40
1968	Rain Lover	3:19.10
1969	Rain Lover	3:21.50
1970	Baghdad Note	3:19.70
1971	Silver Knight	3:19.50
1972	Piping Lane	3:19.30
1973	Gala Supreme	3:19.50
1974	Think Big	3:23.10
1975	Think Big	3:29.60
1976	Van der Hum	3:34.10
1977	Gold and Black	3:18.40
1978	Arwon	3:24.30
1979	Hyperno	3:21.80
1980	Beldale Ball	3:19.80
1981	Just A Dash	3:21.20
1982	Gurner’s Lane	3:21.20
1983	Kiwi	3:18.90
1984	Black Knight	3:18.90
1985	What A Nuisance	3:23.00
1986	At Talaq	3:21.70
1987	Kensei	3:22.00
1988	Empire Rose	3:18.90
1989	Tawrrific	3:17.10
1990	Kingston Rule	3:16.30
1991	Let’s Elope	3:18.90
1992	Subzero	3:24.70
1993	Vintage Crop	3:23.40
1994	Jeune	3:19.80
1995	Doriemus	3:27.60
1996	Saintly	3:18.80
1997	Might and Power	3:18.33
1998	Jezabeel	3:18.59
1999	Rogan Josh	3:19.64
2000	Brew	3:18.68
2001	Ethereal	3:21.08
2002	Media Puzzle	3:16.97
2003	Makybe Diva	3:19.90
2004	Makybe Diva	3:28.55
2005	Makybe Diva	3:19.17
2006	Delta Blues	3:21.47
2007	Efficient	3:23.34
2008	Viewed	3:20.40
2009	Shocking	3:23.87
2010	Americain	3:26.87
2011	Dunaden	3:20.84
2012	Green Moon	3:20.45
2013	Fiorente	3:20.30
2014	Protectionist	3:17.71
2015	Prince of Penzance	3:23.15
2016	Almandin	3:20.58
2017	Rekindling	3:21.29
2018	Cross Counter	3:19.02
2019	Vow and Declare	3:27.34
2020	Twilight Payment	3:21.20
2021	Very Elleegant	3:16.88
2022	Gold Trip	3:24.04