Everything You Need to Know about the Melbourne Cup 2024
With the Lexus Melbourne Cup fast approaching here’s your mate Joe Fortune with my rundown on its history, renowned trainers, jockeys and horses as well as everything you need to know about The Race That Stops The Nation. Once you’ve read this you’ll be able to impress your mates as a dead set racing expert!
The 2024 Melbourne Cup
The Cup will be held on Tuesday 5th November starting at 3pm local time. Australia’s most famous race is a Group 1 held over 3200 metres, or just under 2 miles if you’re more old school. It will be run at Flemington Racecourse with total prize money of $8,000,000 and a maximum of 24 horses will be competing.
Brief History of the Melbourne Cup
Flemington became a racecourse in 1840 with the Melbourne Cup first run in 1861 when it was won by a horse called Archer who then went and claimed victory again the following year. The race was originally run over exactly two miles (3,218 metres), but when Australia went metric in the 1970s, the new distance of 3,200 metres was set in place in 1972 and remains the same today.
In recent times the race became firmly established on the international map as it was won by the Irish horse Vintage Crop, making it the first European horse to take out the Cup. Since then, the profile and interest in sending runners to Australia to compete and try to win the Cup continues to increase. Last year Without A Fight became the first horse in over 20 years to complete the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup double in the same year. In winning the race, jockey Mark Zahra, also became the first jockey since Glenn Boss in 2005 to win back-to-back Melbourne Cups.
Throughout the history of the great race there has only ever been one winning female jockey and that was in 2015 when Michelle Payne rode Prince of Penzance to victory at 100/1. In 2013 trainer Gai Waterhouse became the first Aussie female trainer to ever train the winner of the race when her horse Fiorente was victorious.
Trainers and Owners
When you mention the Melbourne Cup there is one trainer that stands above them all Bart Cummings. The legendary trainer won 12 Melbourne Cups and in 1965, 1966, 1974, 1975, and 1991, Cummings trained the quinella in those five editions of the Melbourne Cup. He was an absolute genius and remains by far the greatest trainer when it comes to winning the big race.
Another name very closely linked to the Cup is racehorse owner Lloyd Williams who has been successful in owning the winner on 7 different occasions. Williams’ last win was in 2020 with the Irish-trained Twilight Payment.
Jockeys and Horses
The most successful jockeys in the history of the Cup are Bobby Lewis and Harry White who are tied for the most wins with four apiece. Of current jockeys Kerrin McEvoy has won the race 3 times and if you’re looking for an in-form winning rider then Mark Zahra has won the last 2 races and is trying to become the first to ride 3 consecutive Melbourne Cups since Glen Boss did back in 2005.
Talking of those 3 consecutive wins they were won by no other than one of the all-time greats of Australian racing Makybe Diva. She is the only horse to win three Melbourne Cups and the only mare to win it more than once. From the winners to the unluckiest horse to never have won the Cup… Red Cadeaux, a British-bred horse, is the only runner ever to be a 3-time runner up in the Melbourne Cup.
Barrier Draw Stats
Records since 1999 are confirmed as being verified and since then two barriers have been the most successful. With numbers 10 and 21 both with three wins whilst on the other side of the coin the following have not produced a winner so far: 2, 6, 15, 16, 20, 23 and 24.
Barriers 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14 have been the most dominant since 1999 securing about ten wins between them so I certainly wouldn’t put you off finding a runner drawn in the middle of the stalls to go well again this year. This year’s barrier draw will take place on November 2nd so be sure to have a look at which runners draw which number if you want to follow some of the stats here to make a couple of picks.
The Inside Track for 2024
Caulfield Cup Runner-Up and Underwood Stakes winner Buckaroo is now favourite to win the Cup, he is one of a few runners trained by Chris Waller which are expected to go well along with Kovalica and Valiant King. Aussie hoop Zac Purton, who has been dominant over in Hong Kong is due to ride in the race on the other Waller-trained horse, Land Legend, which has been supported in the betting.
Victoria’s top trainer Ciaron Maher has several chances to give him a second Melbourne Cup victory, this includes the Sydney Cup hero Circle of Fire. He also has Okita Soushi, Interpretation and possibly Saint George as a likely starter too. Champion Irish Trainer Aidan O’Brien had sent over one of the early fancies Jan Brueghel, but the heavily backed runner failed to pass its veterinary test and has been scratched. Willie Mullins has a couple of entries including Absurde and Vauban who is coming back again after a somewhat disappointing run when fancied last year. The final international horses to give a mention to are the Japanese visitor Warp Speed and the British-trained Onesmoothoperator which recently won the Geelong Cup.
Joe’s Good Oil
There tends to be plenty of BS and all sorts of rumours flying around before the Cup each year, but you can rely on me, Joe Fortune, to cut through all this and bring you the data you need to help make a winning selection. Worth knowing that recent form in the race is out of the window, as this year will be the first time since 2002 where no previously placed top four finisher will be competing in a subsequent Melbourne Cup.
So, with no horses for courses to follow I am going to be making the Irish runner Vauban my top pick. As whilst he didn’t go too well finishing about 14th in 2023 the news, I am hearing he is a far better and fitter horse this year having learnt from his experience. I will also have a few bucks on jockey Mark Zahra’s ride as he aims to write another epic chapter in this race’s history by completing a consecutive three-peat of wins! Presently he is set to be on board one of the roughies in the race Circle of Fire which is my value pick. Best of luck on whichever horse you select, or get in your sweepstake, come 3:15 pm on Tuesday we should know the winner.