Melbourne Cup Facts

The Melbourne Cup is the most loved and anticipated horse race in Australia.  While other prestigious racing events also take place throughout the racing season, the Melbourne Cup attracts the attention of the public like no other.  A number of interesting statistics, facts, and trivia help to define this race, truly making it “the race that stops a nation.”

Historic Melbourne Cup Facts

• The first Melbourne Cup winner was Archer, whose owner received 710 gold sovereigns and a gold watch. Despite the popular legend that he walked from New South Wales, VRC historical records say Archer travelled to Melbourne by ship.

• The Melbourne Cup is held over a distance of 3200 metres, and takes place on the first Tuesday of November every year.

• The fastest winning time for the Melbourne Cup was recorded by Kingston Rule in 1990, crossing the line at 3:16.3.

• Bart Cummings has experienced the most wins as a trainer, with 12 victories in 1965, 1966, 1967, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1990, 1991, 1996, 1999 and 2008.

• Michelle Payne was the first female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup in 2015; Jamie Melham became the second in 2025.

• Makybe Diva is the most successful horse, winning the race three years in a row between 2003 and 2005.

• The Melbourne Cup did not originally allow women to compete, with Maree Lyndon becoming the first female to do so with horse Argonaut Style in 1987.  Unfortunately, she came second last on the day.

• The first woman to formally train a Melbourne Cup winner was Sheila Laxon, who won with New Zealand mare Ethereal in 2001.

• The largest ever attendance for the Melbourne Cup was in 2003, when more than 122,736 people attended to watch Makybe Diva win her first of three Melbourne Cups.

• 35 out of 150 favourites have won the Melbourne Cup, which is 23 percent.  71 favourites have finished in the first three placings, which is 47 percent.

•  The smallest number of starters for the Melbourne Cup was in 1863 with just 7 horses, with the largest field of 39 horses run in 1890.

•  The 13 winners of the Melbourne Cup/Caulfield Cup double are Poseidon (1906), The Trump (1937), Rivette (1939), Rising Fast (1954), Even Stevens (1962), Galilee (1966), Gurner’s Lane (1982), Let’s Elope (1991), Doriemus (1995), Might and Power (1997), Ethereal (2001), Without A Fight (2023) and Half Yours (2025).

Melbourne Cup 2026 Facts

The Melbourne Cup is set to run on Tuesday 3 November 2026 at Flemington Racecourse.

The 2026 Melbourne Cup will be run over 3200 metres with a start time set for 3pm.

The 2026 Melbourne Cup offers A$9.09 million in prize money plus A$1.11 million in trophies.