The weights for the Melbourne Cup are one of the most important factors for connections who are deciding whether to take their horse to the Melbourne Cup. If a horse is destined to carry too much weight often connections will look for more realistic targets.
2025 Melbourne Cup Weights (historical field)
The 2026 weights are due to be declared by Thursday 17 September. The table below records the 2025 final field and weights.
| No | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AL RIFFA (FR) | Joseph O’Brien | Mark Zahra | 19 | 59kg |
| 2 | BUCKAROO (GB) | Chris Waller | Craig Williams | 12 | 57kg |
| 3 | ARAPAHO (FR) | Bjorn Baker | Ms Rachel King | 15 | 56.5kg |
| 4 | VAUBAN (FR) | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Blake Shinn | 2 | 56.5kg |
| 5 | CHEVALIER ROSE (JPN) | Hisashi Shimizu | Damian Lane | 5 | 55.5kg |
| 6 | PRESAGE NOCTURNE (IRE) | Alessandro Botti | Stephane Pasquier | 9 | 55.5kg |
| 7 | MIDDLE EARTH (GB) | Ciaron Maher | Ethan Brown | 13 | 54.5kg |
| 8 | MEYDAAN (IRE) | Simon & Ed Crisford | James McDonald | 22 | 54kg |
| 9 | ABSURDE (FR) | Willie Mullins | Kerrin McEvoy | 4 | 53.5kg |
| 10 | FLATTEN THE CURVE (FR) | Henk Grewe | Thore Hammer Hansen | 17 | 53.5kg |
| 11 | LAND LEGEND (FR) | Chris Waller | Joao Moreira | 16 | 53.5kg |
| 12 | SMOKIN’ ROMANS (NZ) | Ciaron Maher | Ben Melham | 11 | 53.5kg |
| 13 | CHANGINGOFTHEGUARD (IRE) | Kris Lees | Tim Clark | 24 | 53kg |
| 14 | HALF YOURS | Tony & Calvin McEvoy | Ms Jamie Melham | 8 | 53kg |
| 15 | MORE FELONS (IRE) | Chris Waller | Tommy Berry | 23 | 53kg |
| 16 | ONESMOOTHOPERATOR (USA) | Brian Ellison | Harry Coffey | 6 | 53kg |
| 17 | FURTHUR (IRE) | Andrew Balding | Michael Dee | 7 | 52kg |
| 18 | PARCHMENT PARTY (USA) | William Mott | John Velazquez | 3 | 52kg |
| 19 | ATHABASCAN (FR) | John O’Shea & Tom Charlton | Declan Bates | 1 | 51.5kg |
| 20 | GOODIE TWO SHOES (IRE) | Joseph O’Brien | Wayne Lordan | 20 | 51.5kg |
| 21 | RIVER OF STARS (IRE) | Chris Waller | Beau Mertens | 14 | 51.5kg |
| 22 | ROYAL SUPREMACY (IRE) | Ciaron Maher | Robbie Dolan | 21 | 51kg |
| 23 | TORRANZINO (NZ) | Paul Preusker | Ms Celine Gaudray | 18 | 51kg |
| 24 | VALIANT KING (GB) | Chris Waller | Jye McNeil | 10 | 51kg |
How are Melbourne Cup weights determined?
There are a range of different factors that handicappers use to determine the weights for the Melbourne Cup. The age, sex and previous career performance all factor into the equation.
A mare (female) nominated will automatically receive a 2kg allowance from it’s male competitors.
The top weight allocated when the 2026 weights are released must be at least 59kg. At final acceptance the highest weight to be carried must be at least 57kg, otherwise all allocated weights are raised.
The 2026 minimum handicap weight is 49kg for three-year-olds and 51kg for older horses.
2026 Melbourne Cup: Get the latest information on the 2026 Melbourne Cup.
Melbourne Cup Weight Facts & Figures
There are some truly remarkable record surrounding the weights carried in the Melbourne Cup. Phar Lap famously carried 68kg, the most ever, in 1931 but was unable to win. In 1890 Carbine successfully carried a whopping 66kg to win the Melbourne Cup.
Only looking back as far as 1990 the stats are a little less dramatic. In 2005 Makybe Diva went on to win the Melbourne Cup carrying 58kg. Brew famously won the 2000 Cup carrying just 49kg.
| Weight Stats | Weight (kg) |
| Most weight carried to victory | 66kg (Carbine, 1890) |
| Least weight carried to victory | 33.5kg (Banker, 33.5kg) |
| Highest weight carried ever | 68kg (Phar Lap, 1931) |
| Weight most often carried to victory | 54.5kg (7 times) |
Weight carried by past 10 Melbourne Cup winners
In recent years it has proven to be far to difficult for top-weighted horses to win the Melbourne Cup. Gold Trip carried 57.5kg to win in 2022, Verry Elleegant carried 57kg in 2021, and 2025 winner Half Yours carried 53kg.
| Year | Horse | Weight (kg) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Half Yours | 53kg |
| 2024 | Knight’s Choice | 51.5kg |
| 2023 | Without A Fight | 56.5kg |
| 2022 | Gold Trip | 57.5kg |
| 2021 | Verry Elleegant | 57kg |
| 2020 | Twilight Payment | 55.5kg |
| 2019 | Vow And Declare | 52kg |
| 2018 | Cross Counter | 51kg |
| 2017 | Rekindling | 51.5kg |
| 2016 | Almandin | 52kg |
| 2015 | Prince of Penzance | 53kg |
| 2014 | Protectionist | 56.5kg |
| 2013 | Fiorente | 55kg |
| 2012 | Green Moon | 54.5kg (+1kg penalty) |
How much do Melbourne Cup jockeys weigh?
There are a range of different factors that handicappers use to determine the weights for the Melbourne Cup. The age, sex and previous career performance all factor into the equation.
What is the heaviest weight carried in the Melbourne Cup?
Phar Lap holds the record for the most wight carried in a Melbourne Cup, the champion carried 68kg in 1931. Carbine won the 1890 Melbourne Cup carrying a whopping 66kg.
