The Melbourne Cup attracts world class trainers from all over the world, it’s no surprise with a $8,000,000 prize pool up for grabs.
There is no doubting the greatest Trainer in Melbourne Cup history is the legendary Bart Cummings. Cummings trained 12 Cup winners in his career, 7 more than his closest rival.
Cummings trained one of only 5 horses to win multiple Melbourne Cups with Think Big winning in both 1974 & 1975. His final victory came in 2008 with Viewed winning the Cup.
Notable women to train Melbourne Cup runners
It’s not just men who have tasted Melbourne Cup success as trainers with 3 women training winners in the feature event. In 1938 Mrs. A. McDonald won the Cup with her horse Catalogue however due to the rules at the time Mrs. McDonald was technically not allowed to be a registered trainer in Australia so the horse was under her husbands name.
Sheila Laxon and Gai Waterhouse are other notable women who have trained Melbourne Cup winners.
Most Melbourne Cup wins by a trainer
You could ask any ordinary Australian about the Melbourne Cup and most would be quick to associate Bart Cummings. They don’t call Bart the “King of the Cup” for no reason and his 12 Melbourne Cup wins eclipses all competitors with the next best trainer trailing by 7.
12 – Bart Cummings (1965, 1966, 1967, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1990, 1991, 1996, 1999, 2008)
5 – Etienne de Mestre (1861, 1862, 1867, 1877, 1878)
5 – Lee Freedman (1989, 1992, 1995, 2004, 2005)
Melbourne Cup Trainer Records
| Trainer | Melbourne Cup Wins |
|---|---|
| 12 | Bart Cummings |
| 5 | Etienne De Mestre |
| 5 | Lee Freedman |
| 4 | John Tait |
| 4 | Walter Hickenbotham |
| 4 | Richard Bradfield |
| 4 | Jim Scobie |
| 3 | George Hanlon |
| 3 | Frank McGrath |
Previous Melbourne Cup Winning Trainers
Recent years have seen a host of new Melbourne Cup trainers write their names into history. Darren Weir won a historic Melbourne Cup in 2015 when Michelle Payne delivered $101 shot Prince Of Penzance his first Cup victory.
Other notable winners include Gai Waterhouse who famously won her first Melbourne Cup with Fiorente in 2013.
Bart Cummings won his final Melbourne Cup in 2008 with Viewed.
| Year | Winner | Trainer |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Verry Elleegant | Chris Waller |
| 2020 | Twilight Payment | Joseph O’Brien |
| 2019 | Vow And Declare | Danny O’Brien |
| 2018 | Cross Counter | Charlie Appleby |
| 2017 | Rekindling | Joseph O’Brien |
| 2016 | Almandin | Robert Hickmott |
| 2015 | Prince Of Penzance | Darren Weir |
| 2014 | Protectionist | Andreas Wohler |
| 2013 | Fiorente | Gai Waterhouse |
| 2012 | Green Moon | Robert Hickmott |
| 2011 | Dunaden | Michael Delzangles |
| 2010 | Americain | Alain De Royer-Dupre |
| 2009 | Shocking | Mark Kavanagh |
| 2008 | Viewed | Bart Cummings |
| 2007 | Efficient | Graeme Rogerson |
| 2006 | Delta Blues | Katsuhiko Sumii |
| 2005 | Makybe Diva | Lee Freedman |
| 2004 | Makybe Diva | Lee Freedman |
| 2003 | Makybe Diva | David Hall |
| 2002 | Media Puzzle | Dermot K. Weld |
| 2001 | Ethereal | Sheila Laxon |
| 2000 | Brew | Mike Moroney |
| 1999 | Rogan Josh | Bart Cummings |
Which trainer has won the most Melbourne Cups?
Bart Cummings has the most Melbourne Cup wins with a total of 12 wins, more than twice the of the next best trainer (Etienne De Mestre with 5 wins).
How much does the winning Melbourne Cup trainer get?
The winning trainer of the Melbourne Cup will receive about $440,000 in prize money, this is 10% of the total winning prize for first place.
