The Melbourne Cup is a VRC Group 1 for 3 year olds and over and is held under open handicap conditions.
The Melbourne Cup is contested over a distance of 3200 metres and is held annually at Flemington Racecourse on the first Tuesday in November.
Prize Money - Melbourne Cup is Now Worth $8,000,000
The Melbourne Cup Race has been held since 1861 and was originally held over two miles (about 3,218 metres) but following preparation for Australia's adoption of the metric system in the 1970s, the current race distance of 3,200 metres was established in 1972.
Melbourne Cup Finishing Order
Often, a highly touted horse does not place in the Melbourne Cup winners and placings list, but finished strong and near the lead, which often bodes well for future races and an additional try in the following year’s Melbourne Cup.
Racing fans and even those with only a minimal interest in racing know Melbourne Cup results, sometimes going back many years. Melbourne Cup winners assume near-mythical status, whether it is the Melbourne Cup 2019 results winner, Vow And Declare, or the 1919 Melbourne Cup winner, Artilleryman.
Vow And Declare has not won since and 2018 Melbourne Cup winner Cross Counter has won only once since.
Races such as the Group 2 Lexus Stakes or Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes on href="/group-races/victoria-racing-club/victoria-derby">Victoria Derby Day are traditional lead up races to the Melbourne Cup.
International Horses Make an Impact on Melbourne Cup Results
The Melbourne Cup has become a global event since 1993 with a number of international horses from a variety of countries making the trek to Australia in a hit or miss mission to win the big prize money on offer.
Form followers check the Melbourne Cup Results for 2019, hoping to find a stayer that ran well and in participating in the next Melbourne Cup. Melbourne Cup placings influence the quotes for other staying races, although Melbourne Cup 2019 last place, Rostropovich, mostly likely was not treated kindly by the punters and bookies for future races.
The Melbourne Cup was First Raced on 7th November 1861 Over a Distance of Two Miles
Melbourne Cup Day is the first Tuesday in November and has been a public holiday for the city since the mid-1870s.
The Melbourne Cup is celebrated as a special day around the country. Who won the Melbourne Cup is often the first question asked, usually within minutes of the conclusion, by anyone not able to follow the race on the day.
When Archer (6/1) won the first Melbourne Cup, there were 17 in the field. First prize was a gold watch and £170.
His was the slowest winning time yet recorded for the race (3:52). The Cup was first presented to a winner in 1916. Since 1875 the Melbourne Cup has been held on the first Tuesday in November.
Melbourne Cup Attendance
This 1st Melbourne Cup race attracted just 4000 people. Over the next 20 years over 100,000 people would come to see the race each year.
The largest ever attendance for the Melbourne Cup was in 2003 when more than 122,000 people attended and saw Makybe Diva win the Melbourne Cup.
In 1972 the Melbourne Cup race was converted to the metric distance of 3200 metres which is 1.869 kilometres or 61.30 feet short of two miles. Looking for more Melbourne Cup Trivia ?
| Year | Past Winners Melbourne Cup |
| 2019 | Vow And Declare |
| 2018 | Cross Counter |
| 2017 | Rekindling |
| 2016 | Almandin |
| 2015 | Prince Of Penzance |
| 2014 | Protectionist |
| 2013 | Fiorente |
| 2012 | Green Moon |
| 2011 | Dunaden |
| 2010 | Americain |
| 2009 | Shocking |
| 2008 | Viewed |
| 2007 | Efficient |
| 2006 | Delta Blues |
| 2005 | Makybe Diva |
| 2004 | Makybe Diva |
| 2003 | Makybe Diva |
| 2002 | Media Puzzle |
| 2001 | Ethereal |
| 2000 | Brew |
| 1999 | Rogan Josh |
| 1998 | Jezabeel |
| 1997 | Might And Power |
| 1996 | Saintly |
| 1995 | Doriemus |
| 1994 | Jeune |
| 1993 | Vintage Crop |
| 1992 | Subzero |
| 1991 | Let's Elope |
| 1990 | Kingston Rule |
| 1989 | Tawrrific |
| 1988 | Empire Rose |
| 1987 | Kensei |
| 1986 | At Talaq |
| 1985 | What A Nuisance |
| 1984 | Black Knight |
| 1983 | Kiwi |
| 1982 | Gurner's Lane |
| 1981 | Just A Dash |
| 1980 | Beldale Ball |
| 1979 | Hyperno |
| 1978 | Arwon |
| 1977 | Gold And Black |
| 1976 | Van Der Hum |
| 1975 | Think Big |
| 1974 | Think Big |
| 1973 | Gala Supreme |
| 1972 | Piping Lane |
| 1971 | Silver Knight |
| 1970 | Baghdad Note |
| 1969 | Rain Lover |
| 1968 | Rain Lover |
| 1967 | Red Handed |
| 1966 | Galilee |
| 1965 | Light Fingers |
| 1964 | Polo Prince |
| 1963 | Gatum Gatum |
| 1962 | Even Stevens |
| 1961 | Lord Fury |
| 1960 | Hi Jinx |
| 1959 | Macdougal |
| 1958 | Baystone |
| 1957 | Straight Draw |
| 1956 | Evening Peal |
| 1955 | Toparoa |
| 1954 | Rising Fast |
| 1953 | Wodalla |
| 1952 | Dalray |
| 1951 | Delta |
| 1950 | Comic Court |
| 1949 | Foxzami |
| 1948 | Rimfire |
| 1947 | Hiraji |
| 1946 | Russia |
| 1945 | Rainbird |
| 1944 | Sirius |
| 1943 | Dark Felt |
| 1942 | Colonus |
| 1941 | Skipton |
| 1940 | Old Rowley |
| 1939 | Rivette |
| 1938 | Catalogue |
| 1937 | The Trump |
| 1936 | Wotan |
| 1935 | Marabou |
| 1934 | Peter Pan |
| 1933 | Hall Mark |
| 1932 | Peter Pan |
| 1931 | White Nose |
| 1930 | Phar Lap |
| 1929 | Nightmarch |
| 1928 | Statesman |
| 1927 | Trivalve |
| 1926 | Spearfelt |
| 1925 | Windbag |
| 1924 | Backwood |
| 1923 | Bitalli |
| 1922 | King Ingoda |
| 1921 | Sister Olive |
| 1920 | Poitrel |
| 1919 | Artilleryman |
| 1918 | Night Watch |
| 1917 | Westcourt |
| 1916 | Sasanof |
| 1915 | Patrobas |
| 1914 | Kingsburgh |
| 1913 | Posinatus |
| 1912 | Piastre |
| 1911 | The Parisian |
| 1910 | Comedy King |
| 1909 | Prince Foote |
| 1908 | Lord Nolan |
| 1907 | Apologue |
| 1906 | Poseidon |
| 1905 | Blue Spec |
| 1904 | Acrasia |
| 1903 | Lord Cardigan |
| 1902 | The Victory |
| 1901 | Revenue |
| 1900 | Clean Sweep |
| 1899 | Merriwee |
| 1898 | The Grafter |
| 1897 | Gaulus |
| 1896 | Newhaven |
| 1895 | Auraria |
| 1894 | Patron |
| 1893 | Tarcoola |
| 1892 | Glenloth |
| 1891 | Malvolio |
| 1890 | Carbine |
| 1889 | Bravo |
| 1888 | Mentor |
| 1887 | Dunlop |
| 1886 | Arsenal |
| 1885 | Sheet Anchor |
| 1884 | Malua |
| 1883 | Martini Henry |
| 1882 | The Assyrian |
| 1881 | Zulu |
| 1880 | Grand Flaneur |
| 1879 | Darriwell |
| 1878 | Calamia |
| 1877 | Chester |
| 1876 | Briseis |
| 1875 | Wolloma |
| 1874 | Haricot |
| 1873 | Don Juan |
| 1872 | The Quack |
| 1871 | The Pearl |
| 1870 | Nimblefoot |
| 1869 | Warrior |
| 1868 | Glencoe |
| 1867 | Tim Whiffler |
| 1866 | The Barb |
| 1865 | Toryboy |
| 1864 | Lantern |
| 1863 | Banker |
| 1862 | Archer |
| 1861 | Archer |