There are lots of statistics surrounding the Melbourne Cup, which is the most popular and well analysed horse race in Australia by far. Run over 3200 metres and worth a total of $6.2 million, the Melbourne Cup is an institution in Australia and the richest two mile handicap event in the entire world.

Age of Winners:

3 year old – 23 – last was Skipton in1941
4 year old – 44
5 year old – 43
6 year old – 31
7 year old – 10
8 year old – 2

Sex of Winners:

Entire – 64
Gelding – 51
Colts – 21
Mares – 13
Fillies – 3

Winning Barriers:

Barriers 5, 10, 11 and 14 – 7 winners
Barriers 6, 8, and 19 – 5 winners
Barriers 1, 4, 17 and 22 – 4 winners
No horse has won from barrier 18 since barrier stalls were introduced
Barrier 7 has only been won by Backwood in 1924 and Makybe Diva in 2004

Winning Numbers:

No 4 and No 12 with 11 wins
No 1 with 9 wins
No 8 with 8 wins
No 11 with 7 wins

Dual Winners:

Archer – 1861 – 1862
Peter Pan – 1932 – 1934
Rain Lover – 1968 – 1969
Think Big – 1974 – 1975

Makybe Diva is the only triple winner in 2003-2005

Melbourne Cup and Caulfield Cup Double Winners:

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

Highest Winning Weight:

10st 5 lb (66.0 kg) Carbine (1890)
10st 2 lb (64.5 kg) Archer (1862)
10st 0 lb (63.5 kg) Poitrel(1920)