The 21st century has seen the Melbourne Cup change from the race that stops the nation to one of the great staying races of the world.
To win a Melbourne Cup is the dream of every owner, trainer and jockey. But as we all know, there are winners and there are some who become legends.
Tim Hickman ranks every winner since the Year 2000, based on the strength of their win and their previous and subsequent careers.
20. Brew (2000)
In a lot of ways Brew was the last of the old style handicappers to win the race. The Mike Moroney trained gelding won his way into the field on the Saturday via the Hotham Handicap, and carried just 49Kg to victory. Kerrin McEvoy rode a superb race, getting in one off the fence midfield from barrier 22 and timing his run to perfection. He was unplaced in all five starts after the Cup.
19. Prince of Penzance (2016)
Won a very messy edition of the Cup – the Stewards Report is longer than the bible – at $101, helped by a great ride by Michelle Payne which saw her become the first female jockey to win the Cup. An incredible story, but not one of the better winners of the race. Placed second at Group 3 level next time out but was retired shortly after.
18. Vow and Declare (2019)
The first Australian bred since Shocking in 2009, Vow and Declare won a Cup which was run at an absurdly slow tempo. No surprise then, that just 1.6 lengths separated the first eight over the line. The gelding is still racing, but has only placed twice from fourteen starts since.
17. Ethereal (2001)
The last to do the Caulfield and Melbourne Cup double in the same year, Ethereal ran down foreign raider Give The Slip in the shadows of the post after jockey Richard Hills had the import racing in what everyone – except him – knew was vastly inferior ground down by the fence. The mare went on to claim the Tancred Stakes the next autumn before being retired to stud.
16. Almandin (2016)
One of Lloyd Williams five Cup winners this century, the German import struck a rich vein of form in the Spring of 2019, winning the Harry White, Bart Cummings and Melbourne Cup in successive starts. The gelding went on to have a productive career subsequently, winning the JRA Trophy and Tancred Stakes, but could only manage 12th in the Cup the next year.
15. Media Puzzle (2002)
Probably the most memorable Cup story – they made a movie out of it – is a testament to the genius of Dermot Weld. Won the Geelong Cup prior to the Melbourne Cup,breaking the track record in the process, and the 1.5Kg penalty he received wasn’t enough to hold him back in the big one. A dominant win, but getting 6.5Kg from stablemate Vinnie Roe helped.
14. Viewed (2009)
Bart’s last Melbourne Cup winner was a huge price ($41) off the back of a last place finish in the Mackinnon on the Saturday. This was the year the Coolmore trio set an insane pace up front and it was survival of the fittest behind. Blake Shinn rode the perfect race on Viewed, and he held on in the narrowest of finishes to beat Bauer. The gelding came back the next year to win the Caulfield Cup, but could only manage 7th in the Melbourne Cup, albeit under 59Kg.
13. Rekindling (2017)
Set the trend for the Northern Hemisphere three year olds that continued the next year with Cross Counter. Got an inch perfect ride from Corey Brown who settled midfield on the fence and picked his way through the field, narrowly running down stablemate Johannes Vermeer, who he received 3Kg advantage from. Only had one more start, finishing fourth in the 2019 Australian Cup, before being retired.
12. Shocking (2009)
Forced his way into the field by winning the Lexus on the Saturday and won with just 51Kg. Not Corey Brown’s best Cup ride because he was caught three wide for the entire trip, albeit off a very slow tempo. Had an interesting career after the Cup, winning a Makybe Diva and a Turnbull Stakes, as well as having some success as a stallion in New Zealand.
11. Efficient (2007)
Owner Lloyd Williams planned to run Efficient in the Cup as a three year old but was forced to scratch. It might have been the best thing for him as he came back the next year to win brilliantly from the foreign raider Purple Moon. The Zabeel gelding was a seriously talented horse, but one we seldom saw the best of due to injury problems.
10. Cross Counter (2018)
Followed in the footsteps of Rekindling by winning the race as a Northern Hemisphere three year old with a very light weight (in his case, 51Kg), giving Godolphin their first Melbourne Cup. He could only manage eighth the next year under 57.5Kg, but ran well in high class staying events in Britain.
9. Twilight Payment (2020)
Given a brilliant ride by Jye McNeil to lead all the way in a race that was sadly overshadowed by an incident involving a stablemate. He carried 55.5Kg and held off a very well credentialed stablemate in Tiger Roll, carrying 3Kg more. It was a strong year and he had a decent weight, which gives him extra credit, but he could only manage 11th the next year.
8. Green Moon (2012)
Doubtful at the 3200m so a slowly run Cup played into his hands. Another of the Lloyd Williams brigade, he came in off the then unusual preparation of a midfield finish in the Cox Plate, where he ran favourite. Given a peach of a ride in the Cup by Brett Prebble, once he got clear air at the top of the Flemington straight it was all over. Never won another race in sixteen starts.
7. Protectionist (2014)
One of the most dominant wins in recent years. The handicapper didn’t miss him with 56.5Kg and he had to pick his way through the field, being held up along the way, but when the German finally saw clear running he exploded away from his rivals to win by an ever increasing four length margin. Never found the same form again in Australia, but finished his career winning races in Germany again.
6. Fiorente (2013)
A top class racehorse, Gai’s only Cup winner ran second in the 2012 edition of the race before going one better the next year. It was a very strong edition of the race that he won, with Red Cadeaux and Mount Athos in the placings. A testament to his class is that he was able to place in a Group 1 over 1400m and win one over 3200m. Not many do that, these days.
5. Dunaden (2011)
The second straight French winner of the Melbourne Cup, he was also the narrowest of winners this century, beating Red Cadeaux in a deceptive photo finish. He defeated a very good field and went on to have an outstanding career, winning the next year’s Caulfield Cup, as well as the Hong Kong Vase, and placing in a succession of high class races around the world.
4. Americain (2010)
So You Think was the hottest of favourites for the 2010 race but the party was spoilt by the first French trained winner of the Melbourne Cup. Bart’s dual Cox Plate winner had no sooner hit the front than the French horse mowed him down and went on to win easily. He came back the next year and started $5 in the race, and finished 4th under 58Kg, despite an awful ride.
3. Verry Elleegant (2021)
Probably the hardest on the list to assess. She carried 57Kg (equal with that year’s favourite Incentivise, but she’s a mare) but the field was pretty much devoid of international participation so it was clearly one of the weakest editions in the last two decades. They ran the race at a genuine clip and she was a dominant winner. Suspect not many horses in the world would have beaten her the day she won the Cup.
2. Delta Blues (2006)
Given he started at $81 in the 2006 Caulfield Cup, it’s clear Japanese horses weren’t getting the respect they deserved at the time. After being a certainty beaten there having covered a stack of ground, he went on to win the Melbourne Cup at $16, defeating stablemate Pop Rock by a nose – despite giving away 3Kg – with a huge margin to third. No one has disrespected the Japanese since.
1. Makybe Diva (2003,2004,2005)
No other horse has won it twice this century – or since Think Big in 1974/75 – so to win the Cup three times is a remarkable achievement. They were all dominant victories in their own way, but obviously the last win under 58Kg will linger forever in the memory. It’s necessary to acknowledge three inch perfect rides from Glen Boss as well. In addition to her three Cups, she became the dominant weight for age horse in the country prior to her retirement.
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