It’s the race that stops the nation – but how do you actually select a Melbourne Cup winner?
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you → ’ → winner
Some veteran punters like to spend hours studying the form guides, while newcomers might opt for their favourite number, silk colour, a name they like or rely on superstitions.
But what does the data say?
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data → like → what
Which barrier number has the most wins in Flemington history and are you better off picking a gelding or a mare?
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you → have → gelding
Here’s our guide to help you navigate Australia’s greatest race.
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you → ’ → race
Which silks have the most wins?
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silks → have → wins
For first-time punters, one of the easiest ways to pick a horse is to choose a jockey based on your favourite colour.
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one → pick → colour
If blue is not your favourite colour, then you may need to consider switching.
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you → need → ?
Jockeys who wear blue silks have won the Cup 40 times.
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who → wear → Cup
Perhaps that was Jamie Melham’s secret to winning the Melbourne Cup last year.
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that → win → Cup
The jockey rode Half Yours to victory in 2025 and wore a combination of blue and black silks.
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jockey → ride → silks
Let’s talk numbers
If you’re numerically inclined, you can always pick a horse based on weight, barrier or saddle-cloth number.
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you → let → weight
Barriers 11 and five are the equal-most successful in Melbourne Cup history, producing nine winners each.
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Barriers → produce → winners
Dolan had originally drawn barrier six, but he and his mount were moved to barrier five after a late scratching.
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he → draw → scratching
Meanwhile, barrier 11 has been in a drought since Americain won in 2010.
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Americain → win → 2010
Barrier eight has also had some success, with Half Yours winning from there last year.
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Half → have → success
Verry Elleegant broke barrier 18’s duck in 2021 and barrier seven hasn’t produced a Cup winner since Blackwood in 1924.
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barrier → break → 1924
It has 12 wins, the last victor being Verry Elleegant, ridden by James McDonald.
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victor → have → McDonald
No.12 and No.1 have a history of success, and no one has ridden No.18 to victory since Peter Pan in 1932.
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one → have → 1932
Horses carrying 51 to 51.5 kilograms typically have a good record in the race, but the most common weight carried to victory is 53 kilograms, with nine wins.
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weight → carry → wins
During the past 36 years, only Makybe Diva in 2005 has carried 58 kilograms or more to victory.
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Diva → carry → victory
Verry Elleegant was pretty close, carrying 57 kilograms to victory in 2021.
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Elleegant → carry → 2021
Other fun facts to inform your decision
- Only three fillies and 12 mares (female horses) have won the Cup.
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fillies → inform → Cup
Verry Elleegant in 2021 was the first since Makybe Diva, which won three consecutive Cups from 2003 to 2005.
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which → win → 2005
- The colour bay – a reddish-brown coat – has produced 13 of the past 16 winners.
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bay → produce → winners
- Only six grey horses have ever won the Melbourne Cup.
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horses → win → Cup
- Horses whose names start with the letters I, Q, U, X and Y have never won the Melbourne Cup.
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names → start → Cup
Look to the experts
If all else fails, you can also rely on some advice from our racing writers Danny Russell and Peter Ryan, who have picked apart the Cup field in search of the perfect tips for the coveted trifecta.
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who → look → trifecta
Meanwhile, our racing writers Danny Russell and Peter Ryan pull apart the Melbourne Cup field in search of tipping the coveted trifecta.
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writers → pull → trifecta
Hey Pete, I understand you’ve been scoping out Werribee Racecourse for some inside mail on the internationals.
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you → understand → internationals
Are we jumping on the big spruik horse Point Of Law?
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we → jump → Law
Ethan Brown was riding him at Werribee on Sunday as he prepares for the big race, which is only the sixth in his career and the second since his impressive Geelong Cup win.
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which → rid → win
Point Of Law has been impressive and is working well, but I think he will start too short to back, given his lack of race experience and the certainty that he will be pushed much harder on Tuesday than he was in Geelong.
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he → work → Geelong
He will finish in the top 10, but that’s where my enthusiasm ends.
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enthusiasm → finish → top
I’ve definitely got him top four because no one has dominated in Geelong like that since Gary Ablett jnr strutted his stuff at GMHBA Stadium.
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jnr → get → Stadium
But surely something else piqued your interest in your Sunday morning reconnaissance mission?
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something → pique → mission
I’m not that excited about the internationals to be honest, Danny.
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I → ’m → internationals
Unfortunately, stewards withdrew the Japanese horse Stinger Glass because I think he had an edge on Joseph O’Brien’s chances.
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he → withdraw → chances
But you can’t have a trifecta without one of O’Brien’s included.
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one → have → O’Brien
I’m looking at Sons And Lovers as a placegetter while last year’s runner-up Goodie Two Shoes will run a big race.
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up → look → race
JP McManus is going to launch her at the Call of Card.
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McManus → go → Card
…and 26 more, not listed.
The Aporia
