The Melbourne Cup was first to run in 1861 and has taken place every year since that race. There were no breaks during the two World Wars which means the Melbourne Cup 2019 is the 159th renewal. Since 1959 there have been at least 20 runners.
The maximum field for the Melbourne cup 2019 is 24 starters. The two-mile race usually takes about three minutes and 20 seconds. The race times are dependent on the weather and going. The times are generally slower when the going is on the soft side of good.
Makybe Diver is the only multiple winners this century. The horse won the Melbourne Cup in 2005, 2006 and 2007. Glen Boss rode Makybe Diver in each of those three races.
Melbourne Cup 2018 Result
| Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Odds | Prize Money |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cross Counter | Kerrin McEvoy | Charlie Appleby | 7/1 | $4 million |
| Marmelo | Huge Bowman | Hughie Morrison | 10/1 | $1 million |
| Prince Of Arran | Michael Walker | Charlie Fellowes | 16/1 | $500,000 |
| Finche | Zac Purton | Chris Waller | 20/1 | $250,000 |
There were 24 runners and the winning time was 3:21:17. Irish colt Cliffs Of Moher suffered a fatal injury during the race. Six jockeys were fined for riding infringements. For more information about the final results, check the Melbourne Cup 2018 results.
Story Of the 2018 Melbourne Cup
Cross Counter was Godolphin’s first winner of the race which was marred by the fatal injury to Cliffs Of Moher. It is a very sad and upsetting occasion when any horse has to be put down after a serious accident.
The fact that the incident took place in front of the stands only added to the upset. However, the race had to go on and Cross Counter was a worthy winner. There can often be hard-luck stories during the Melbourne Cup and the winner must get a clear passage through the big field.
On this occasion, it was a fair race and the best horse on the day won the Melbourne Cup.
The jockey, Kerrin McEvoy, was reported as saying:
“I was able to get on the back of Yucatan which I was pretty pleased about and I was still travelling well and I thought he can take me where I need to get to,”.
“Yucatan emptied a bit at the 500 and I was left to make my own way home. As I got into the clear I thought ‘far out I’m still a long way back’.
“I knew there was Prince of Arran and those horses up closer in the run, so full credit to the horse because when I asked him, he had to make up a ton of ground and that’s exactly what he did. He was very responsive and quick and straight away for me.”
Cross Counter Melbourne Cup Win
Cross Counter was the first winner of the race for Charlie Appleby who trains for Godolphin who was also winning the Melbourne Cup for the first time. The trainer has had some near misses in recent years but finally wins the race that stops a nation.
The Cup was Cross Counter’s eighth start. Kerrin McEvoy was winning the Melbourne Cup for the third time. The ground was softened by rain but the time was still faster than the previous year. The field included 11 horses trained in the Northern Hemisphere so the race was the most international in recent years.
Finche ran a fine race to finish fourth and is the ante-post favourite for the Melbourne Cup 2019 (read the Melbourne Cup 2019 review for more information).
Read more news about the Melbourne Cup.
