Melbourne Cup

Race Details

Date: First Tuesday in November

Time: 3:00 pm

Racecourse:Flemington racecourse

Race Distance:3200m

Conditions:Handicap

Prize Money:$6,200,000

Qualifying and race conditions:

The race is a quality handicap for horses 3 years old and over, run over a distance of 3,200 metres, on the first Tuesday in November at Flemington Racecourse. The minimum handicap weight is 50 kg. There is no maximum weight, but the top allocated weight must not be less than 57 kg. The weight allocated to each horse is declared by the VRC Handicapper in early September.

Weight penalties

After the declaration of weights for the Melbourne Cup, the winner of any handicap flat race of the advertised value of A$55,000 or over to the winner, or an internationally recognised Listed, Group, or Graded handicap flat race, shall carry such additional weight (if any), for each win, as the VRC Handicapper shall determine.

The winner of the following races are exempt from any ballot:

• Lexus Stakes (formerly Saab Quality and registered as The Hotham Handicap)
• LKS Mackinnon Stakes
• Cox Plate
• Caulfield Cup
• The Bart Cummings (from 2015)
• Doncaster Cup (UK)
• Irish St. Leger (IRE)
• Tenno Sho (Spring) (JPN)
• Sankei Sho All Comers (JPN)
• Arlington Million (USA)
• San Juan Capistrano Handicap (USA)
• Australian Stayers Challenge

Multiple Melbourne Cup Winners

• Archer (1861, 1862)
• Peter Pan (1932, 1934)
• Rain Lover (1968, 1969)
• Think Big (1974, 1975)
• Makybe Diva (2003, 2004, 2005)