Do single word names win more Melbourne Cups than two word horse names?

Melbourne cup horse names

Once you have read all the form and listened to every horse racing “expert” sprout their knowledge of the 2023 Melbourne Cup; the most likely outcome is you will thoroughly confused.

So at HorseBetting.com.au, we like to simplify the world once it becomes too noisy. Lets looks at which Melbourne Cup horses win more Melbourne Cup based purely on their names!

What? you must be kidding right? No there is a definitive edge to be gained from looking at the history of the great race.

The vast majority of Melbourne Cup winning horses have had single word names having won 89 of the 162 cups to be raced, including the last single word name winner Rekindling in 2017.

Two word names have won 66 Melbourne Cups with Gold Trip being the last winner in 2022.

Three word horse names have performed the worst in Cups having won just seven times, but have dramatically improved their form in recent cups having wins with Vow And Declare in 2019, and in 2015 with Prince Of Penzance.

Due to letter count restrictions on horse names there has never been a four worded horse name to have won the Melbourne Cup.

So while single word horses have traditionally performed the best, the fact three word horses have won two of the last seven runnings – but only seven of the previous 160 races – suggest they are the rapid improver. We suggest you consider that fact deeply while reading our 2032 Melbourne Cup runner by runner betting preview.


Bet on the 2023 Melbourne cup

United States 2023 Melbourne Cup Bookmakers

2023 Melbourne Cup Bookmakers


2023 Melbourne Cup Field

2023 Melbourne Cup barrier draw

No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight Odds
1 Silks
Gold Trip
Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
James McDonald
2
58.5kg
+340
2 Silks
Alenquer
Michael Moroney
Damien Oliver
9
56.5kg
+5000
3 Silks
Without A Fight
Anthony & Sam Freedman
Mark Zahra
16
56.5kg
+600
4 Silks
Breakup
Tatsuya Yoshioka
Kohei Matsuyama
18
55kg
+1700
5 Silks
Vauban
Willie Mullins
Ryan Moore
3
55kg
+240
6 Silks
Soulcombe
Chris Waller
Joao Moreira
4
53.5kg
+1000
7 Silks
Absurde
Willie Mullins
Zac Purton
8
53kg
+2200
8 Silks
Right You Are
Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
John Allen
15
53kg
+7000
9 Silks
Vow And Declare
Danny O’Brien
Billy Egan
19
53kg
+3000
10 Silks
Cleveland
Kris Lees
Michael Dee
23
52kg
+2600
11 Silks
Ashrun
Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
Kerrin McEvoy
11
51.5kg
+4000
12 Silks
Daqiansweet Junior
Phillip Stokes
Daniel Stackhouse
12
51.5kg
+9000
13 Silks
Okita Soushi
Joseph O’Brien
Dylan Gibbons
20
51.5kg
+7000
14 Silks
Sheraz
Chris Waller
Beau Mertens
22
51.5kg
+12500
15 Silks
Lastotchka
Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)
Craig Williams
21
51kg
+2500
16 Silks
Magical Lagoon
Chris Waller
Mark Du Plessis
7
51kg
+9000
17 Silks
Military Mission
Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
Rachel King
5
51kg
+4500
18 Silks
Serpentine
Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
Jye McNeil
1
51kg
+6000
19 Silks
Virtuous Circle
Liam Howley
Craig Newitt
6
51kg
+9000
20 Silks
More Felons
Chris Waller
Jamie Kah
24
50.5kg
+3000
21 Silks
Future History
Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
Hollie Doyle
13
50kg
+2600
22 Silks
Interpretation
Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
Teo Nugent
17
50kg
+6000
23 Silks
Kalapour
Kris Lees
Zac Lloyd
14
50kg
+5000
24 Silks
True Marvel
Matthew Smith
Ben Thompson
10
50kg
+15000

2023 Melbourne Cup Odds

Flemington - Race 7
Lexus Melbourne Cup
Status: Final
Track Rating: Good4
Weather: Overcast
AUS
3200m03:00pm - Tue 7th Nov
1. Gold Trip
Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
Best odds atNeds
2. Alenquer
Michael Moroney
Best odds atNeds
3. Without A Fight
A & S Freedman
Best odds atNeds
4. Breakup
Tatsuya Yoshioka
Best odds atNeds
5. Vauban
Willie Mullins
Best odds atNeds
6. Soulcombe
Chris Waller
Best odds atNeds
7. Absurde
Willie Mullins
Best odds atNeds
8. Right You Are
Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
Best odds atNeds
9. Vow And Declare
Danny O'brien
Best odds atNeds
10. Cleveland
Kris Lees
Best odds atNeds
11. Ashrun
Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
Best odds atNeds
12. Daqiansweet Junior
Phillip Stokes
Best odds atNeds
13. Okita Soushi
Joseph O'brien
Best odds atNeds
14. Sheraz
Chris Waller
Best odds atNeds
15. Lastotchka
Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr
Best odds atNeds
16. Magical Lagoon
Chris Waller
Best odds atNeds
17. Military Mission
G Waterhouse & A Bott
Best odds atNeds
18. Serpentine
G Waterhouse & A Bott
Best odds atNeds
19. Virtuous Circle
Liam Howley
Best odds atNeds
20. More Felons
Chris Waller
Best odds atNeds
21. Future History
Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
Best odds atNeds
22. Interpretation
Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
Best odds atNeds
23. Kalapour
Kris Lees
Best odds atNeds
24. True Marvel
Matthew Smith
Best odds atNeds

Melbourne Cup Runner-by-Runner betting guide & racing tips

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