What Australian horses are running in the 2023 Melbourne Cup?
The 2023 Melbourne Cup is just around the corner, and with the increase number of international stars making their way to Victoria for the The Melbourne Cup. We will look at which Australian horses are running in the cup.
Only two Australian bred horses are set to make an appearance in the prestigious race on November 7. Vow And Declare and Right You Are.
Although only two horses are born and bred there will be 20 runners this year that race in Australia regularly and only four that have travelled far to win the $4.4 million.
With just four international Melbourne Cup horses left in the race, and no Japanese or American horses we would expect that there would be quite a few New Zealand horses making up the race this year. But although there are quite a few New Zealand bred horses in the race, there are no Kiwi trained hopefuls in the field.
Technically that leaves 19 horses which are Australian vying for the big race after the scratching of Point Nepean.
But almost all of those are bred outside Australia, despite being Australian owned and trained.
The full list of 2023 Melbourne Cup horses is:
2023 Melbourne Cup barrier draw
Australian Horses In The 2023 Melbourne Cup
Of the 24 horses in The Cup excluding those bred overseas, just two horses are Australian bred and owned including 2019 winner Vow And Declare.
Vow And Declare and Right You Are are Australian-bred.
If any horse other than the four internationals wins the race, it will still be considered an Australian victory, but only the two horses above are truly Australian born and bred.
Can An Australian Bred Horse Win The 2023 Melbourne Cup?
Right You Are (15)
- Age: 7YO
- Color: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: So You Think (NZ)
- Dam: Leica Ding (NZ)
Career: 26: 10-4-4 | Flemington: 6: 2-1-2 | Distance: – Good: 16: 7-1-4 | Wet: 10: 3-3-0 | Group 1: 3: 0-0-0 | Win %: 38% | Place %: 69%
Career stats for Right You Are
- Career: 26: 10-4-4
- Flemington: 6: 2-1-2
- Distance: 0: 0-0-0
- Good: 16: 7-1-4
- Wet: 10: 3-3-0
- Group 1: 3: 0-0-0
- Win %: 38%
- Place %: 69%
Can Right You Are win the 2023 Melbourne Cup?
Right You Are has been going along ok this campaign, without ever really threatening. He was one of the best of the pace setters in a keenly contested Caulfield Cup, finishing fifth, beaten 4.15 lengths. He will be in the leading division once again on Tuesday, but we have doubts about whether he can see out 3200m and will be outclassed in this.
Vow And Declare (19)
- Age: 8YO
- Color: Chestnut
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Declaration Of War (USA)
- Dam: Geblitzt (NZ)
Career stats for Vow And Declare
- Career: 37: 5-7-4
- Flemington: 14: 2-1-3
- Distance: 3: 1-0-0
- Wet: 11: 2-0-2
- Good: 26: 3-7-2
- Group 1: 15: 1-3-1
- Win %: 14%
- Place %: 43%
Can Vow And Declare win the 2023 Melbourne Cup?
Can Vow And Declare repeat his heroics from 2019? We are giving the now eight-year-old gelding a massive push in his bid to claim a second Melbourne Cup. He put in a terrific Melbourne Cup trial when finishing second in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup on October 27. The run was massive, he was forced to travel three wide with no cover throughout, yet still had the audacity to loom up and hit the lead with 100m to go. He ran into one better on the night, with Cleveland pouncing on his vulnerability late. Barrier 19 on Tuesday is a bit of a blow, but the in-form Billy Egan will look to find cover in the three-wide moving line if possible. He is obviously proven at the 3200m, unlike a few of his rivals and he is sure to appreciate the firmer deck. A similar effort to what eh put forward in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup, will have Vow And Declare there when the whips are cracking. In our eyes, he is the best each-way play in the Melbourne Cup.
For a full breakdown on every 2023 Melbourne Cup horses chances in the race that stops the nation, see our full feature race guides: