What jockey weight is best to win the Melbourne Cup?
When looking into who will win the Melbourne Cup there are plenty of factors to play, one of these being what jockey weight has won the most Melbourne Cups. Here at HorseBetting we have put together a table of all Melbourne Cup wins by weight to help you narrow down on who will win the 2023 Melbourne Cup.
Heaviest weight carried by a Melbourne Cup winner
By far the biggest weight for a Melbourne Cup winner was Carbine’s 10st 5lb in 1890, which translates to about 65.8kg in the new money. The Barb lugged a whopping 73kg back in the 1869 Melbourne Cup but failed to make the places, while Phar Lap hauled 68kg when running eighth in 1931.
Since the turn of the millennium, Makybe Diva’s 58kg effort in 2005 is comfortably the biggest weight for a Melbourne Cup winner. That is also the biggest winning weight carried by a mare in the history of the great race.
The last top weight to win was the 2022 Melbourne Cup when Gold Trip with 57.5kg.
Lightest weight carried by a Melbourne Cup winner
The lightest weight carried by a Melbourne Cup winner was on Banker in 1863 with Sam Waldock riding at 33.5kg.
As of March 2016 the new weight scale came into affect which means the lightest we will ever see a jockey ride in the Melbourne Cup again is 50kg, with that being said the last time a horse won at 50kg was in 1999 when Rogan Josh won with John Marshall on his back.
Who is the top weight in the 2023 Melbourne Cup?
James McDonald will carry the heaviest weight of 58.5kg as he tries to steer Gold Trip to his second Melbourne Cup win.
Who is the lightest weight in the 2023 Melbourne Cup?
Jamie Kah will carry the lightest weight at 50.5kg as she tries to steer More Felons to victory.
2023 Melbourne Cup Jockey Weights
Most popular weights to win the Melbourne Cup from 2000 onwards
Since 2000 the most popular weights to win the Melbourne Cup are 54.5kg, 52kg and 51kg, with all of them sitting at three wins out of the 23 races.
Melbourne Cup wins by weight of jockey
| Weight | Wins | Last win |
|---|---|---|
| Under 50kg | 59 | 2000 |
| 50kg | 4 | 1999 |
| 50.5kg | 4 | 1978 |
| 51kg | 9 | 2018 |
| 51.5kg | 4 | 2017 |
| 52kg | 8 | 2019 |
| 52.5kg | 8 | 1985 |
| 53kg | 9 | 2015 |
| 53.5kg | 3 | 2012 |
| 54kg | 3 | 1989 |
| 54.5kg | 8 | 2011 |
| 55kg | 5 | 2013 |
| 55.5kg | 5 | 2020 |
| 56kg | 7 | 2006 |
| 56.5kg | 3 | 2014 |
| 57kg | 3 | 2021 |
| 57.5kg | 2 | 2022 |
| 58kg | 3 | 2005 |
| Over 58kg | 14 | 1975 |
List of Melbourne Cup winners since 2000
| Melbourne Cup Past Winners | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Weight |
| 2022 | Gold Trip | Mark Zahra | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | 57.5kg |
| 2021 | Verry Elleegant | James McDonald | Chris Waller | 57kg |
| 2020 | Twilight Payment | Jye McNeil | Joseph O’Brien | 55.5kg |
| 2019 | Vow And Declare | Craig Williams | Danny O’Brien | 52kg |
| 2018 | Cross Counter | Kerrin McEvoy | Charlie Appleby | 51kg |
| 2017 | Rekindling | Corey Brown | Joseph O’Brien | 51.5kg |
| 2016 | Almandin | Kerrin McEvoy | Robert Hickmott | 52kg |
| 2015 | Prince of Penzance | Oppie Bosson | Murray Baker | 56.5kg |
| 2014 | Protectionist | Ryan Moore | Andreas Wohler | 56.5kg |
| 2013 | Fiorente | Damien Oliver | Gai Waterhouse | 55kg |
| 2012 | Green Moon | Brett Prebble | Robert Hickmott | 53.5kg |
| 2011 | Dunaden | Christophe Lemaire | Mikel Delzangles | 54.5kg |
| 2010 | Americain | Gerald Mosse | Alain de Royer Dupre | 54.5kg |
| 2009 | Shocking | Corey Brown | Mark Kavanagh | 51kg |
| 2008 | Viewed | Blake Shinn | Bart Cummings | 53kg |
| 2007 | Efficient | Michael Rodd | Graeme Rogerson | 54.5kg |
| 2006 | Delta Blues | Yasunari Iwata | Katsuhiko Sumi | 56kg |
| 2005 | Makybe Diva | Glenn Boss | Lee Freedman | 58kg |
| 2004 | Makybe Diva | Glenn Boss | Lee Freedman | 55.5kg |
| 2003 | Makybe Diva | Glenn Boss | David Hall | 51kg |
| 2002 | Media Puzzle | Damien Oliver | Dermot K Weld | 52.5kg |
| 2001 | Ethereal | Scott Seamer | Sheila Laxon | 52kg |
| 2000 | Brew | Kerrin McEvoy | Michael MoroneyMichael Moroney | 49kg |