What number horse is the best in the Melbourne Cup?
The modern day Melbourne Cup always has a field of 24 horses engaged number from one to 24, but this wasn’t always the case.
The smallest Melbourne Cup field was seven just starters back in 1863; while the biggest field was 39 starters in 1890, the year the great Carbine won the Melbourne Cup.
Since 1955 The Cup field size has been limited to 24 runners. Prior to that, number 25 had provided two winners, number 26 one, number 28 one and number 39 one win.
The most successful saddlecloth numbers in the history of the Cup is number 1 & 4, with Gold Trip holding saddlecloth number 1 winning the 2022 Melbourne Cup and Verry Ellegant holding saddlecloth number 4; and making both now on 12 Melbourne Cups.
The next best saddlecloths are numbers 2,8 and 12 with 11 wins each, but notably as the race has changed in terms of quality and handicapping in recent years.
Number 6 has provided 10 winners of The Cup, with number 17 next best with eight winners. Numbers 9, 11, 13, 19 and 24 have all provided seven winners.
Five of the last nine runnings of the race have all been won by Melbourne Cup horses down the bottom of the field – or down in the weights as the “experts” like to say.
Two of the last six winners Vow And Declare and Cross Counter both carried the number 23, which earned that saddlecloth number four wins in the race overall.
The 2017 winner Rekindling was also from that neighbourhood, carrying the 22 saddlecloth to the give that number five wins in the race.
Almandin won in 2016 carrying number 17, and Prince Of Penzance won in 2015 carrying number 19.
With five of the last nine years winners all coming from the bottom of the Melbourne Cup field, it might pay to look closely through the 2024 Melbourne Cup runner by runner preview at 17. Gold Trip, 18. Interpretation, 19. Manzoice, 20. Mostly Cloudy, 21. Poistivity, 22. Saint George, 23. The Map and 24. Trust In You.
The least successful Melbourne Cup saddlecloth number is 21 which will be carried by Positivity.
In 2009, Shocking made Melbourne Cup history by breaking an 86 year drought for saddle cloth number 21. The last horse to wear this number to victory was Bitalli in 1923.
Currently, the longest drought is for number 20 – it was last carried by a Cup winner in 1897 (Gaulus) – that’s a losing streak of 124 years! More Felons will be burdened with carrying that number this year.
There you have it. Some gruesome figures to ponder as you make your bets at the best Melbourne Cup betting sites.
Bet on the 2024 Melbourne cup
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Melbourne Cup Winners By Saddlecloth Number
| Saddlecloth Number | Wins | Last |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | 2022 |
| 2 | 11 | 2006 |
| 3 | 6 | 2023 |
| 4 | 12 | 2021 |
| 5 | 8 | 2014 |
| 6 | 10 | 2020 |
| 7 | 4 | 1981 |
| 8 | 11 | 2010 |
| 9 | 7 | 1957 |
| 10 | 4 | 2008 |
| 11 | 7 | 1988 |
| 12 | 11 | 2003 |
| 13 | 7 | 2001 |
| 14 | 6 | 2012 |
| 15 | 5 | 1991 |
| 16 | 3 | 1972 |
| 17 | 8 | 2016 |
| 18 | 3 | 1932 |
| 19 | 7 | 2015 |
| 20 | 3 | 1897 |
| 21 | 2 | 2009 |
| 22 | 5 | 2017 |
| 23 | 4 | 2019 |
| 24 | 7 | 2000 |
Full 2024 Melbourne Cup field
1. Vauban (11)
- T: Willie Mullins
- J: William Buick
- W: 55.5kg
- F: 21342
- Age: 7YO
- Colour: Chestnut
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Galiway (GB)
- Dam: Waldfest (GB)
2. Buckaroo (21)
- T: Chris Waller
- J: Joao Moreira
- W: 54.5kg
- F: 22118
- Age: 6YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Fastnet Rock
- Dam: Roheryn (IRE)
3. Circle Of Fire (24)
- T: Ciaron Maher
- J: Mark Zahra
- W: 54.5kg
- F: 098×1
- Age: 5YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Horse
- Sire: Almanzor (FR)
- Dam: Fiery Sunset (GB)
4. Warp Speed (3)
- T: Noboru Takagi
- J: Akira Sugawara
- W: 54.5kg
- F: 0x523
- Age: 5YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Horse
- Sire: Drefong (USA)
- Dam: Deep Love (JPN)
5. Kovalica (17)
- T: Chris Waller
- J: Damian Lane
- W: 53.5kg
- F: 6243x
- Age: 5YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Ocean Park (NZ)
- Dam: Vitesse (NZ)
6. Sharp ‘N’ Smart (15)
- T: Graeme & Deborah Rogerson
- J: Michael Dee
- W: 53.5kg
- F: 3020x
- Age: 5YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Redwood (GB)
- Dam: Queen Margaret (NZ)
7. Just Fine (13)
- T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
- J: Jye McNeil
- W: 53kg
- F: 01050
- Age: 7YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Sea The Stars (IRE)
- Dam: Bint Almatar (USA)
8. Land Legend (18)
- T: Chris Waller
- J: Zac Purton
- W: 53kg
- F: 3160x
- Age: 5YO
- Colour: Chestnut
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Galileo (IRE)
- Dam: Landikusic (IRE)
9. Absurde (7)
- T: Willie Mullins
- J: Kerrin McEvoy
- W: 52.5kg
- F: x14x1
- Age: 7YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Fastnet Rock
- Dam: Incroyable (USA)
10. Athabascan (2)
- T: John O’Shea & Tom Charlton
- J: Zac Lloyd
- W: 52kg
- F: 1008x
- Age: 6YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Almanzor (FR)
- Dam: Alzubra (GB)
11. Knight’s Choice (6)
- T: John Symons & Sheila Laxon
- J: Robbie Dolan
- W: 51.5kg
- F: 5009x
- Age: 5YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Extreme Choice
- Dam: Midnight Pearl
12. Okita Soushi (10)
- T: Ciaron Maher
- J: Jamie Kah
- W: 51kg
- F: 1208x
- Age: 7YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Horse
- Sire: Galileo (IRE)
- Dam: Amicus
13. Onesmoothoperator (12)
- T: Brian Ellison
- J: Craig Williams
- W: 51kg
- F: 1471x
- Age: 7YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Dialed In (USA)
- Dam: Sueno D’Oro (USA)
14. Zardozi (4)
- T: James Cummings
- J: Andrea Atzeni
- W: 51kg
- F: 54256
- Age: 4YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Mare
- Sire: Kingman (GB)
- Dam: Chanderi (GB)
15. Sea King (1)
- T: Harry Eustace
- J: Hollie Doyle
- W: 50.5kg
- F: 1×631
- Age: 6YO
- Colour: Brown
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Sea The Stars (IRE)
- Dam: Pamona (IRE)
16. Valiant King (22)
- T: Chris Waller
- J: Craig Newitt
- W: 50.5kg
- F: 906×6
- Age: 5YO
- Colour: Grey
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Roaring Lion (USA)
- Dam: Assembly (USA)
17. Fancy Man (19)
- T: Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald
- J: Ron Stewart
- W: 50kg
- F: 635×0
- Age: 7YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Pride of Dubai
- Dam: Fancy (IRE)
18. Interpretation (14)
- T: Ciaron Maher
- J: Teo Nugent
- W: 50kg
- F: 26800
- Age: 7YO
- Colour: Brown
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Galileo (IRE)
- Dam: Daldiyna (FR)
19. Manzoice (8)
- T: Chris Waller
- J: Declan Bates
- W: 50kg
- F: 7032x
- Age: 5YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Almanzor (FR)
- Dam: Choice (NZ)
20. Mostly Cloudy (16)
- T: Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young
- J: Karis Teetan
- W: 50kg
- F: 044×2
- Age: 6YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Harzand (IRE)
- Dam: Clarinda (FR)
21. Positivity (20)
- T: Andrew Forsman
- J: Winona Costin
- W: 50kg
- F: 8712x
- Age: 4YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Mare
- Sire: Almanzor (FR)
- Dam: Pussy O’Reilly (NZ)
22. Saint George (9)
- T: Ciaron Maher
- J: Tyler Schiller
- W: 50kg
- F: 5948x
- Age: 5YO
- Colour: Grey
- Sex: Horse
- Sire: Roaring Lion (USA)
- Dam: Lady Dragon (IRE)
23. The Map (23)
- T: Dan Clarken & Oopy MacGillivray
- J: Rachel King
- W: 50kg
- F: 6509x
- Age: 6YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Mare
- Sire: Alpine Eagle
- Dam: This Moment
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