The Melbourne Cup is one of the most prestigious horse races in the world. It is held annually on the first Tuesday of November at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia. Known as the “race that stops a nation”, the Melbourne Cup is the richest two-mile handicap race in the world and is watched by millions of people all over the world. This year, the Melbourne Cup is being held on November 3, 2020 and there are 24 horses running in the race.
Facts About the Melbourne Cup
- The race was first run in 1861 and was won by the horse Archer.
- The winner of the Melbourne Cup receives a trophy which is a gold-plated, sterling silver cup with a base of Australian red granite.
- The Melbourne Cup is run over a distance of 3200 meters (two miles).
- The prize money for the 2020 Melbourne Cup is $8 million.
- The Melbourne Cup is the richest two-mile handicap race in the world.
- The fastest time ever recorded for the Melbourne Cup is 3 minutes and 16.3 seconds, set by the horse Kingston Rule in 1990.
List of Horses Running in the Melbourne Cup 2020
The following 24 horses are running in the 2020 Melbourne Cup:
- Vow and Declare
- Prince of Arran
- Surprise Baby
- Steel Prince
- Dalasan
- Warning
- Finche
- Tiger Moth
- Mustajeer
- Twilight Payment
- Shared Ambition
- Verry Elleegant
- Neufbosc
- Verry Elleegant
- Anthony Van Dyck
- Master of Reality
- Cross Counter
- Strategy
- Persan
- True Self
- The Chosen One
- Dawn Passage
- MIrrico El Dorado
- Hush Writer
Favourites for the 2020 Melbourne Cup
The current favourites for the 2020 Melbourne Cup are Vow and Declare at $4.50, Prince of Arran at $7.00, Surprise Baby at $9.00 and Steel Prince at $11.00.
History of Successful Horses
The Melbourne Cup has seen many successful horses throughout its history. The most successful horse in the race’s history is Makybe Diva who won the race three times in 2003, 2004 and 2005. Other successful horses include Phar Lap (1930), Peter Pan (1932 and 1934) and Rain Lover (1968 and 1969).
Melbourne Cup Betting
Betting on the Melbourne Cup is a popular activity amongst Australians and is estimated to be around $300 million annually. There are a variety of different bets that can be placed on the race including win bets, place bets, quinella, trifecta and exacta bets.
Jockeys
The jockeys who are set to compete in the 2020 Melbourne Cup are as follows:
- Craig Williams (Vow and Declare)
- Michael Walker (Prince of Arran)
- Kerrin McEvoy (Surprise Baby)
- James McDonald (Steel Prince)
- Damien Oliver (Dalasan)
- Mark Zahra (Warning)
- Jamie Kah (Finche)
- William Buick (Tiger Moth)
- Colm O’Donoghue (Mustajeer)
- Hugh Bowman (Twilight Payment)
- Ryan Moore (Shared Ambition)
- Jye McNeil (Verry Elleegant)
- John Allen (Neufbosc)
- Glen Boss (Anthony Van Dyck)
- Adam Hyeronimus (Master of Reality)
- James Doyle (Cross Counter)
- Craig Newitt (Strategy)
- Michael Dee (Persan)
- William Pike (True Self)
- Damien Thornton (The Chosen One)
- Kathy O’Hara (Dawn Passage)
- Glyn Schofield (MIrrico El Dorado)
- Stephen Baster (Hush Writer)
The Race Day Schedule
The 2020 Melbourne Cup will be held on Tuesday 3rd November and is part of the four day Melbourne Cup Carnival. The race day schedule is as follows:
- Gates Open: 9am
- Race 1: 11:45am
- Race 2: 12:25pm
- Race 3: 1:05pm
- Race 4: 1:45pm
- Race 5: 2:25pm
- Race 6: 3:05pm
- Race 7: 3:44pm (Melbourne Cup)
- Race 8: 4:30pm
- Race 9: 5:15pm
- Race 10: 6:00pm
Conclusion
The 2020 Melbourne Cup is set to be an exciting race with 24 horses running and some of the best jockeys in the world competing. The race will be held on Tuesday 3rd November at Flemington Racecourse and the prize money for the race is $8 million. With the favourites being Vow and Declare, Prince of Arran, Surprise Baby and Steel Prince, it is sure to be an exciting race.
FAQs
What time does the Melbourne Cup start?
The Melbourne Cup will start at 3:44pm on Tuesday 3rd November.
How much prize money is up for grabs in the Melbourne Cup?
The prize money for the 2020 Melbourne Cup is $8 million.