Each year the finest Melbourne Cup horses take to the Flemington track on the first Tuesday of November in the ‘Race That Stops a Nation’. The Melbourne Cup field for the $8 million classic has a capacity of 24 runners that can run and look to add their name to the iconic list of Melbourne Cup winners.
Increasingly the Melbourne Cup horses that line-up in the famous Flemington Race 7 come for overseas.
Looking over the recent Melbourne Cup history, four of the five champions from 2014-2018 were internationally-trained including Cross Counter in 2018 for Godolphin’s Newmarket-based horseman Charlie Appleby.
Doing the form on the Melbourne Cup horses is essential and looking for gallopers proven at the distance can be key. Melbourne Cup horses come into the Group 1 two-mile feature via a host of lead-up races including the Moonee Valley Gold Cup, Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate.
The official list and field for the Melbourne Cup is announced on the Saturday before the race after the racing action of Victoria Derby Day. Once the Melbourne Cup horses are confirmed, the Melbourne Cup barrier draw then takes place to determine the starting positions of the hopefuls in the race.
Some of the most famous Melbourne Cup horses include the inaugural winner Archer (1861-62), triple champion Makybe Diva (2003-05), Kingston Rule who set the winning time record in 1990 and Prince Of Penzance (2015) who won at odds of $101!
2019 Melbourne Cup Final Field: Melbourne Cup Horses Confirmed
The official Melbourne Cup 2019 Final Field & Barrier Draw is set for release on Saturday October 28, 2019 with the last round of acceptances closing at 10am (local time) before the announcement is made live from Flemington post the VRC Derby Day racing.
The full list of 2019 Melbourne Cup Horses & Jockeys will be detailed below for punters as soon as released by Racing Victoria.
2019 Melbourne Cup Horses
Before the Melbourne Cup 2019 horses are confirmed, we take a look over the potential runners heading early Melbourne Cup betting markets.
CROSS COUNTER
Reigning champion Cross Counter is favourite in early 2019 Melbourne Cup Betting. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
5YO Bay Gelding by Teofilo (IRE) from Waitress (USA)
- Owner: Godolphin
- Trainer: Charlie Appleby (GB)
- Current 2019 Melbourne Cup Odds: $15 – BET NOW
Cross Counter is early favourite in Melbourne Cup betting after winning the race by a length first-up last Cup Carnival carrying just 51kg from barrier 19 (of 24) with Kerrin McEvoy in the saddle. Last spring Cross Counter improved on a lead-up second at York from August to take out the world’s richest handicap in an all European trifecta. He subsequently won the Dubai Gold Cup over the two miles in March of this year and recently put the writing on the wall for a Melbourne Cup title defense when third behind triple champ Stradivarius in the Goodwood Cup. Appleby subsequently confirmed plans to return to Flemington for the iconic Melbourne Cup race with Cross Counter who is likely to be allocated around 57kg – 57.5kg in the Melbourne Cup 2019 weights.
MASTER OF REALITY
5YO Bay Horse by Frankel (GB) from L’Ancresse (IRE)
- Owner: Lloyd J Williams Syndicate
- Trainer: Joseph O’Brien (IRE)
- Current 2019 Melbourne Cup Odds: $26 – BET NOW
Trainer Joseph O’Brien enjoyed Melbourne Cup success two years ago with Rekindling and could have a livewire chance again in 2019 with Irish raider Master Of Reality. The well-bred stallion is a son of the champion Frankel and is raced by the most successful Melbourne Cup owner of all time, Lloyd Williams, who has taken out the ‘Loving Trophy’ on a record six occasions. Master Of Reality is a three-time winner from 10 runs to date and was last seen running running third behind subsequent triple Goodwood Cup champ Stradivarius beaten just a length in the Group 1 Ascot Gold Cup.