The weights for the Melbourne Cup are one of the most important factors for connections who are deciding whether to take their horse to the Melbourne Cup. If a horse is destined to carry too much weight often connections will look for more realistic targets.
2024 Melbourne Cup Weights
| Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | VAUBAN (FR) | Willie Mullins | William Buick | 11 | 55.5kg |
| 2 | BUCKAROO (GB) | Chris Waller | Joao Moreira | 21 | 54.5kg |
| 3 | CIRCLE OF FIRE (GB) | Ciaron Maher | Mark Zahra | 24 | 54.5kg |
| 4 | WARP SPEED (JPN) | Noboru Takagi | Akira Sugawara | 3 | 54.5kg |
| 5 | KOVALICA (NZ) | Chris Waller | Damian Lane | 17 | 53.5kg |
| 6 | SHARP ’N’ SMART (NZ) | Graeme & Deborah Rogerson | Michael Dee | 15 | 53.5kg |
| 7 | JUST FINE (IRE) | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Jye McNeil | 13 | 53kg |
| 8 | LAND LEGEND (FR) | Chris Waller | Zac Purton | 18 | 53kg |
| 9 | ABSURDE (FR) | Willie Mullins | Kerrin McEvoy | 7 | 52.5kg |
| 10 | ATHABASCAN (FR) | John O’Shea & Tom Charlton | Zac Lloyd (a) | 2 | 52kg |
| 11 | KNIGHT’S CHOICE | John Symons & Sheila Laxon | Robbie Dolan | 6 | 51.5kg |
| 12 | OKITA SOUSHI (IRE) | Ciaron Maher | Ms Jamie Kah | 10 | 51kg |
| 13 | ONESMOOTHOPERATOR (USA) | Brian Ellison | Craig Williams | 12 | 51kg |
| 14 | ZARDOZI | James Cummings | Andrea Atzeni | 4 | 51kg |
| 15 | SEA KING (GB) | Harry Eustace | Ms Hollie Doyle | 1 | 50.5kg |
| 16 | VALIANT KING (GB) | Chris Waller | Craig Newitt | 22 | 50.5kg |
| 17 | FANCY MAN (IRE) | Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald | Ron Stewart | 19 | 50kg |
| 18 | INTERPRETATION (IRE) | Ciaron Maher | Teo Nugent | 14 | 50kg |
| 19 | MANZOICE | Chris Waller | Declan Bates | 8 | 50kg |
| 20 | MOSTLY CLOUDY (IRE) | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | Karis Teetan | 16 | 50kg |
| 21 | POSITIVITY (NZ) | Andrew Forsman | Ms Winona Costin | 20 | 50kg |
| 22 | SAINT GEORGE (GB) | Ciaron Maher | Tyler Schiller | 9 | 50kg |
| 23 | THE MAP | Dan Clarken & Oopy MacGillivray | Ms Rachel King | 23 | 50kg |
| 24 | TRUST IN YOU (NZ) | Bruce Wallace & Grant Cooksley | Mark Du Plessis | 5 | 50kg |
How are Melbourne Cup weights determined?
There are a range of different factors that handicappers use to determine the weights for the Melbourne Cup. The age, sex and previous career performance all factor into the equation.
A mare (female) nominated will automatically receive a 2kg allowance from it’s male competitors.
The Melbourne Cup field also has a required minimum topweight. The topweight must carry 58kg and once the final field is released if the topweight is less than 58kg, the weights for all horses will be raised.
The minimum weight one can carry in the Melbourne Cup is 49kg.
2024 Melbourne Cup: Get the latest information on the 2023 Melbourne Cup.
Melbourne Cup Weight Facts & Figures
There are some truly remarkable record surrounding the weights carried in the Melbourne Cup. Phar Lap famously carried 68kg, the most ever, in 1931 but was unable to win. In 1890 Carbine successfully carried a whopping 66kg to win the Melbourne Cup.
Only looking back as far as 1990 the stats are a little less dramatic. In 2005 Makybe Diva went on to win the Melbourne Cup carrying 58kg. Brew famously won the 2000 Cup carrying just 49kg.
| Weight Stats | Weight (kg) |
| Most weight carried to victory | 66kg (Carbine, 1890) |
| Least weight carried to victory | 33.5kg (Banker, 33.5kg) |
| Highest weight carried ever | 68kg (Phar Lap, 1931) |
| Weight most often carried to victory | 54.5kg (7 times) |
Weight carried by past 10 Melbourne Cup winners
In recent years it has proven to be far to difficult for top-weighted horses to win the Melbourne Cup. Protectionist has carried the most weight out of the past 10 winners with a total of 56.5kg on board. In 2018 Cross Counter went on to win the cup carrying just 51kg.
| Year | Horse | Weight (kg) |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Without A Fight | 56.5kg |
| 2022 | Gold Trip | 57.5kg |
| 2021 | Verry Elleegant | 52kg |
| 2020 | Twilight Payment | 55.5kg |
| 2019 | Vow And Declare | 52kg |
| 2018 | Cross Counter | 51kg |
| 2017 | Rekindling | 51.5kg |
| 2016 | Almandin | 52kg |
| 2015 | Prince of Penzance | 53kg |
| 2014 | Protectionist | 56.5kg |
| 2013 | Fiorente | 55kg |
| 2012 | Green Moon | 53.5kg |
How much do Melbourne Cup jockeys weigh?
There are a range of different factors that handicappers use to determine the weights for the Melbourne Cup. The age, sex and previous career performance all factor into the equation.
What is the heaviest weight carried in the Melbourne Cup?
Phar Lap holds the record for the most wight carried in a Melbourne Cup, the champion carried 68kg in 1931. Carbine won the 1890 Melbourne Cup carrying a whopping 66kg.
