2023 Melbourne Cup

Last updated

2023 Melbourne Cup
Melbourne Cup
Flemington-race-course-180-degree.jpg
Flemington Racecourse, location of the race
Location Flemington Racecourse
Melbourne, Australia
Date7 November 2023
Distance3,200 metres
Winning horse Without A Fight
Starting price $9.00
Jockey Mark Zahra
Trainer Anthony & Sam Freedman
SurfaceGrass
Attendance84,492
  2022
2024  

400 meters to go, it's Absurde moving up on the outside for Zac Purton a length in front but Without A Fight is running on right down the centre of the track. Without A Fight up to Absurde, Vow And Declare and Sheraz the bolter. It's Without A Fight, a hundred meters to go, 2 or 3 lengths in front, coming away from Sheraz and also Soulcome. Without A Fight, Mark Zahra, a Melbourne Cup champion, wins it by two lengths!

Commentator Matt Hill describes the climax of the race

The 2023 Melbourne Cup, known commercially as the 2023 Lexus Melbourne Cup, was the 163rd running of the Melbourne Cup, an Australian thoroughbred horse race. The race, run over 3,200 metres (1.988 mi), was held on 7 November 2023 at Melbourne's Flemington Racecourse.

The final field for the race was declared on 4 November 2023. [1] The total prize money for the race was A$8.41 million, a $410,000 increase from 2022. [2] It was the last Melbourne Cup broadcast by Network 10, who have broadcast the race since 2019 and dropped out of the bidding for the broadcast rights in June 2023. [3] [4] In February 2024, Nine Entertainment, owner of Nine Network, announced they will broadcast the race from 2024 until 2029. [5] [6] [7]

The race was won by Without A Fight, ridden by Mark Zahra. [8] It was Zahra's second Melbourne Cup win, having ridden Gold Trip to victory in the 2022 Melbourne Cup. [9]

The top-weighted horse was the 17th placed Gold Trip carrying 58kg, then Alenquer (21st), and the winner Without A Fight on 56.5kg.

Field

NumberHorseTrainerJockeyWeight (kg)BarrierPlacing [10]
1 Gold Trip (FR) Ciaron Maher & David Eustace James McDonald 58217th
2Alenquer (FR) Michael Moroney Damien Oliver 56.5921st
3 Without A Fight (IRE)Anthony Freedman & Sam Freedman Mark Zahra 56.5101st
4Breakup (JPN)Tatsuya YoshiokaKohei Matsuyama551816th
5Vauban (FR) Willie Mullins Ryan Moore 55314th
6Soulcome (GB) Chris Waller João Moreira 53.542nd
7Absurde (FR)Willie Mullins Zac Purton 5387th
8Right You AreCiaron Maher & David EustaceJohn Allen5315 FF
9 Vow And Declare Danny O'BrienBilly Egan53199th
10Cleveland (IRE)Kris Lees Michael Dee 5223 Scratched
11Ashrun (FR)Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Kerrin McEvoy 51.5114th
12Daqiansweet Junior (NZ)Phillip StokesDaniel Stackhouse51.5125th
13Okita Soushu (IRE) Joseph O'Brien Dylan Gibbons51.52011th
14Sheraz (FR)Chris WallerBeau Mertens51.5223rd
15Lastotchka (FR)Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr Craig Williams 512113th
16Magical Lagoon (IRE)Chris Waller Mark Du Plessis 51722nd
17Military Mission (IRE) Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Rachel King 51510th
18 Serpentine (IRE)Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Jye McNeil 51119th
19Virtous Circle (NZ)Liam Howley Craig Newitt 51618th
20More Fellons (IRE)Chris Waller Jamie Kah 50.52412th
21Future History (GB)Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Hollie Doyle 501315th
22Interpretation (IRE)Ciaron Maher & David EustaceTeo Nugent50176th
23Kalapour (IRE)Kris LeesZac Lloyd501420th
24True Marvel (FR)Matthew SmithBen Thompson50108th

References

  1. 2023 Melbourne Cup field and barrier draw – racenet.com.au. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  2. "2023 Melbourne Cup Results: Without A Fight Beats Soulcombe, Sheraz Third - races.com.au". www.races.com.au. 7 November 2023. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
  3. Ten withdraws Melbourne Cup broadcast bid Mumbrella 22 June 2023
  4. Ten Network drops bid to secure Melbourne Cup rights over Tabcorp deal The Guardian 22 June 2023
  5. Brunsdon, Simon (20 February 2024). "Nine announces landmark broadcast rights deal with VRC for Melbourne Cup carnival". Wide World of Sports. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  6. McKnight, Robert (20 February 2024). "Nine nabs the MELBOURNE CUP as part of a complicated deal". TV Blackbox. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  7. Knox, David (20 February 2024). "Nine announces Melbourne Cup deal to 2029". TV Tonight. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  8. https://www.theage.com.au/sport/racing/melbourne-cup-2023-live-updates-stewards-make-call-on-alenquer-on-race-day-20231106-p5ehzb.html
  9. "Without A Fight wins 2023 Melbourne Cup as jockey Mark Zahra goes back-to-back". Guardian. 7 November 2023. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
  10. "Melbourne Cup results 2023: The finishing order". The Age. 7 November 2023.