- Some barriers have produced many more winners than others
- There are important statistics to consider when looking for a winner
The race that brings the country to a standstill is almost upon us, which means it’s time for the Aussies who only bet on the horses once a year to find out which stats matter when it comes to the Melbourne Cup .
When it comes to which barrier a horse starts from, it is clear that some have produced many more winners than others.
Barriers 14, 10, 5 And 11 have had the most Melbourne Cup winners while having a barrier 18 seems to have had the least luck.
Until 2021, it was understood that barrier 18 had never had a winner, and then Verry Elleegant won from it and the curse was seemingly lifted. Verry Elleegant had drawn barrier 19 beforehand, but was moved to 18 after the withdrawal of another horse, Future Score.
The same had happened in 1963, when Gatum Gatum was moved to barrier 18 and went on to win the race.
Other barriers that haven’t had much luck in producing winners in the Melbourne Cup are 7, 12, 19 and 23.
Trainers, owners and jockeys all have different opinions on the best barrier to start with and most agree that they prefer not to sit too close to the inside or go too wide to the outside.
Barrier 18 has only produced a few Melbourne Cup winners over the years
There is no right answer to the question of which barrier is best to race from
Speaking of bad luck, champion jockey James McDonald has been unable to get a ride in the Melbourne Cup after dominant Cox Plate winner Via Sistina was ruled out of the nation’s holding back race.
McDonald claimed his 100th Group 1 victory in the Cox Plate with Via Sistina, winning the Australasia weight-for-age championship for a third consecutive year after success aboard Romantic Warrior and Anamoe.
It remains to be seen whether the 32-year-old New Zealand star will pick up another Melbourne Cup ride.
McDonald will helm the John O’Shea and Tom Charlton-trained King Of Thunder in the $2 million Victoria Derby (2500m) after Godolphin’s Broadsiding was excluded from the Flemington event on Saturday.
Other barriers that haven’t had much luck in producing winners in the race holding a country back are 7, 12, 19 and 23.
McDonald and O’Shea have previously teamed up on seven previous Group 1 victories, the most recent eight years ago.
King Of Thunder jumps from barrier one, while favorite and final starting Group 1 winner El Castello jumps from the widest fence in a full field of 16.
Moonee Valley Vase winners and second favorite Red Aces fared better on barrier four, with third favorite Keeneland out of gate 11.