Melbourne Cup Lead Up Races

Lead up races to the Melbourne Cup have been relatively standard for a long time, and trainers have developed "proven" lead up race patterns for their horses.

However with the advent of the European horses, differing approaches have occurred.

Below is a list of the major lead up races and trail followed by previous Melbourne Cup winners.

Media Puzzle (2002) won the Geelong Cup at his first Australian Start as did Americain (2010) and Dunaden (2011).

Twilight Payment (2020) was first up in Australia in that campaign but ran in the prior year’s Cup.

Year

Cup winner

Mackinnon (Doesn't apply now)

Lexus

MV Cup

Cox Plate

Caulfield Cup

Herbert Power

2022

Gold Trip

Unp

Pl

2021

Verry Elleegant

Pl

2020

Twilight Payment

2019

Vow And Declare

Pl

2018

Cross Counter

2017

Rekindling

2016

Almandin

2015

Prince Of Penzance

Pl

Unp

2014

Protectionist

Unp

2013

Fiorente

Pl

2012

Green Moon

Unp

2011

Dunaden

2010

Americain

2009

Shocking

Won

Pl

2008

Viewed

Unp

Unp

2007

Efficient

Unp

2006

Delta Blues

Pl

2005

Makybe Diva

Won

2004

Makybe Diva

Pl

2003

Makybe Diva

Unp

2002

Media Puzzle

2001

Ethereal

Won

2000

Brew

Won

Pl

1999

Rogan Josh

Won

Unp

Won

1998

Jezabeel

Unp

1997

Might And Power

Won

1996

Saintly

Won

1995

Doriemus

Won

1994

Jeune

Pl

Unp

1993

Vintage Crop

1992

Subzero

Unp

Unp

1991

Let's Elope

Won

Won

1990

Kingston Rule

Pl

Won

1989

Tawrrific

Unp

Pl

Unp

1988

Empire Rose

Won

1987

Kensei

Unp

Pl

1986

At Talaq

Won

Pl

1985

What A Nuisance

Unp

Unp

1984

Black Knight

Pl

1983

Kiwi

1982

Gurners Lane

Pl

Pl

Won

1981

Just A Dash

Unp

Unp

Unp

1980

Beldale Ball

Unp

Unp

Pl

1979

Hyperno

Unp

Unp

1978

Arwon

Unp

Pl

Won

1977

Gold And Black

Pl

Unp

1976

Van Der Hum

Unp

Pl

Won

1975

Think Big

Unp

1974

Think Big

Won

Unp

1973

Gala Supreme

Pl

Won

1972

Piping Lane

Pl

1971

Silver Knight

Pl

Unp

1970

Baghdad Note

Unp

Pl

Pl

The two most successful lead up races in recent times have been the Mackinnon Stakes and the Caulfield Cup who between them have "produced" 28 of the last 53 Melbourne Cup winners.

Since the Mackinnon Stakes has moved to the final day of the carnival, this is not relevant now.

History shows most Melbourne Cup runners also race in the Caulfield Cup. 23 of the last 53 Cup winners have done so. However there was none between Viewed in 2008 and Vow And Declare in 2019. Gold Trip ran in the Caulfield Cup and the Cox Plate before winning at Flemington.

Some haven’t come through the main lead ups. Those winners include Twilight Payment, Cross Counter, Rekindling, Protectionist, Dunaden, Americain, Vintage Crop and Media Puzzle from Europe and Verry Elleegant, Fiorente, Green Moon, Efficient, Saintly and Makybe Diva (2005) came through the Cox Plate. Almandin was a locally trained runner who had a month between runs.

In fact Green Moon and Fiorente had exactly the same lead up races. Memsie/Dato Tan Chin Nam/Turnbull/Cox Plate before running at Flemington.

Shocking was the last to win the Archer on Derby Day