How every runner made it to this year’s Melbourne Cup at Flemington
Qualifying for the Melbourne Cup is a different journey for every runner, but eventually all their paths lead them to Flemington.
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Getting to the Melbourne Cup doesn’t just involve covering the thousands of kilometres in track gallops and racing, which Cups king Bart Cummings, who won 12, declared was crucial to victory.
The field is set at 24, with no emergencies; an ongoing issue which has reared its head again this year with two horses – Lunar Flare and Point Nepean – scratched after the barrier draw, reducing the field to 22.
But to get in to the field for the race that stops a nation involves long-range planning – nominations mid-year to put horses on the “Order of Entry”, which slowly gets whittled down as the contenders rise above the pretenders.
Nominations closed in August, and there were 186 potential runners, a number which became 96 when first declarations were declared.
The natural attrition rate, with injuries to some, and form losses to others, reduced the contenders to just 34 when fourth declarations closed on October 24.
The final field and barrier draw which confirmed the horses who would vie for the Cup was completed last Saturday.
Those who have reached the final field have managed to meet certain criteria, be it winning automatic qualifications races, both in Australia and overseas.
Emissary, for example, qualified by winning the Geelong Cup, which has produced past winners including Media Puzzle.
Finishing in the top three of a race over 2300m is another criteria, which favourite Deaville Legend met by taking out the Great Voltigeur Stakes, over 2385m in York, England.
The five automatic qualifying events are:
The Bart Cummings, Flemington, 2500m;
The Andrew Ramsden Stakes, Flemington, 2800m;
Archer Stakes, Flemington, 2500m;
Cox Plate, Moonee Valley, 2040m;
Caulfield Cup, Caulfield, 2400m.
But you don’t have to win to get in, with other key criteria used by the Victoria Race Club officials, who then determine the final field.
They include:
Finishing sixth, seventh or eighth in the Caulfield Cup;
Finishing second or third in the Cox Plate;
Winning the Turnbull Stakes;
Finishing second or third in the Melbourne Cup;
Winning the Caulfield Cup two years back.
This year, the final horse to earn a qualification into the field was Serpentine, whose second place in the Archer Stakes allowed him to pass the “ballot clause” by placing in a Group Two over 2500m, because the winner of that race had not been nominated.
HOW EACH RUNNER REACHED THE MELBOURNE CUP
1 GOLD TRIP (FR) 57.5kg - 2nd G1 Caulfield Cup, 2400m. Latest 8th G1 Cox Plate (WFA), 2,040m, Moonee Valley
2 DUAIS 55.5kg - Won G1 Tancred Stakes, 2,400m (WFA) Newcastle. Latest 8th G1 Caulfield Cup, 2400m, Caulfield
3 KNIGHTS ORDER (IRE) 55.5kg - Won G1 Sydney Cup, 3200m Randwick 2022. Latest 3rd G1 Caulfield Cup, 2400m, Caulfield
4 MONTEFILIA 55.5kg Won G1 The Metropolitan, 2,400m, Randwick (2021) Latest 4th, G1 Caulfield Cup, 2400m, Caulfield
5 NUMERIAN (IRE) 55.5kg 5th G1 Caulfield Cup 2400m, Caulfield
6 WITHOUT A FIGHT (IRE) 55.5kg Won G3 Silver Cup, 2787m, York, England. Latest 2nd, Listed Race, 2414m, Newmarket, England
7 CAMORRA (IRE) 55kg Won G2 Curragh Cup, 2800m The Curragh, Ireland
8 DEAUVILLE LEGEND (IRE) 55kg Won Great Voltigeur Stakes, 2,385m, York, England
9 STOCKMAN (NZ) 54kg 2nd G1 Tancred Stakes, 2400m, Newcastle (WFA)
10 VOW AND DECLARE 54kg 6th G1 Caulfield Cup 2400m Caulfield
11 YOUNG WERTHER (NZ) 54kg 2nd G1 ATC Derby 2400m Randwick (2021). Latest 10th G1 Cox Plate (WFA), 2,040m Moonee Valley
12 HOO YA MAL (GB) 53.5kg 2nd G1 Epsom Derby 2400m Epsom, England Latest 8th G1 English St Leger, Doncaster, England
13 SERPENTINE (IRE) 53.5kg 2nd G3 Archer Stakes 2500m, Flemington
14 DAQIANSWEET JUNIOR (NZ) 53kg 3rd G1 Sydney Cup 3200m Randwick Latest 2nd St Leger, Randwick, 2600m
15 GRAND PROMENADE (GB) 53kg Won G3 Bart Cummings, 2500m, Flemington 2021 Latest 4th G2 Moonee Valley Cup, 2500m, Moonee Valley
16 ARAPAHO (FR) 52.5kg Won Listed Race Grafton Cup 2350m Grafton 2022 Latest 2nd St Leger, 2600m, Randwick
17 EMISSARY (GB) 51.5kg Won G3 Geelong Cup 2400m, Geelong
18 LUNAR FLARE - SCRATCHED
19 SMOKIN‘ ROMANS (NZ) 51.5kg Won Listed Race Pakenham Cup, 2500m, Pakenham 2021. Latest 7th G1 Caulfield Cup, 2400m, Caulfield
20 TRALEE ROSE (NZ) 51.5kg Won G3 Geelong Cup, 2400, Geelong 2021. Latest 13th G1 Caulfield Cup, 2400m, Caulfield
21 POINT NEPEAN (IRE) SCRATCHED
22 HIGH EMOCEAN 50kg Latest Won G3 Bendigo Cup, 2400m, Bendigo
23 INTERPRETATION (IRE) 50kg Won Listed Race Vinnie Roe Stakes 2800m Ireland 2021 Latest 6th G3 Geelong Cup, 2400m, Geelong
24 REALM OF FLOWERS 50kg Won Andrew Ramsden Stakes 2800m Flemington 2021 Latest 3rd G1 Metropolitan Handicap, 2400m, Randwick
Originally published as How every runner made it to this year’s Melbourne Cup at Flemington
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