Finding the Melbourne Cup winner is no easy feat, but these numbers might help solve the equation

PROFILES OF CUP RUNNERS: LEO Schlink has the numbers that just might help you pick the winner of today's Melbourne Cup.

Brooke Pender rides Super Cool, who will wear the No. 13 saddlecloth in the Melbourne Cup and jump from barrier 13. It is the ye

BARRIERS

The most successful barrier is gate 11 (seven wins), followed by 14 (six wins) and eight (five wins). Royal Empire (11), Ethiopia (14) and Fawkner (8) have those gates this year.

Gates five, six and 19 have all produced five winners. Fiorente (5), Brown Panther (6) and Mourayan (19) will jump from those barriers.

PROFILES OF ALL THE CUP RUNNERS

Historically, barrier 18 is the worst draw with no winners followed by seven and 15, with one win each. Hawkspur (18), Sea Moon (7) and Foreteller (15) must defy the trend this year.

FAVOURITES

The favourite has won the Cup 32 times in 152 runnings. Fiorente was favourite in most markets last night. Makybe Diva was the most recent favourite to win, starting punter elect in 2004 and '05.

DERBY DAY FORM

Once considered a mandatory pathway to Cup success, Derby Day runs are no longer as valid. Since Vintage Crop in 1993, the only Cup winners who raced on Derby Day are Jeune (1994), Rogan Josh (1999), Viewed (2008) and Shocking (2009). Dear Demi, Ethiopia, Mourayan and Lexus winner Ruscello are the only Cup entrants backing up from Saturday.

AGE

4YO and 5YOs have the best record with 43 winners each. Ethiopia, Super Cool, Royal Empire, Voleuse De Coeurs, Hawkspur, Verema, Dear Demi, Tres Blue and Ruscello are all in the 4-5YO category.

GENDER

Males dominate with 125 wins compared to 16 by females. Voleuse De Coeurs, Verema and Dear Demi are the only mares this year.

Brooke Pender rides Super Cool, who will wear the No. 13 saddlecloth in the Melbourne Cup and jump from barrier 13. It is the year 2013 after all. Picture: Getty Images

BEST FLEMINGTON FORM

Dunaden, Green Moon, Foreteller, Fawkner, Mourayan, Super Cool, Dear Demi and Ruscello have all won at Flemington.

DISTANCE

Dunaden, Green Moon, Brown Panther, Voleuse De Coeurs, Simenon and Ibicenco have all won over 3200m.

WEIGHT

The average winning weight over the past 10 years is 54kg.

INTERNATIONALS

Since 1993, five northern hemisphere visitors have won the Cup - Vintage Crop, Media Puzzle, Delta Blues, Americain and Dunaden. There are nine official raiders in this year's field - Dunaden, Red Cadeaux, Brown Panther, Dandino, Mount Athos, Royal Empire, Simenon, Verema and Ruscello. Voleuse De Coeurs and Tres Blue are designated "parachute" horses, given they are trained by Australians but out of the Werribee internationals camp.

Big-race jockeys Craig Williams (right) and Damien Oliver at the Melbourne Cup parade. Picture: Tony Gough

HOT JOCKEYS

Brett Prebble, Damien Oliver, Gerald Mosse, Michael Rodd, Corey Brown, Kerrin McEvoy, Jim Cassidy and Christophe Lemaire have all ridden one or more Cup winners.

HOT TRAINERS

Bart Cummings has 12 wins, the most recent with Viewed in 2008. He does not have a starter this year. Cup-winning trainers involved are Mikel Delzangles (Dunaden), Robert Hickmott (Green Moon, Sea Moon, Seville, Mourayan, Fawkner and Masked Marvel), Mark Kavanagh (Super Cool), Michael Moroney (Voleuse De Coeurs) and Alain de Royer-Dupre (Verema).