Melbourne Cup 2015: How to pick your sweepstake winner

Are you a Cup expert? Or do you dread the sweepstake and hope you can hide your ignorance by picking a name out of a hat? If you are looking for help, perhaps one of these alternative stats can help you get ahead.

• THE FORM: ULTIMATE CUP GUIDE
• THE FIELD: MELBOURNE CUP
• ANALYSIS: THE LEAD-UP RACES
• SPRING RACING: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Are you a Cup expert? Or do you dread the office sweepstake and hope you can hide your ignorance by picking a name out of a hat?

Well, it’s horses for courses, so if you are looking for a unique way to pick your winner, perhaps one of these alternative stats can help you get ahead.

THE A-Z METHOD:

First initials of past winners

A–10 B–11 C–8 D–9 E–5 F–2 G–10 H–5 I–0 J–3 K–5 L–6 M–12 N–4 O–1 P–13 Q–0 R–10 S–12 T–16 U–0 V–3 W–8 X–0 Y–0 Z–1

LUCK OF THE DRAW

Barrier winners

(last winner in brackets

*barriers 25-27, three winners)

1 4 (Kingston Rule, 1990)

2 2 (Might And Power, 1997)

3 3 (Media Puzzle, 2002)

4 4 (Kensei, 1987)

5 7 (Fiorente, 2013)

6 5 (Light Fingers, 1965)

7 2 (Makybe Diva, 2004)

8 5 (Viewed, 2008)

9 4 (Efficient, 2007)

10 6 (Protectionist, 2014)

11 8 (Americain, 2010)

12 2 (Foxzami, 1949)

13 3 (Dunaden, 2011)

14 6 (Makybe Diva, 2005)

15 1 (Silver Knight, 1971)

16 3 (Jezabeel, 1998)

17 4 (At Talaq, 1986)

18 0 (no winners)

19 5 (Red Handed, 1967)

20 2 (Empire Rose, 1988)

21 4 (Shocking, 2009)

22 3 (Brew, 2000)

23 2 (Van Der Hum, 1976)

24 3 (Gala Supreme, 1973)

ONE FOR THE AGES

Winnes by Age

Age	Wins	Year last won
3	23	Skipton, 1941
4	44	Protectionist, 2014
5	43	Viewed, 2008
6	32	Fiorente, 2013
7	10	Makybe Diva, 2005
8	2	Catalogue, 1938

BATTLE OF THE SEXES

Sex of winning horse

(last winner in brackets)

Entires (Protectionist, 2014) 70

Geldings (Efficient, 2007) 48

Colts (Skipton, 1941) 19

Mares (Makybe Diva, 2005) 13

Fillies (Sister Olive, 1921) 3

FOREIGN RAIDERS

The internationals who have taken centre stage

There have been 111 overseas-trained stayers contest the Melbourne Cup since the first raiders, Vintage Crop and Drum Taps, ran in 1993.

The Dermot Weld-trained Vintage Crop won that year before the Irishman returned in 2002 to win again with Media Puzzle.

Japanese duo, Delta Blues and Pop Rock, ran an historic quinella in the 2006 Melbourne Cup. Americain became the first French horse to win the race in 2010 before Dunaden (2011). Protectionist won for Germany last year.

Melb Cup interactive

CLICK HERE

TRUE COLOURS

Colour of winning horse

Bays 46%

Brown 25%

Chestnuts 23%

Greys 4%

Black 2%

Hindsight is a help: Protectionist, ridden by Ryan Moore, wins in 2014.

STRENGTH IN NUMBERS

Saddlecloth winning numbers:

(last winner in brackets, numbers 25-39 have won five times)

10 (Makybe Diva, 2005)

2 7 (Delta Blues, 2006)

3 4 (Dunaden, 2011)

4 11 (At Talaq, 1986)

5 8 (Protectionist, 2014)

6 9 (Fiorente, 2013)

7 2 (Just A Dash, 1981)

8 8 (Americain, 2010)

9 5 (Straight Draw, 1957)

10 4 (Viewed, 2008)

11 7 (Empire Rose, 1988)

12 11 (Makybe Diva, 2003)

13 6 (Ethereal, 2001)

14 5 (Green Moon, 2012)

15 5 (Let’s Elope, 1991)

16 3 (Piping Lane, 1972)

17 5 (Rogan Josh, 1999)

18 2 (Peter Pan, 1932)

6 (Colonus, 1942)

3 (Gaulus, 1897)

2 (Shocking, 2009)

4 (Jezabeel, 1998)

2 (King Ingoda, 1922)

4 (Brew, 2000)

DOUBLE VISION

Winners of Caulfield and Melbourne Cup in the same year

Poseidon 1906

The Trump 1937

Rivette 1939

Rising Fast 1954

Even Stevens 1962

Galilee 1966

Gurner’s Lane 1982

Let’s Elope 1991

Doriemus 1995

Might And Power 1997

Ethereal 2001

Originally published as Melbourne Cup 2015: How to pick your sweepstake winner