Finishing order for the 2021 Melbourne Cup: Every horse placed

Keen to see exactly where the horse you backed finished in the Melbourne Cup? This is the complete finishing order for the 2021 race.

Verry Elleegant won the race that stops a nation, claiming victory in the Melbourne Cup at Flemington Racecourse on Tuesday afternoon.

Incentivise was tipped as the hot favourite leading into the 3200m race, but Verry Elleegant steamed past his rival on the final straight to secure an upset victory.

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The victory gives trainer Chris Waller his first ever Melbourne Cup after jockey James McDonald piloted the six-year-old mare to a perfect position before exploding down the final straight to blow the field away.

Here is the final finishing order and what each jockey said about their race.

2021 Melbourne Cup Final finishing order

1st — Verry Elleegant

James McDonald: “I just didn’t think this day would ever happen. I ride in these races, I really want to win but sometimes you can overthink it and try too hard.

“I was very confident in the mare today. Thoughts went through my mind at the 500m when I saw Incentivise getting shoved along but I knew he would fight. There wasn’t a horse that was going to come from behind me, it was just a matter of catching him.”

Verry Elleegant won the race that stops a nation. Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

2nd — Incentivise

Brett Prebble: “Courageous effort. His first time to this trip and it took a champion to beat him.”

3rd — Spanish Mission

Craig Williams: “Couldn’t have been any more impressed with his gallant performance. I had the option of being one horse in for the entire race but I decided to be on the back of Grand Promenade, I thought it would take me nicely into the race and we did. But when Verry Elleegant came around me, she was towing. My horse did a really good job and was fighting it out for second. Great job by Andrew Balding and his team for the planning and what a gallant warrior to go to battle with. Thanks for the opportunity.”

4th — Floating Artist

Teo Nugent: “Super run. Every time we’ve raised the bar with this horse. He measures up and landed in a beautiful spot out of the gates. We followed Incentivise and he travelled so strong the whole way. I thought at the top of the straight that he gave a lovely kick for me and he’s run a very good fourth. I’ve very happy with him.”

5th — The Chosen One

Damian Lane: “Really proud of this horse. He’s run a massive race. Trained to the minute and ran his best.”

6th — Grand Promenade

Kerrin McEvoy: “He’s run a good race. We didn’t have any luck. Got caught wide the trip but he stuck on well.”

7th — Delphi

Damien Oliver: “He ran well. We had a great run. He feels like more of a mile-and-a-half horse than a two-miler to me.”

8th — Selino

Ron Stewart: “Just a little further back than I would have wanted to be. Just couldn’t find the right horse to take me into the race. Overall I thought it was a good staying effort.”

9th — Tralee Rose

Dean Holland: “She had a really nice run. She toughed it out but she’s probably not sharp enough when you need her.”

10th — She’s Ideel

Craig Newitt: “She ran well again.”

James McDonald was ecstatic. (Brett Holburt/Racing Photos via Getty Images)

11th — Twilight Payment

Jye McNeil: “He wasn’t able to get into his usual role and at the halfway point he really struggled.”

12th — Miami Bound

Patrick Moloney: “She wouldn’t go in the first 1000 metres. If she had have jumped and travelled she might have run top eight. She whacked away and got the ones that were tiring.”

13th — Great House

Michael Dee: “Had a good run. I could feel he was coming under pressure about the 600 or 700 (metre mark). He was gone by then but he tried really hard all the way to the line. Expected a little bit better but he tried hard today.”

14th — Sir Lucan

Glen Boss: “He’s a juvenile. I had no power from the 1000m mark.”

15th — Explosive Jack

John Allen: “He was disappointing. He whacked away, but he’s missing a bit of scrap.”

16th — Master of Wine

Fred Kersley: “Nice.”

17th — Pondus

Rachel King: “Just raced a bit dour and couldn’t sprint off that speed.”

18th — Carif

Blaike McDougall: “It was a good effort. Got in a nice position. He travelled well. Just the class factor when they quickened up, he was under pressure.”

19th — Knights Order

Daniel Stackhouse: “He’s just not going anywhere at the moment.”

20th — Persan

Luke Currie: “I didn’t think he would lead but he was sort of out at the 600 (metre mark).”

21st — Port Guillaume

Harry Coffey (Port Guillaume, 33.15L): “He didn’t run out a strong 3200 metres in a strong pressure race.”

22nd — Johnny Get Angry

Lachie King: “He’ll go out for a spell and then assess the options after he comes back.”

Last Place — Ocean Billy

Damien Thornton: “Disappointing.”

Scratched — Future Score