The 2023 Melbourne Cup, known commercially as the 2023 Lexus Melbourne Cup, was the 163rd running of the Melbourne Cup, an Australian thoroughbred horse race. The race, run over , was held on 7 November 2023 at Melbourne's Flemington Racecourse.
The final field for the race was declared on 4 November 2023.2023 Melbourne Cup field and barrier draw – racenet.com.au. Retrieved 4 November 2023. The total prize money for the race was A$8.41 million, a $410,000 increase from 2022. It was the last Melbourne Cup broadcast by Network 10, who have broadcast the race since 2019 and dropped out of the bidding for the broadcast rights in June 2023.Ten withdraws Melbourne Cup broadcast bid Mumbrella 22 June 2023Ten Network drops bid to secure Melbourne Cup rights over Tabcorp deal The Guardian 22 June 2023 In February 2024, Nine Entertainment, owner of Nine Network, announced they will broadcast the race from 2024 until 2029.
The race was won by Without A Fight, ridden by Mark Zahra.https://www.theage.com.au/sport/racing/melbourne-cup-2023-live-updates-stewards-make-call-on-alenquer-on-race-day-20231106-p5ehzb.html It was Zahra's second Melbourne Cup win, having ridden Gold Trip to victory in the 2022 Melbourne Cup.
The top-weighted horse was the 17th placed Gold Trip carrying 58kg, then Alenquer (21st), and the winner Without A Fight on 56.5kg.
Field NumberHorseTrainerJockeyWeight (kg)BarrierPlacing1Gold Trip (FR)Ciaron Maher & David Eustace James McDonald 58 2 17th2Alenquer (FR)Michael Moroney Damien Oliver56.5 9 21st3Without A Fight (IRE)Anthony Freedman & Sam Freedman Mark Zahra56.5 10 1st4Breakup (JPN)Tatsuya Yoshioka Kohei Matsuyama55 18 16th5Vauban (FR)Willie Mullins Ryan Moore55 3 14th6Soulcome (GB)Chris Waller João Moreira53.5 4 2nd7 Absurde (FR)Willie MullinsZac Purton 53 8 7th8Right You Are Ciaron Maher & David EustaceJohn Allen 53 15 FF9Vow And Declare Danny O'Brien Billy Egan53 19 9th10Cleveland (IRE)Kris Lees Michael Dee52 23 11Ashrun (FR)Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Kerrin McEvoy51.5 11 4th12Daqiansweet Junior (NZ)Phillip Stokes Daniel Stackhouse51.5 12 5th13Okita Soushu (IRE)Joseph O'BrienDylan Gibbons51.5 20 11th14Sheraz (FR)Chris WallerBeau Mertens51.5 22 3rd15Lastotchka (FR)Mick Price & Michael Kent JnrCraig Williams51 21 13th16Magical Lagoon (IRE)Chris WallerMark Du Plessis 51 7 22nd17Military Mission (IRE)Gai Waterhouse & Adrian BottRachel King51 5 10th18Serpentine (IRE)Gai Waterhouse & Adrian BottJye McNeil51 1 19th19Virtous Circle (NZ)Liam HowleyCraig Newitt51 6 18th20More Fellons (IRE)Chris WallerJamie Kah50.5 24 12th21Future History (GB)Ciaron Maher & David EustaceHollie Doyle50 13 15th22Interpretation (IRE)Ciaron Maher & David EustaceTeo Nugent50 17 6th23Kalapour (IRE)Kris LeesZac Lloyd50 14 20th24True Marvel (FR)Matthew SmithBen Thompson50 10 8th
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