The 2024 Melbourne Cup, known commercially as the 2024 Lexus Melbourne Cup, was the 164th running of the Melbourne Cup, an Australian thoroughbred horse race. The race, run over , was held on 5 November 2024 at Melbourne's Flemington Racecourse.
The final field for the race was declared on 2 November 2024.2024 Melbourne Cup field and barrier draw – racenet.com.au. Retrieved 2 November 2024. The total prize money for the race was A$8.56 million, a $150,000 increase from 2023. It was the first Melbourne Cup to be broadcast by Nine Network after Network 10, who had broadcast the race since 2019, dropped out of the bidding for the rights to the race in June 2023. Nine Network will have broadcast rights from 2024 until 2029.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
The Italian jockey Frankie Dettori decided to not retire from horse racing in order to compete in the 2024 Cup. He was ruled out of the 2023 Cup after being suspended for a whip breach.
The race was won by Knight's Choice, ridden by Robbie Dolan. This was his first time racing in the Cup. Knight’s Choice was co-trained by Sheila Laxon who trained the 2001 Melbourne Cup winner Ethereal. She was also involved with 1988 winner Empire Rose, who was trained by Laurie Laxon.
Field NumberHorseTrainerJockeyWeight (kg)BarrierPlacing 1 Vauban (FR) Willie Mullins William Buick 55.5 11 11th 2 Buckaroo (GB) Chris Waller Joao Moreira 54.5 21 9th 3 Circle Of Fire (GB) Ciaron Maher Mark Zahra 54.5 24 6th 4 Warp Speed (JPN) Noboru Takagi Akira Sugawara 54.5 3 2nd5 Kovalica (NZ) Chris Waller Damian Lane 53.5 17 10th6 Sharp 'N' Smart (NZ) Graeme & Deborah Rogerson Michael Dee 53.5 15 16th7 Just Fine (IRE) Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Jye McNeil 53 13 23rd8 Land Legend (FR) Chris Waller Zac Purton 53 18 8th9 Absurde (FR) Willie Mullins Kerrin McEvoy 52.5 7 5th10 Athabascan (FR) John O’Shea & Tom Charlton Zac Lloyd 52 2ndScratched11 Knight's Choice John Symons & Sheila Laxon Robbie Dolan 51.5 6 1st12 Okita Soushi (IRE) Ciaron Maher Jamie Kah 51 10 3rd13 Onesmoothoperator (USA) Brian Ellison Craig Williams 51 12 12th14 Zardozi James Cummings Andrea Atzeni 51 4 4th15 Sea King (GB) Harry Eustace Hollie Doyle 50.5 1 14th16 Valiant King (GB) Chris Waller Craig Newitt 50.5 22 13th17 Fancy Man (IRE) Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald Ron Stewart 50 19 7th18 Interpretation (IRE) Ciaron Maher Teo Nugent 50 14 15th19 Manzoice Chris Waller Declan Bates 50 8 19th20 Mostly Cloudy (IRE) Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young Karis Teetan 50 16 18th21 Positivity (NZ) Andrew Forsman Winona Costin 50 20 20th 22 Saint George (GB) Ciaron Maher Tyler Schiller 50 9 22nd23 The Map Dan Clarken & Oopy MacGillivray Rachel King 50 23 21st 24 Trust In You (NZ) Bruce Wallace & Grant Cooksley Mark Du Plessis 50 5 17th
Prizemoney The 7,750,000 prize pool is distributed as follows:
First: $4,400,000 and trophies valued at $810,000 Second: $1,100,000 Third: $550,000 Fourth: $350,000 Fifth: $230,000 Sixth to Twelfth: $160,000
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