The barrier draw plays a crucial role in the Melbourne Cup. The Melbourne Cup 2025 draw tells us where each runner will jump from. But why is the Melbourne Cup barrier draw in 2025 so important? This page explains the emphasis on the barrier draw for this race.
Melbourne Cup Barrier Draw 2025 (+ Statistics)
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Melbourne Cup Barrier Draw
The Melbourne Cup draw is so important that it’s televised each year. You can watch the live Melbourne Cup barrier draw in 2025 on November 1 (which is also Derby Day). The Melbourne Cup 2025 draw will be broadcast live at 5.30pm after the Derby Day card has finished.
The barrier draw is critical to a horse’s success in the Melbourne Cup. Many factors increase the importance of the barrier draw, some of which include:
- The number of horses in the event.
- The racing style of each runner.
- The layout of the racecourse.
- The barrier draw statistics (there are a few barriers that haven’t seen much success over the years).
The connections of each runner will come into the Melbourne draw for 2025 with a specific barrier in mind. You’ll see the odds of each runner change (sometimes fairly dramatically) depending on which barrier they draw. On top of this, many experts will hold off writing their horse racing tips or Flemington tips until the barrier draw is complete.
The process of the Melbourne Cup draw is random. Connections of runners can’t choose the barrier themselves (because then they would all probably want to choose the same barrier!). Race tactics and any plans might be thrown out the window if the runner doesn’t get a desired starting barrier.
The Melbourne Cup barriers are just one piece of the puzzle. There are other key aspects that you should be across as well, like tips, form guide, field, results, history and more. As it is one of the biggest Group One Races on the calendar, we have all these important aspects covered on our Melbourne Cup page.
Melbourne Cup Barrier Statistics
There are a few that are considered the best barriers for the Melbourne Cup. While securing one of the most successful barriers for the Melbourne Cup doesn’t necessarily guarantee that runner the win, it can certainly improve their chances.
The Melbourne Cup barrier winners with the most success start with barriers five and 11. So far in the history of the Melbourne Cup (when barriers were assigned), we have seen eight winners jump from barriers five and 11. The next most successful barriers are 14 and 19, both with six wins each.
Barrier Number | Number of Wins | Last Winner |
Barrier 5 | 8 Wins | Knight's Choice (2024) |
Barrier 11 | 8 Wins | Americain (2010) |
Barrier 14 | 6 Wins | Makybe Diva (2005) |
Barrier 19 | 6 Wins | Cross Counter (2018) |
Barrier 1 | 5 Wins | Prince Of Penzance (2015) |
Barrier 4 | 5 Wins | Rekindling (2017) |
Barrier 6 | 5 Wins | Light Fingers (1965) |
Barrier 8 | 5 Wins | Viewed (2008) |
Barrier 10 | 5 Wins | Protectionist (2014) |
Barrier 17 | 5 Wins | Almandin (2016) |
Barrier 21 | 5 Wins | Vow And Declare (2019) |
Melbourne Cup 2024 Barrier Draw
Looking back at the most recent barrier draw for the Melbourne Cup, Knight’s Choice won the event from barrier five. This pushed barrier five up to the equal-best barrier in recent history, with eight wins (tied with barrier 11).
See all the 2024 Melbourne Cup barrier draw details here:
No. |
Horse |
Trainer |
Jockey |
Barrier |
Weight |
1 |
VAUBAN (FR) |
Willie Mullins |
William Buick |
11 |
55.5kg |
2 |
BUCKAROO (GB) |
Chris Waller |
Joao Moreira |
21 |
54.5kg |
3 |
CIRCLE OF FIRE (GB) |
Ciaron Maher |
Mark Zahra |
24 |
54.5kg |
4 |
WARP SPEED (JPN) |
Noboru Takagi |
Akira Sugawara |
3 |
54.5kg |
5 |
KOVALICA (NZ) |
Chris Waller |
Damian Lane |
17 |
53.5kg |
6 |
SHARP ’N’ SMART (NZ) |
Graeme & Deborah Rogerson |
Michael Dee |
15 |
53.5kg |
7 |
JUST FINE (IRE) |
Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott |
Jye McNeil |
13 |
53kg |
8 |
LAND LEGEND (FR) |
Chris Waller |
Zac Purton |
18 |
53kg |
9 |
ABSURDE (FR) |
Willie Mullins |
Kerrin McEvoy |
7 |
52.5kg |
10 |
ATHABASCAN (FR) |
John O’Shea & Tom Charlton |
Zac Lloyd (a) |
2 |
52kg |
11 |
KNIGHT’S CHOICE |
John Symons & Sheila Laxon |
Robbie Dolan |
6 |
51.5kg |
12 |
OKITA SOUSHI (IRE) |
Ciaron Maher |
Ms Jamie Kah |
10 |
51kg |
13 |
ONESMOOTHOPERATOR (USA) |
Brian Ellison |
Craig Williams |
12 |
51kg |
14 |
ZARDOZI |
James Cummings |
Andrea Atzeni |
4 |
51kg |
15 |
SEA KING (GB) |
Harry Eustace |
Ms Hollie Doyle |
1 |
50.5kg |
16 |
VALIANT KING (GB) |
Chris Waller |
Craig Newitt |
22 |
50.5kg |
17 |
FANCY MAN (IRE) |
Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald |
Ron Stewart |
19 |
50kg |
18 |
INTERPRETATION (IRE) |
Ciaron Maher |
Teo Nugent |
14 |
50kg |
19 |
MANZOICE |
Chris Waller |
Declan Bates |
8 |
50kg |
20 |
MOSTLY CLOUDY (IRE) |
Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young |
Karis Teetan |
16 |
50kg |
21 |
POSITIVITY (NZ) |
Andrew Forsman |
Ms Winona Costin |
20 |
50kg |
22 |
SAINT GEORGE (GB) |
Ciaron Maher |
Tyler Schiller |
9 |
50kg |
23 |
THE MAP |
Dan Clarken & Oopy MacGillivray |
Ms Rachel King |
23 |
50kg |
24 |
TRUST IN YOU (NZ) |
Bruce Wallace & Grant Cooksley |
Mark Du Plessis |
5 |
50kg |
Melbourne Cup 2023 Barrier Draw
Looking back at one of the more recent Melbourne Cup barrier history, in 2023 Without A Fight won the Melbourne Cup jumping from barrier 16. Without A Fight’s victory in the 2023 Melbourne Cup pushed barrier 16’s overall wins to four.
Here are more details about the 2023 Melbourne Cup results and which barriers the top finishers jumped from:
Finish | No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Barrier | Weight |
1 | 3 | WITHOUT A FIGHT (IRE) | Anthony & Sam Freedman | Mark Zahra | - | 16 | 56.5kg |
2 | 6 | SOULCOMBE (GB) | Chris Waller | Joao Moreira | 2.25L | 4 | 53.5kg |
3 | 14 | SHERAZ (FR) | Chris Waller | Beau Mertens | 2.75L | 22 | 51.5kg |
4 | 11 | ASHRUN (FR) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Kerrin McEvoy | 4.75L | 11 | 51.5kg |
5 | 12 | DAQIANSWEET JUNIOR (NZ) | Phillip Stokes | Daniel Stackhouse | 4.95L | 12 | 51.5kg |
6 | 22 | INTERPRETATION (IRE) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Teo Nugent | 5.35L | 17 | 50kg |
7 | 7 | ABSURDE (FR) | Willie Mullins | Zac Purton | 5.45L | 8 | 53kg |
8 | 24 | TRUE MARVEL (FR) | Matthew Smith | Ben Thompson | 6.7L | 10 | 50kg |
9 | 9 | VOW AND DECLARE | Danny O’Brien | Billy Egan | 7.45L | 19 | 53kg |
10 | 17 | MILITARY MISSION (IRE) | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Ms Rachel King | 8.2L | 5 | 51kg |
11 | 13 | OKITA SOUSHI (IRE) | Joseph O’Brien | Dylan Gibbons (a) | 8.4L | 20 | 51.5kg |
12 | 20 | MORE FELONS (IRE) | Chris Waller | Ms Jamie Kah | 9.15L | 23 | 50.5kg |
13 | 15 | LASTOTCHKA (FR) | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | Craig Williams | 13.15L | 21 | 51kg |
14 | 5 | VAUBAN (FR) | Willie Mullins | Ryan Moore | 13.35L | 3 | 55kg |
15 | 21 | FUTURE HISTORY (GB) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Hollie Doyle | 14.1L | 13 | 50kg |
16 | 4 | BREAKUP (JPN) | Tatsuya Yoshioka | Kohei Matsuyama | 14.3L | 18 | 55kg |
17 | 1 | GOLD TRIP (FR) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | James McDonald | 23.3L | 2 | 58.5kg |
18 | 19 | VIRTUOUS CIRCLE (NZ) | Liam Howley | Craig Newitt | 32.3L | 6 | 51kg |
19 | 18 | SERPENTINE (IRE) | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Jye McNeil | 32.4L | 1 | 51kg |
20 | 23 | KALAPOUR (IRE) | Kris Lees | Zac Lloyd (a) | 32.7L | 14 | 50kg |
21 | 2 | ALENQUER (FR) | Michael Moroney | Damien Oliver | 33.45L | 9 | 56.5kg |
22 | 16 | MAGICAL LAGOON (IRE) | Chris Waller | Mark Du Plessis | 43.45L | 7 | 51kg |
FF | 8 | RIGHT YOU ARE | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | John Allen | 15 | 53kg | |
- | 10 | CLEVELAND (IRE) | Kris Lees | Michael Dee | 0 |
Melbourne Cup 2022 Barrier Draw
Looking back to the 2022 Melbourne Cup draw now, Gold Trip was victorious from barrier 13. Thanks to Gold Trip’s victory from barrier 13, there are now four Melbourne Cup winners who have jumped from that barrier.
Here are more details about the 2022 Melbourne Cup results and which barriers the top finishers jumped from:
Finish | No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Barrier | Weight |
1 | 1 | GOLD TRIP (FR) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Mark Zahra | - | 13 | 57.5kg |
2 | 17 | EMISSARY (GB) | Michael Moroney | Patrick Moloney | 2L | 3 | 51.5kg |
3 | 22 | HIGH EMOCEAN (NZ) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Teo Nugent | 3.25L | 8 | 50kg |
4 | 8 | DEAUVILLE LEGEND (IRE) | James Ferguson | Kerrin McEvoy | 5L | 9 | 55kg |
5 | 24 | REALM OF FLOWERS | Anthony & Sam Freedman | Damien Thornton | 6L | 5 | 50kg |
6 | 14 | DAQIANSWEET JUNIOR (NZ) | Phillip Stokes | Daniel Moor | 7.25L | 12 | 53kg |
7 | 19 | SMOKIN’ ROMANS (NZ) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Ms Jamie Kah | 7.65L | 15 | 51.5kg |
8 | 9 | STOCKMAN (NZ) | Joseph Pride | Sam Clipperton | 7.85L | 2 | 54kg |
9 | 3 | KNIGHTS ORDER (IRE) | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Tim Clark | 8.6L | 22 | 55.5kg |
10 | 10 | VOW AND DECLARE | Danny O’Brien | Blake Shinn | 8.7L | 4 | 54kg (cd 54.5kg) |
11 | 16 | ARAPAHO (FR) | Bjorn Baker | Ms Rachel King | 10.95L | 18 | 52.5kg |
12 | 12 | HOO YA MAL (GB) | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Craig Williams | 20.95L | 14 | 53.5kg |
13 | 6 | WITHOUT A FIGHT (IRE) | Simon & Ed Crisford | William Buick | 21.15L | 17 | 55.5kg |
14 | 15 | GRAND PROMENADE (GB) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Harry Coffey | 21.35L | 1 | 53kg |
15 | 11 | YOUNG WERTHER (NZ) | Danny O’Brien | Damian Lane | 22.85L | 19 | 54kg |
16 | 4 | MONTEFILIA | David Payne | Jason Collett | 23.05L | 11 | 55.5kg |
17 | 20 | TRALEE ROSE (NZ) | Symon Wilde | Dean Yendall | 30.05L | 20 | 51.5kg |
18 | 2 | DUAIS | Edward Cummings | Hugh Bowman | 38.05L | 10 | 55.5kg |
19 | 5 | NUMERIAN (IRE) | Annabel Neasham | Tommy Berry | 73.05L | 7 | 55.5kg |
20 | 13 | SERPENTINE (IRE) | Robert Hickmott | John Allen | 99L | 21 | 53.5kg |
21 | 7 | CAMORRA (IRE) | Ben & JD Hayes | Ben Melham | 99L | 16 | 55kg |
FF | 23 | INTERPRETATION (IRE) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Craig Newitt | 6 | 50kg | |
- | 18 | LUNAR FLARE | Grahame Begg | Michael Dee | 0 | ||
- | 21 | POINT NEPEAN (IRE) | Robert Hickmott | Wayne Lordan | 0 |
Melbourne Cup 2021 Barrier Draw
For the Melbourne Cup draw in 2021, we saw Verry Elleegant, who jumped from barrier 19 win. The wider barrier had a lot of success this year, with the first four runners all jumping from a double-digit barrier.
Here are more details about the 2021 Melbourne Cup results and which barriers the top finishers jumped from:
Finish | No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Barrier | Weight |
1 | 4 | VERRY ELLEEGANT (NZ) | Chris Waller | James McDonald | - | 19 | 57kg |
2 | 2 | INCENTIVISE | Peter G Moody | Brett Prebble | 4L | 16 | 57kg |
3 | 3 | SPANISH MISSION (USA) | Andrew Balding | Craig Williams | 4.4L | 14 | 57kg |
4 | 22 | FLOATING ARTIST (GB) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Teodore Nugent (a) | 4.6L | 10 | 50kg |
5 | 6 | THE CHOSEN ONE (NZ) | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | Damian Lane | 10.6L | 5 | 54kg |
6 | 16 | GRAND PROMENADE (GB) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Kerrin McEvoy | 12.6L | 21 | 52kg |
7 | 7 | DELPHI (IRE) | Anthony & Sam Freedman | Damien Oliver | 13.35L | 3 | 53.5kg |
8 | 9 | SELINO (GB) | Chris Waller | Ron Stewart | 13.45L | 24 | 53.5kg |
9 | 21 | TRALEE ROSE (NZ) | Symon Wilde | Dean Holland | 16.7L | 12 | 51kg |
10 | 19 | SHE’S IDEEL | Bjorn Baker | Craig Newitt | 17.2L | 20 | 52kg |
11 | 1 | TWILIGHT PAYMENT (IRE) | Joseph O’Brien | Jye McNeil | 19.45L | 2 | 58kg |
12 | 17 | MIAMI BOUND (NZ) | Danny O’Brien | Patrick Moloney | 21.45L | 17 | 52kg |
13 | 23 | GREAT HOUSE (IRE) | Chris Waller | Michael Dee | 21.85L | 7 | 50kg |
14 | 24 | SIR LUCAN (IRE) | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Glen Boss | 21.95L | 18 | 50kg (cd 51kg) |
15 | 5 | EXPLOSIVE JACK (NZ) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | John Allen | 23.2L | 4 | 54kg |
16 | 14 | MASTER OF WINE (GER) | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | Fred Kersley | 24.2L | 6 | 52.5kg |
17 | 15 | PONDUS (GB) | Robert Hickmott | Ms Rachel King | 24.6L | 1 | 52.5kg |
18 | 13 | CARIF | Peter & Paul Snowden | Blaike McDougall | 25.35L | 8 | 52.5kg |
19 | 11 | KNIGHTS ORDER (IRE) | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Daniel Stackhouse | 25.65L | 9 | 53kg |
20 | 12 | PERSAN | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Luke Currie | 28.9L | 11 | 53kg |
21 | 18 | PORT GUILLAUME (FR) | Ben & JD Hayes | Harry Coffey | 33.15L | 23 | 52kg |
22 | 10 | JOHNNY GET ANGRY (NZ) | Denis Pagan | Lachlan King (a) | 41.15L | 22 | 53kg |
23 | 8 | OCEAN BILLY (NZ) | Chris Waller | Damien Thornton | 53.15L | 13 | 53.5kg |
- | 20 | FUTURE SCORE (IRE) | Matt Cumani | Dean Yendall | 15 |
The Most Challenging Melbourne Cup Barriers in History
For the Melbourne Cup barrier draw in 2025, there are certain barriers that runners want to avoid. Thanks to Verry Elleegant’s victory in 2021, every barrier has now seen at least one winner. All the least successful barriers are listed in this section.
Barrier Number | Number of Wins | Last Winner |
Barrier 7 | 1 Win | Blackwood (1924) |
Barrier 15 | 1 Win | Silver Knight (1973) |
Barrier 18 | 1 Win | Verry Elleegant (2021) |
Barrier 12 | 2 Wins | Foxzami (1949) |
Barrier 20 | 2 Wins | Empire Rose (1988) |
Barrier 22 | 2 Wins | Gurner's Lane (1982) |
Melbourne Cup Draw FAQs
The Melbourne Cup 2025 draw can have a lot of influence on the results of the race. So, it’s only natural that people have plenty of questions about the barrier draw. We’ve gone through and found some of the most common questions people have and answered them in this FAQs section.
When is the Melbourne Cup barrier draw?
The Melbourne Cup barrier draw time is on November 1, which is also Victoria Derby Day. The barrier draw will take place after all the races on the card at Flemington have finished.
Which barrier is best for the Melbourne Cup?
When it comes to the Melbourne Cup barrier draw for 2025, there are a couple of barriers that you should keep an eye on. Barrier five and 11 are currently the most successful barriers with eight wins each to date.
What time is the Melbourne Cup barrier draw?
The Melbourne Cup 2025 draw will take place at 5.30pm, which is after all the races have concluded for the day at Flemington Racecourse. After this, you’ll see many bookies update their odds and potentially even offer horse racing promotions for the race.
Where can I watch the Melbourne Cup barrier draw?
You’ll be able to watch the Melbourne Cup horses 2025 barrier draw on free-to-air. The exact channel hasn’t been confirmed yet, it is likely to be Channel 9, as they currently have the rights to broadcast the Melbourne Cup.
- Onlyracing
- Melbourne Cup
- Melbourne Cup Barrier Draw 2025