Melbourne Cup Weights Revealed as Vauban Handed 8st 10lbs For 2024 Flemington Park Renewal

The Melbourne Cup weights 2024 have been announced, and the Willie Mullins-trained Vauban, who flopped as favourite last year, is set to carry a pound more this time (8st 10lbs, 55.5kg).

See below the Melbourne Cup weights for the main European winners – plus last year’s winner Without A Fight, who will have 4lbs more than 2023.

Vauban Will Carry 8st 10lbs (55.5kg) In Weight For The Melbourne Cup 2024

The Willie Mullins-trained Vauban had been all the rage prior to the 2023 Melbourne Cup, but despite being sent off as the 9/2 favourite could only manage 14th in the contest that’s billed as ‘The Race That Stops A Nation’.

The good news for Vauban fans is that this Rich Ricci-owned 6 year-old will be back for more in 2024 and even though he disappointed 12 months ago, the best horse racing betting sites in the UK are still making him the one to beat in the market.

If Vauban is to win, he’ll have to do so with 1lb more in weight, with the handicapper giving him 8st 10lbs (55.5kg) this time – he carried 8st 9lbs, 55kg in 2023).

Trainer Willie Mullins is yet to win the Melbourne Cup, while owner Rich Ricci has gone close before when his Max Dynamite came 2nd and 3rd in 2015 and 2017.

Since his run in the Melbourne Cup, Vauban has run five times in 2024 – finishing in the top four each time and winning the Lonsdale Cup at York at the end of August. He was last seen running second behind the classy stayer Kyprios in Irish St Leger on 15th September (watch below).

St Leger Winner Jan Brueghel Handed 8st 7lbs (54kg)

Trainer Aidan O’Brien’s son Joseph has won the Melbourne Cup twice before (2017, Rekindling and 2020, Twilight Payment) – however, he’s yet to taste success in Australia’s biggest horse racing contest.

O’Brien Snr could have a big chance of break that duck though as recent St Leger first and second – Jan Brueghel and Illinois – still hold entries in the Melbourne Cup and O’Brien hasn’t ruled out the trip.

If so, the St Leger winner, Jan Brueghel, who is still unbeaten (4 from 4) will carry 8st 7lbs (54kg) and Illinois will have 8st 5lbs (53kg) – the pair both carried 9st 3lbs in their St Leger runs.

Aidan O’Brien could also run Point Lonsdale (8st 10lbs, 55.5kg) and St Leger 5th Grosvenor Square (8st 10lbs, 55.5kg).

Main 2024 Melbourne Cup Runners and Their Allocated Weights

Last Year’s Melbourne Cup Winner Without A Fight Allocated 9st 3lbs in Weight

We saw the Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained Without A Fight run away with the Melbourne Cup in 2023 and he’s back for more (watch below).

He’ll be looking to become the first back-to-back winner since Makybe Diva, who won three on the spin between 2003 and 2005, and if he can he’ll have to do so with 4lbs more (9st 3lbs, 58.5kg).

What Is The Best Melbourne Cup Weight To Carry?

See below the weights carried by the last 10 winners of the Melbourne Cup.

From this period, we’ve seen 50% of the last 10 winners carry 8st 5lbs or less, while ALL 10 winners had 9st 1lbs or less on their backs.

The last four winners carried between 8st 10lbs and 9st 1lb – meaning there was just a 5lb range between these quartet of Melbourne Cup winners.

What Weight Did The 2023 Melbourne Cup Winner Without A Fight Have?

Last year’s Melbourne Cup winner – Without A Fight – carried 8st 13lbs.

What Are The Maximum and Minimum Melbourne Cup Weights?

The Melbourne Cup topweight horse must carry a minimum of 57 kilograms or more, with the minimum overall weight in the race being 49kg for 3 year-olds and 50kgs for 4 year-olds+.

When Is The Melbourne Cup 2024?

📅Date: Tuesday 5th November 2024
⌚Time: 4:00am (GMT)
🏇Racecourse: Flemington (2m)
💰Winning Purse: £2,485,875
📺 TV: Sky Sports Racing

What Is The Maximum Melbourne Cup Runners?

There can’t be any more than 24 Melbourne Cup runners in the race.

Recent Melbourne Cup Winners (Last 10 Years)