Trainer: Joseph O’Brien
Jockey: Jye McNeil
Silks: Navy Blue, White Armbands, Red Cap

Nothing like this had ever happened in Melbourne Cup history. The race went ahead as usual on the First Tuesday in November, overseas horses were part of the field, but because of the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, no-one was allowed on course except officials, trainers, jockeys, and stable hands—and the horses. Twilight Payment had first raced with success in England and Ireland, trained by Jim Bolger, before being sold to Lloyd Williams and transferred to Joseph O’Brien. He ran unplaced in the 2019 Melbourne Cup, then returned to race in Ireland where he won twice the following year, including the Curragh Cup. Back to Flemington just for the Melbourne Cup, Twilight Payment was ridden for the first time by young local jockey, Jye McNeil who led almost all the way. It was a record seventh Melbourne Cup for Lloyd Williams as part-owner. There was strange silence at the finish, but it was still Cup magic, shared electronically around the world. The runner-up, Tiger Moth, was trained by Joseph O’Brien’s father, Aidan. 

Trainer: Chris Waller
Jockey: James McDonald
Silks: Red, Royal Blue Band, Armbands And Band On Cap

Trainer Chris Waller became a household name through the triumphs of the great mare Winx whose 37 wins included four Cox Plates. Winx was a middle-distance champion who never raced over the 3200 metre distance of a Melbourne Cup, but Waller was at last able to win the Cup in 2021 with another world-class champion mare, the curiously-spelt Verry Elleegant. Like Waller himself, she had been born and raised in New Zealand before coming to Australia. Her early wins at three years included the Group 1 Australian Oaks at Randwick and the Vinery Stud Stakes at Rosehill. In 2020 she won four Group 1 races in Sydney and Melbourne, including the Caulfield Cup. In 2021 there were four more, culminating in the Melbourne Cup. In perfect race conditions at Flemington, only 10,000 people were allowed on course, under COVID-19 restrictions, to see one of the best mares of the past 50 years win the 161st running of the Melbourne Cup. World-class winning jockey, James McDonald, Sydney based, was also originally from New Zealand.

Trainer: Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
Jockey: Mark Zahra
Silks: Royal Blue, White Horseshoe, Black And White Checked Sleeves And Cap

Gold Trip was bred and first raced in France before coming to Australia with the 2022 Melbourne Cup in mind. Trained originally by Fabrice Chappet at Chantilly, he won the Grade 2 Prix Greffulhe and was second in the Prix Ganay at Longchamp. Acquired by Australian Bloodstock who were also part of the ownership of 2014 Melbourne Cup winner, Protectionist, Gold Trip came to Victoria to be part of the powerful Maher–Eustace training partnership. An impressive second in the 2022 Caulfield Cup and an unlucky unplaced run set him up for victory as topweight in the Melbourne Cup. It was the first Cup win for Mark Zahra and it set the jockey up for a brilliant run of success over the following year and beyond. Gold Trip returned to form with a win in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes and a third in the 2023 Caulfield Cup but finished unplaced in the subsequent Melbourne Cup.  

Trainer: Anthony & Sam Freedman
Jockey: Mark Zahra
Silks: Yellow, Black Spots Sash And Cap

In winning the 2023 Lexus Melbourne Cup, the Irish-bred Without A Fight became the 12th horse to win the Caulfield–Melbourne Cups double. And despite a one kilogram penalty from winning the Caulfield Cup, Without A Fight looked a winner as the field headed into the home straight. It was back-to-back victories for jockey Mark Zahra. For the father-son training partnership it was a first victory but a sixth for the immediate family. Anthony Freedman’s brother Lee had been official trainer of five Melbourne Cup winners, but the brothers were part of his team. Add three more Melbourne Cup wins by great-grandfather jockey W.H. McLachlan (1909, 1910, 1917), and that comes to nine for the family. For Anthony’s son Sam, that is a five-generation dynasty. Without A Fight was bred and owned by Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum. He raced first in Britain for trainers Simon and Ed Crisford before being sent to the Australia for a first-up run, unplaced, in the 2022 Melbourne Cup. A change of trainers and time to acclimatise worked wonders. Four wins in five starts culminated in his triumph in the Melbourne Cup.

Trainer: John Symons & Sheila Laxon
Jockey: Robbie Dolan
Silks: 

At the traditional Call of the Card function the day before the 2024 Lexus Melbourne Cup, you could have secured 300/1 on offer about Knight’s Choice winning the Cup. He was an outsider for many but not for his trainers John Symons and Sheila Laxon who had waited a long time to see their diminutive son of Extreme Choice reach his full potential. Only 15.2 hands high and possessing a pedigree more attuned to a sprinter than a stayer, his form leading into the Cup was questioned have finished 14th of 18 in the Caulfield Cup. However, in the Bendigo Cup 11 days later he ran an improved 5th of 15 behind Sea King beaten just over five lengths. While improving it was still a big ask to get to Flemington and win Australia’s greatest horse race. But then again, with Symons and Laxon at the helm one should have known things were not impossible. For Laxon it was her second win in the race from two starters (Ethereal – 2001) and Symons a sweet victory following a chequered health history over the past few years. For celebrity singing Irish jockey, Robbie Dolan it was also the biggest win of his career presenting a flawless ride on the day. Having only raced twice previous at the track, it was Dolan’s finest hour.