Melbourne Cup Barrier Statistics & Historical Trends
Barriers play a pivotal role in the Melbourne Cup as a suitable gate that favours a horse’s running style can make the difference between winning and losing.
There is a lot of speculation about whether inside, middle or outside barriers are best, but the truth is, there are a lot of variables.
We dive into some winning barrier stats in the Melbourne Cup to try and help you find a winner.
When are Melbourne Cup Barriers Decided?
The 2025 Melbourne Cup field and barrier draw takes place on Saturday, November 1 following the completion of Derby Day.
Melbourne Cup Winner Barrier Stats - Last 20 Years
Below are the last 20 Melbourne Cup winners and the barrier they jumped from. In the last 20 years, horses have won from the inside draw to gate 22, and the only distinct pattern appears to be that three horses have won from gates 5 and 10 in that time.
| Year | Horse | Barrier |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Knight's Choice | 5 |
| 2023 | Without A Fight | 16 |
| 2022 | Gold Trip | 14 |
| 2021 | Verry Elleegant | 18 |
| 2020 | Twilight Payment | 12 |
| 2019 | Vow And Declare | 21 |
| 2018 | Cross Counter | 19 |
| 2017 | Rekindling | 4 |
| 2016 | Almandin | 17 |
| 2015 | Prince of Penzance | 1 |
| 2014 | Protectionist | 10 |
| 2013 | Fiorente | 5 |
| 2012 | Green Moon | 5 |
| 2011 | Dunaden | 13 |
| 2010 | Americain | 14 |
| 2009 | Shocking | 22 |
| 2008 | Viewed | 8 |
| 2007 | Efficient | 10 |
| 2006 | Delta Blues | 10 |
| 2005 | Makybe Diva | 14 |
Most Successful Melbourne Cup Barriers
Barrier 5 sits atop the most successful barriers in the Melbourne Cup with nine wins, just ahead of gate 14 with eight wins and barrier 10 with seven wins.
| Barrier | Wins |
|---|---|
| 5 | 9 |
| 14 | 8 |
| 10 | 7 |
| 19 | 6 |
| 11 | 6 |
| 6 | 5 |
| 8 | 5 |
| 17 | 5 |
Least Successful Barriers in the Melbourne Cup
Barriers 7, 15 and 18 are the least successful in Cup history having yielded just one win each. Until 2021, barrier 18 was the only gate to have not produced a winner, but Verry Elleegant changed that and broke the barrier 18 hoodoo.
The Disadvantage of Wide Barriers in the Melbourne Cup
Wide gates can see the best horses come undone, and especially in the Melbourne Cup where there is a capacity field of 24 runners. That’s not to say a horse can’t win from a wide barrier, but they do require more luck than horses drawn favourably.
The main issue with wide barriers is a horse has to come across and try and find a trailing position, and from a wide gate, that will generally leave them wide throughout the race covering more ground. It can also mean they have to push forward or drift back to find cover, which leaves them in a spot that doesn’t suit their running style.
Another issue with jumping from a wide gate is the distance travelled from each barrier to the first turn at Flemington in the Melbourne Cup.. A horse jumping from gate 12 will have to cover 1.5 meters more than a horse in barrier 1, and a horse from the outside gate (24) will have to cover 3 meters more than the horse in gate 1. When racing is a game of millimeters, any extra distance travelled can impact on the result.
Our expert Melbourne Cup tips consider the impact of barriers and how that will affect the speed map of the race. The speed map is essentially a prediction of where each runner will be positioned in the run based on where they jumped from and which racing pattern they follow.
Do Barriers Affect Melbourne Cup Odds?
Barriers have have a big impact on odds, especially in the Melbourne Cup where there is a field of up to 24 runners. The biggest shift in the market will generally happen after the barrier draw has been declared. Then you will see a true reflection of each horse's chance with the odds that are displayed on Melbourne Cup betting apps.
