<p>When you sit there wondering what the Melbourne Cup history is, you have to transport yourself back in time to well over 150 years ago. You’re going to find yourself<strong>&nbsp;</strong>at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, a horse race took place that would go on to change the very fabric of the Australian sporting landscape.</p> <p>That race is of course known today as the Melbourne Cup, and it is the biggest event on the Australian horse racing calendar.</p> <p>These days it’s known as “the race that stops a nation”, attracts an annual viewership of well over one million people and has a prize pool of $8 million.&nbsp;Giving you a nice guess at answering how much does the Melbourne Cup winner get?</p> <p>But it hasn’t always been that way. The Melbourne Cup has a long and storied history, one that is worth looking back on.</p> <p>That’s why as part of our Spring Carnival series we’re taking a trot down memory lane and looking back on the Melbourne Cup history.</p> <p>So, saddle up and get ready to learn all about the race that stops a nation before this year’s edition on November 4th.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>When did the Melbourne Cup Start?</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>To understand the history of the Melbourne Cup you must first know when the first Melbourne Cup started. The first-ever Melbourne Cup was run on Thursday, November 7th, 1861. You may be confused as the long-standing tradition has this great race beginning on a Tuesday. Well, thetradition of having it on the first Tuesday of November wasn’t introduced until 1875.</p> <p>It was held at Flemington Racecourse, where it is still held to this day. About 4000 people gathered to see what all the fuss was about, a fraction of the approximately 100,000 spectators who turn up in their Sunday best these days.</p> <p>At that first meeting, a total of 57 horses were scheduled to run, but for one reason or another, only 17 steeds ended up taking part in the inaugural Melbourne Cup.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Who Won the First Melbourne Cup?</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Of the 17 horses that ran the first ever Melbourne Cup, it was a horse from NSW named Archer who would be first past the post.</p> <p>Archer won by six lengths on that day in 1961 and successfully defended his title the following year, claiming back-to-back Melbourne Cups.</p> <p>The prize Archer’s owners received back then was 710 gold sovereigns (yeah, we don’t know what they are either) and a gold watch (that’s more like it).</p> <p>Still, this pales in comparison to the $8 million purse that is on offer these days.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Who Won the Most Recent Melbourne Cup?</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The most recent edition of the Melbourne Cup was won by the thoroughbred Knight’s Choice. Ridden by jockey Robbie Dolan and trained by John Symons and Sheila Laxon, Knight’s Choice surged late in the race to secure victory in one of the most dramatic photo finishes in Cup history.</p> <p>Only days earlier, expectations had been modest for the five-year-old gelding, making his ascent to Cup glory all the more remarkable.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>When did Michelle Payne Win the Melbourne Cup?</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>These days everyone knows the name of Michelle Payne. With a smash hit movie focussing on the life of Australia’s first-ever female jockey Melbourne Cup winner, how could you not?&nbsp;</p> <p>Michelle Payne won the Melbourne Cup in 2015, by half a length while riding the New Zealand dynamo Prince of Penzance. This fairytale ending to Michelle Payne’s story was further accentuated by the odds with her pairing not featuring in the top 3 for many bookmakers.&nbsp;</p> <p>You can check out other<a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/horse-racing/news/best-australian-jockeys"> famous Australian Jockeys</a> on the Huddle as we continue to count down all things horse racing.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>History of the Melbourne Cup a Timeline</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>1861 – The first ever Melbourne Cup is run.</p> <p>1865 – A trophy opposed to a watch is awarded for the first time.</p> <p>1873 – Melbourne Cup Day becomes an official public holiday in Melbourne.</p> <p>1875 – The Cup is held on a Tuesday for the first time.</p> <p>1930 – The legendary Phar Lap wins the Cup.</p> <p>1965 – Legendary trainer Bart Cummings wins his first Melbourne Cup.&nbsp;</p> <p>1985 – The Melbourne Cup becomes the first race in Australia with prize money of $1 million.&nbsp;</p> <p>1987 – Maree Lyndon becomes the first female jockey to ride in the Melbourne Cup.&nbsp;</p> <p>2003 – Record attendance of 122,736 people is set.&nbsp;</p> <p>2005 – Makybe Diva makes history by becoming the first horse to win the Melbourne Cup three times in a row.&nbsp;</p> <p>2008 – Bart Cummings wins his 12th and final Melbourne Cup as a trainer.</p> <p>2015 – Michelle Payne becomes the first ever female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup.</p> <p>2022 – Gold Trip the Melbourne&nbsp;Cup as the heaviest winner since 2015 Makybe Diva.</p> <p>2023 - Without A Fight wins the race without a fight and storms home for Jockey Mark Zahra’s second win in a row.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>If you’re looking for help selecting a Melbourne Cup tip then head on over to our <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/horse-racing/melbourne-cup/the-melbourne-cup-2024">Melbourne Cup Tips and Preview</a>, as our experts detail everything you need to get through Australia’s great race. Make sure you don’t miss out on the fun this year. Watch the race that stops a nation live on Sportsbet. For more information check out our <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/horse-racing/melbourne-cup/how-to-stream-melbourne-cup">How to Stream the Melbourne Cup</a> guide.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Melbourne Cup 2025&nbsp;Odds</h2>