| 2023 Melbourne Cup | |
| Horse Race: | Melbourne Cup |
| Location: | Flemington Racecourse Melbourne, Australia |
| Date: | 7 November 2023 |
| Distance: | 3,200 metres |
| Winning Horse: | Without A Fight |
| Starting Price: | $9.00 |
| Winning Jockey: | Mark Zahra |
| Winning Trainer: | Anthony & Sam Freedman |
| Surface: | Grass |
| Attendance: | 84,492 |
| Previous: | 2022 |
| Next: | 2024 |
The 2023 Melbourne Cup, known commercially as the 2023 Lexus Melbourne Cup, was the 163rd running of the Melbourne Cup, an Australian thoroughbred horse race. The race, run over 3200m (10,500feet), was held on 7 November 2023 at Melbourne's Flemington Racecourse.
The final field for the race was declared on 4 November 2023.[1] The total prize money for the race was A$8.41 million, a $410,000 increase from 2022.[2] It was the last Melbourne Cup broadcast by Network 10, who have broadcast the race since 2019 and dropped out of the bidding for the broadcast rights in June 2023.[3] [4] In February 2024, Nine Entertainment, owner of Nine Network, announced they will broadcast the race from 2024 until 2029.[5] [6] [7]
The race was won by Without A Fight, ridden by Mark Zahra.[8] It was Zahra's second Melbourne Cup win, having ridden Gold Trip to victory in the 2022 Melbourne Cup.[9]
The top-weighted horse was the 17th placed Gold Trip carrying 58kg, then Alenquer (21st), and the winner Without A Fight on 56.5kg.
| Number | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Weight (kg) | Barrier | Placing[10] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gold Trip (FR) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | 58 | 2 | 17th | ||
| 2 | Alenquer (FR) | Damien Oliver | 56.5 | 9 | 21st | ||
| 3 | Without A Fight (IRE) | Anthony Freedman & Sam Freedman | Mark Zahra | 56.5 | 10 | 1st | |
| 4 | Breakup (JPN) | Tatsuya Yoshioka | Kohei Matsuyama | 55 | 18 | 16th | |
| 5 | Vauban (FR) | Ryan Moore | 55 | 3 | 14th | ||
| 6 | Soulcome (GB) | João Moreira | 53.5 | 4 | 2nd | ||
| 7 | Absurde (FR) | Willie Mullins | 53 | 8 | 7th | ||
| 8 | Right You Are | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | John Allen | 53 | 15 | FF | |
| 9 | Danny O'Brien | Billy Egan | 53 | 19 | 9th | ||
| 10 | Cleveland (IRE) | Kris Lees | Michael Dee | 52 | 23 | ||
| 11 | Ashrun (FR) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Kerrin McEvoy | 51.5 | 11 | 4th | |
| 12 | Daqiansweet Junior (NZ) | Phillip Stokes | Daniel Stackhouse | 51.5 | 12 | 5th | |
| 13 | Okita Soushu (IRE) | Joseph O'Brien | Dylan Gibbons | 51.5 | 20 | 11th | |
| 14 | Sheraz (FR) | Chris Waller | Beau Mertens | 51.5 | 22 | 3rd | |
| 15 | Lastotchka (FR) | Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr | Craig Williams | 51 | 21 | 13th | |
| 16 | Magical Lagoon (IRE) | Chris Waller | 51 | 7 | 22nd | ||
| 17 | Military Mission (IRE) | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Rachel King | 51 | 5 | 10th | |
| 18 | Serpentine (IRE) | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Jye McNeil | 51 | 1 | 19th | |
| 19 | Virtous Circle (NZ) | Liam Howley | Craig Newitt | 51 | 6 | 18th | |
| 20 | More Fellons (IRE) | Chris Waller | Jamie Kah | 50.5 | 24 | 12th | |
| 21 | Future History (GB) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Hollie Doyle | 50 | 13 | 15th | |
| 22 | Interpretation (IRE) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Teo Nugent | 50 | 17 | 6th | |
| 23 | Kalapour (IRE) | Kris Lees | Zac Lloyd | 50 | 14 | 20th | |
| 24 | True Marvel (FR) | Matthew Smith | Ben Thompson | 50 | 10 | 8th |