The 24 champions of the turf making up the Lexus Melbourne Cup The Race of Dreams have been revealed. They are headlined by three-time Cup winner Makybe Diva.
The much-anticipated virtual race, developed by Inspired Entertainment, will bring together the most memorable Cup victors in the 160-year history of the Melbourne Cup to determine the ultimate champion. The race will be shown live and free on Network 10 and 10 Play at 1:30pm on Lexus Melbourne Cup Day, Tuesday 3 November.
Super mare Makybe Diva is joined in the field by other Australian racing icons such as Phar Lap, Carbine, Archer and Might and Power.
The legendary Cups King Bart Cummings is represented in the final field by five horses; Light Fingers, Galilee, Think Big, Let’s Elope and Saintly, with Cummings’ father Jim represented by Comic Court.
An expert panel comprising VRC Ambassador and Hall of Fame trainer Gai Waterhouse, Network 10’s Francesca Cumani, broadcaster Gerard Whateley, Herald Sun Chief Racing Writer Leo Schlink, legendary race caller Greg Miles, Racing Victoria Chief Handicapper Greg Carpenter and the VRC’s Executive General Manager Racing Leigh Jordon settled on the final 24 after much deliberation.
Notable names such as Peter Pan, Nightmarch, Rising Fast and Rain Lover will also feature in the race, with Victorian race caller and the voice of the Lexus Melbourne Cup Matt Hill to call the lifelike event.
Vintage Crop enters the field as the first international winner of the Melbourne Cup with France’s Americain and Dunaden adding more international flavour to the race.
VRC Chairman Amanda Elliott said the final field will bring back great memories, create many talking points and provide inspiration in this challenging year.
“The Lexus Melbourne Cup is one of the most recognised horse races in the world and every year the winner cements their place in Australian sporting history,” Mrs Elliott said.
“Melbourne Cup champions such as Phar Lap, Carbine, Makybe Diva, Saintly and Might and Power captured public attention, won our hearts and have all become legends in their own right. It is always uplifting to remember and celebrate those monumental achievements.
“In my lifetime I have been fortunate enough to witness some incredible Cup victories, none more impressive than Makybe Diva winning her third Cup in 2005. Creating a virtual race to compare recent winners to those of the past will be fascinating, and will certainly generate some robust and pretty entertaining debate.”
The expert panel was involved in selecting the final 24 horses and assessing the final field from 1-24, to help devise a ranking that was sent to Inspired Entertainment along with information such as each horse’s running style, winning time and the handicap weight assigned by Chief Handicapper Greg Carpenter in Lexus Melbourne Cup The Race of Dreams.
Inspired Entertainment then uses a complex algorithm to decide the actual race result, while their designers develop the lifelike race simulation.
The 2020 Melbourne Cup Carnival begins with AAMI Victoria Derby Day on Saturday 31 October 2020 followed by Lexus Melbourne Cup Day on Tuesday 3 November, Kennedy Oaks Day on Thursday 5 November and Seppelt Wines Stakes Day on Saturday 7 November.
2020 Melbourne Cup Carnival. Live And Free On 10 and streamed on 10 play.
