The Melbourne Cup is a prestigious horse race held in Australia every year. It is one of the most iconic races in the world, and one of the most highly anticipated events in the Australian sporting calendar. It is the highlight of the spring racing carnival and attracts a huge international audience. The Melbourne Cup is a Group One race, which means it is open to the best horses in the world.
The race is run over a distance of 3200 metres and is open to horses aged three years and over. It is a handicap race, which means that each horse is allocated a weight to carry, based on its past performances. The race is run on the first Tuesday of November, and is known as the “race that stops a nation”.
The History of the Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup was first run in 1861, and has since become the world’s richest and most prestigious two-mile handicap race. The first winner was Archer, who was owned by Etienne de Mestre. The race is run at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, and the current purse is worth approximately $7.3 million.
The race has evolved over the years, with the introduction of the Barrier Draw in 1883 and the introduction of the “Ladies Stand” in 1895. In the early days of the race, the winner usually came from the first few barriers, with the furthest back barrier being the 18th.
Barrier 21 of the Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup has a total of 24 barriers, which are arranged in a semicircle. The barrier numbers range from 1 to 24, with the first six barriers being the inner barriers, and the last six barriers being the outer barriers. Barrier 21 is located at the back of the field, and horses drawn in this position are considered to have a disadvantage, as they have to cover more ground than the horses in the inner barriers.
Historically, the horses drawn in barrier 21 have not been successful in the Melbourne Cup. In fact, since the race began in 1861, no horse has ever won the Melbourne Cup from barrier 21. This is due to the fact that horses drawn in this position have to cover more ground than the horses in the inner barriers and are at a disadvantage when it comes to winning the race.
Notable Horses Drawn in Barrier 21
Despite the fact that no horse has ever won the Melbourne Cup from barrier 21, there have been some notable horses drawn in this position over the years. In the 2019 Melbourne Cup, a horse named Prince Of Arran was drawn in barrier 21. He finished third in the race and was the highest-placed finisher from barrier 21.
In the 2018 Melbourne Cup, a horse named Best Solution was drawn in barrier 21. He finished fourth in the race and was the highest-placed finisher from barrier 21. In the 2017 Melbourne Cup, a horse named Johannes Vermeer was drawn in barrier 21. He finished fifth in the race and was the highest-placed finisher from barrier 21.
Advantages of Being Drawn in Barrier 21
Despite the fact that no horse has ever won the Melbourne Cup from barrier 21, there are some advantages to being drawn in this position. One of the biggest advantages is the fact that the horses in the outer barriers are less likely to be interfered with by the horses in the inner barriers. This means that the horses in the outer barriers have a better chance of getting a clear run.
Another advantage of being drawn in barrier 21 is that the horses in the outer barriers are less likely to be crowded out of the race. This means that they have a better chance of getting a clear run and finishing strongly.
The Chances of Winning From Barrier 21
Despite the fact that no horse has ever won the Melbourne Cup from barrier 21, there is still a chance that a horse could win from this position. This is because the race is a handicap race, and the weight the horses are allocated is based on their past performances. This means that if a horse has a good record in handicap races, it has a good chance of winning the Melbourne Cup, regardless of its barrier position.
Furthermore, the Melbourne Cup is a two-mile race and this means that the horses in the outer barriers have more time to make up the ground they lost at the start. This means that if a horse is a strong stayer and is not interfered with in the early stages of the race, it has a good chance of making up the ground and winning the race.
Notable Horses Who Have Won From Wide Barriers
Despite the fact that no horse has ever won the Melbourne Cup from barrier 21, there have been some notable horses who have won the race from wide barriers. The most notable of these is Makybe Diva, who won the race three times from barriers 18, 19 and 20.
Other notable horses who have won the Melbourne Cup from wide barriers include Efficient (2006), Shocking (2009), Americain (2010) and Dunaden (2011).
Conclusion
The Melbourne Cup is one of the most prestigious and iconic races in the world, and it is the highlight of the Australian sporting calendar. The race is run over a distance of 3200 metres and is open to horses aged three years and over. It is a handicap race, which means that each horse is allocated a weight to carry, based on its past performances.
Barrier 21 is located at the back of the field and horses drawn in this position are considered to have a disadvantage, as they have to cover more ground than the horses in the inner barriers. Despite this, no horse has ever won the Melbourne Cup from barrier 21. However, there are some advantages to being drawn in this position, such as the fact that the horses in the outer barriers are less likely to be interfered with by the horses in the inner barriers, and they have more time to make up the ground they lost at the start.
Notable Horses Who Have Won From Wide Barriers
Despite the fact that no horse has ever won the Melbourne Cup from barrier 21, there have been some notable horses who have won the race from wide barriers. The most notable of these is Makybe Diva, who won the race three times from barriers 18, 19 and 20.
Other notable horses who have won the Melbourne Cup from wide barriers include:
- Efficient (2006)
- Shocking (2009)
- Americain (2010)
- Dunaden (2011)
The Future of Barrier 21 in the Melbourne Cup
Despite the fact that no horse has ever won the Melbourne Cup from barrier 21, it is still possible for a horse to win from this position. This is because the Melbourne Cup is a handicap race, and the weight the horses are allocated is based on their past performances. This means that if a horse has a good record in handicap races, it has a good chance of winning the Melbourne Cup, regardless of its barrier position.
Furthermore, the horses in the outer barriers have more time to make up the ground they lost at the start, which means that if a horse is a strong stayer and is not interfered with in the early stages of the race, it has a good chance of making up the ground and winning the race.
The Impact of Barrier 21 on the Melbourne Cup
Despite the fact that no horse has ever won the Melbourne Cup from barrier 21, the position still has a huge impact on the race. This is because the horses in the outer barriers are less likely to be interfered with by the horses in the inner barriers, and they have more time to make up the ground they lost at the start. This means that if a horse is a strong stayer and is not interfered with in the early stages of the race, it has a good chance of making up the ground and winning the race.
Furthermore, the horses in the outer barriers are less likely to be crowded out of the race, which means that they have a better chance of getting a clear run and finishing strongly.
Conclusion
The Melbourne Cup is the world’s richest and most prestigious two-mile handicap race. It is run at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, and the current purse is worth approximately $7.3 million. The race has a total of 24 barriers, which are arranged in a semicircle. The barrier numbers range from 1 to 24, with the first six barriers being the inner barriers, and the last six barriers being the outer barriers. Barrier 21 is located at the back of the field, and horses drawn in this position are considered to have a disadvantage, as they have to cover more ground than the horses in the inner barriers.
Despite the fact that no horse has ever won the Melbourne Cup from barrier 21, there are some advantages to being drawn in this position. Furthermore, the Melbourne Cup is a handicap race, and the weight the horses are allocated is based on their past performances, which means that if a horse has a good record in handicap races, it has a good chance of winning the race, regardless of its barrier position.
Finally, the horses in the outer barriers are less likely to be interfered with by the horses in the inner barriers, and they have more time to make up the ground they lost at the start. This means that if a horse is a strong stayer and is not interfered with in the early stages of the race, it has a good chance of making up the ground and winning the race.