The Melbourne Cup is famously known as the “race that stops a nation” and we’re here to discuss the top 5 most memorable Melbourne Cup winners. As one of the most popular races on the Racing calendar, horse racing betting is always a big talking point among punters and the media. There have been some huge outsiders who have won the Cup and bookmakers are always bringing out their best betting features during this time. Speaking of outsiders, let’s start with Viewed’s victory in 2008.

5 – Viewed (2008)

The victory by Viewed in 2008 will be remembered as one of the closest finishes in Cup history. As a huge underdog coming into the Cup, Viewed wasn’t expected to get near the lead but successfully held off Bauer down the straight for a famous victory in the Bart Cummings stable. It gave Cummings an incredible 12th Cup victory in his career, which would also be his last before sadly passing in 2015.

4 – Delta Blues (2006)

The 2006 Cup was all about the Japanese pair of Delta Blues and Pop Rock as they battled for victory down the Flemington straight. Most punters were backing Pop Rock to get the job done and didn’t give Delta Blues much of a chance. But Delta Blues held its nerve to claim the first-ever victory for a Japanese horse in the Cup. After the win, the Melbourne Cup became more popular among Internationals and this trend has continued since 2006 as we’re seeing more and more overseas runners travel to Australia.

3 – Might and Power (1997)

Might and Power claimed a rare Caulfield Cup/Melbourne Cup double in 1997. It was a memorable ride in the race that stops a nation as Might and Power led from start to finish. It came down to the wire in the straight as he held on in a photo finish with Doriemus. Following the victory, Might and Power backed up with a Cox Plate victory in 1998 and stamped himself as one of the best on turf.

2 – Media Puzzle (2002)

The 2002 Melbourne Cup was an emotional time for Media Puzzle’s jockey Damien Oliver. In the past week, Oliver’s brother tragically died due to a riding injury in Perth. So it likely gave Oliver even more motivation to win the Cup and he did just that with Media Puzzle. He won fairly easily in the end by 3 lengths and after finishing the race, Damien saluted his brother in great style. This will go down as arguably the greatest story in Cup history.

1 – Makybe Diva (2005)

There was immense pressure on Makybe Diva in 2005 after claiming victory in back-to-back years from 2003-2004. She was also coming off a gruelling win in the Cox Plate, which could’ve put her fitness to the test in the Cup. But the Mare was declared fit for the Cup and went into the race with a weight record on her back. However, Makybe Diva proved that she’s one of the greats with a famous victory in the 2005 Melbourne Cup, claiming a record 3rd straight title. We’ll likely never see such a dominant runner in the Cup so this feat will be remembered for a long time into the future.