In the last 45 years the Melbourne Cup has become a truly international event.
But since the early 1990's we have had overseas horses specifically encouraged to compete in our premier horse race and not just be trained here.
However overseas horses had tasted success in the Cup as far back as 1910 when Comedy King became the first "import" to win our major prize in racing.
Blackwood in 1924 was the second international horse to win.
Since 1978 we have seen a constant flow of overseas participation, be it by Australians purchasing overseas horses to aim them specifically at the Cup, breeding them to overseas time or by racing authorities offering inducements to get overseas owners and trainers to make the long journey down under.
The late Robert Sangster started the "new" trend back in 1978 with Panamint and then finally succeeding two years later in 1980 with Beldale Ball.
Imported horses to be trained here changed to be those who come to Australia to race with their current trainers from the mid '90s. In more recent times those overseas trainers are starting to get a better idea of the type of horse required to win the Cup.
In the past the emphasis has been on the dour staying types of gallopers who can stay all day, ie up to 4000m.
However it has been shown that the best type of European galloper is one with form up to about 2800m - the distance of the Irish St Leger which Vintage Crop won before coming to Australia. Media Puzzle was a similar type of galloper before he came down for the Cup.
Americain showed in his Geelong Cup win he too had that dash as did his French compatriot Dunaden who blazed a similar trail in the same lead up race.
The really dour overseas stayers don't have the ability to sprint at the end of a 3200m race and have largely been a failure in Australia. Green Moon was raced in Australian interests but was originally a Listed Race winner with Harry Dunlop.
In 2013 the redoubtable Red Cadeaux was second again and in fact the first five home all started their racing careers in Europe while a year later it was the German horse Protectionist who beat old Red again.
2017 saw an all Irish trifecta with a European 3yo taking the prize as Rekindling won for Joseph O'Brien beating his father Aidan home.
It happened again in 2018 as the trifecta went to one country. England scored its first training win as Charlie Appleby gave Godolphin their initial Melbourne Cup success with Cross Counter.
An Aussie fought off a swag of globetrotters in 2019.
Then in 2020 we went back to the global domination as Twilight Payment from Ireland beat Tiger Moth from Ireland with Prince Of Arran from England placed once again despite it being affected by coronavirus attendance.
There were only two to contest in 2021 due to worldwide issues of travel through the pandemic and also concerns that participants expressed regarding test requirements for those entries.
Also in 2022, while now a local being trained by Maher/Eustace, Gold Trip was a French horse who had run in a Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe two years before.
Without A Fight ran in the 2022 Cup when down the track but stayed in Australia under the Freedman's banner and did the Cups double in 2023.
So when looking at the imports we should focus on Group performers who have excellent form between roughly 2500m to 3200m.
Year | Horse | Finish | Odds | Margin | Jockey |
2023 | Absurde | 7th | 8/1 | 5.5L | Zac Purton |
Okita Soushi | 11th | 100/1 | 8.4L | Dylan Gibbons | |
Vauban | 14th | 9/2 | 13.4L | Ryan Moore | |
Breakup | 16th | 17/1 | 14.3L | Kohei Matsuyama | |
2022 | Deauville Legend | 4th | 3/1 | 5.0L | Kerrin McEvoy |
Without A Fight | 13th | 11/1 | 21.2L | William Buick | |
2021 | Spanish Mission | 3rd | 9/1 | 4.4L | Craig Williams |
Twilight Payment | 11th | 12/1 | 19.4L | Jye McNeil | |
2020 | Twilight Payment | WON | 25/1 | 0.4L | Jye McNeil |
Tiger Moth | 2nd | 11/2 | 0.4L | Kerrin McEvoy | |
Prince Of Arran | 3rd | 8/1 | 0.6L | Jamie Kah | |
Ashrun | 10th | 25/1 | 4.8L | Declan Bates | |
Master Of Reality | 15th | 20/1 | 10.7L | Ben Melham | |
Stratum Albion | 20th | 30/1 | 17.9L | Jordan Childs | |
Dashing Willoughby | 21st | 100/1 | 19.2L | Michael Walker | |
Anthony Van Dyck | DNF | 9/1 | DNF | Hugh Bowman | |
2019 | Prince Of Arran | 2nd | 16/1 | 0.2L | Michael Walker |
Il Paradiso | 3rd | 14/1 | 0.3L | Wayne Lordan | |
Master Of Reality | 4th | 25/1 | 0.4L | Frankie Dettori | |
Mer De Glace | 6th | 8/1 | 1.2L | Damian Lane | |
Cross Counter | 8th | 12/1 | 1.6L | William Buick | |
Magic Wand | 10th | 25/1 | 3.6L | Ryan Moore | |
Twilight Payment | 11th | 40/1 | 3.8L | Hugh Bowman | |
Hunting Horn | 15th | 50/1 | 4.5L | Seamie Heffernan | |
Raymond Tusk | 16th | 20/1 | 5L | Jamie Spencer | |
Latrobe | 18th | 20/1 | 6.5L | James McDonald | |
Downdraft | 22nd | 20/1 | 8.7L | John Allen | |
2018 | Cross Counter | WON | 8/1 | 1.0L | Kerrin McEvoy |
Marmelo | 2nd | 11/1 | 1.0L | Hugh Bowman | |
A Prince Of Arran | 3rd | 20/1 | 3.0L | Michael Walker | |
Rostropovich | 5th | 20/1 | 4.5L | Wayne Lordan | |
Best Solution | 8th | 15/1 | 8.8L | Pat Cosgrave | |
Muntahaa | 9th | 16/1 | 9.6L | Jim Crowley | |
Yucatan | 11th | 5/1 | 11.9L | James McDonald | |
Nakeeta | 12th | 80/1 | 12.0L | Regan Bayliss | |
Chestnut Coat | 14th | 66/1 | 16.3L | Yuga Kawada | |
Magic Circle | 16th | 6/1 | 19.8L | Corey Brown | |
The Cliffsofmoher | DNF | 20/1 | DNF | Ryan Moore | |
2017 | Rekindling | WON | 14/1 | 0.4L | Corey Brown |
Johannes Vermeer | 2nd | 12/1 | 0.4L | Ben Melham | |
Max Dynamite | 3rd | 20/1 | 2.9L | Zac Purton | |
Nakeeta | 5th | 40/1 | 6.5L | Glyn Schofield | |
Thomas Hobson | 6th | 20/1 | 8.8L | Ben Allen | |
Tiberian | 7th | 30/1 | 9.3L | Olivier Peslier | |
Marmelo | 9th | 6/1EF | 9.9L | Hugh Bowman | |
Wicklow Brave | 10th | 66/1 | 10.7L | Stephen Baster | |
Red Cardinal | 11th | 15/1 | 11.5L | Kerrin McEvoy | |
Wall Of Fire | 16th | 10/1 | 15.8L | Craig Williams | |
US Army Ranger | 18th | 66/1 | 16.5L | Jamie Spencer | |
2016 | Heartbreak City | 2nd | 20/1 | 0.2L | Joao Moreira |
Qewy | 4th | 20/1 | 6.8L | Craig Williams | |
Beautiful Romance | 7th | 66/1 | 8.0L | Damian Lane | |
Big Orange | 10th | 12/1 | 9.7L | Jamie Spencer | |
Oceanographer | 12th | 8/1 | 10.2L | Chad Schofield | |
Bondi Beach | 13th | 12/1 | 11.0L | Ryan Moore | |
Secret Number | 21st | 30/1 | 22.0L | Stephen Baster | |
Wicklow Brave | 22nd | 15/1 | 24.0L | Frankie Dettori | |
Curren Mirotic | 23rd | 50/1 | 27.0L | Tommy Berry | |
2015 | Max Dynamite | 2nd | 12/1 | 0.5L | Frankie Dettori |
Trip To Paris | 4th | 5/1 | 2.1L | Tommy Berry | |
Big Orange | 5th | 60/1 | 2.5L | Jamie Spencer | |
Quest For More | 9th | 80/1 | 4L | Damian Lane | |
Fame Game | 13th | 4/1 | 6L | Zac Purton | |
Bondi Beach | 16th | 20/1 | 6.5L | Brett Prebble | |
Hokko Brave | 17th | 40/1 | 6.5L | Craig Williams | |
Kingfisher | 19th | 60/1 | 7.5L | Colm O'Donoghue | |
Sky Hunter | 22nd | 30/1 | 16.5L | William Buick | |
Snow Sky | 23rd | 50/1 | 18.5L | Ryan Moore | |
Red Cadeaux | DNF | 25/1 | DNF | Gerald Mosse | |
2014 | Protectionist | WON | 7/1 | 4L | Ryan Moore |
Red Cadeaux | 2nd | 20/1 | 4L | Gerald Mosse | |
Willing Foe | 5th | 30/1 | 7L | James McDonald | |
Au Revoir | 8th | 66/1 | 11L | Glyn Schofield | |
Seismos | 9th | 100/1 | 12.5L | Craig Newitt | |
Gatewood | 12th | 60/1 | 15.5L | William Buick | |
Mutual Regard | 14th | 8/1 | 17.5L | Damien Oliver | |
My Ambivalent | 17th | 30/1 | 25L | Andrea Atzeni | |
Royal Diamond | 20th | 100/1 | 48L | Steve Arnold | |
Admire Rakti | 22nd | 9/2 | 73.5L | Zac Purton | |
2013 | Red Cadeaux | 2nd | 60/1 | 0.8L | Gerald Mosse |
Mount Athos | 3rd | 12/1 | 2.3L | Craig Williams | |
Simenon | 4th | 20/1 | 2.5L | Richard Hughes | |
Dandino | 5th | 9/1 | 3.5L | Ryan Moore | |
Brown Panther | 8th | 20/1 | 7.3L | Richard Kingscote | |
Dunaden | 11th | 60/1 | 8.8L | Jamie Spencer | |
Royal Empire | 14th | 20/1 | 10.5L | Saeed Bin Suroor | |
Ruscello | 23rd | 50/1 | 56.7L | Chad Schofield | |
Verema | DNF | 16/1 | DNF | Christophe Lemaire | |
2012 | Jakkalberry | 3rd | 80/1 | 2.3L | Colm O'Donoghue |
Mount Athos | 5th | 13/2 | 3.3L | Ryan Moore | |
Red Cadeaux | 8th | 8/1 | 6L | Michael Rodd | |
My Quest For Peace | 10th | 16/1 | 6.3L | Corey Brown | |
Americain | 11th | 13/2 | 6.7L | Damien Oliver | |
Cavalryman | 12th | 30/1 | 7.7L | Frankie Dettori | |
Dunaden | 14th | 6/1 | 10L | Craig Williams | |
Galileo's Choice | 20th | 15/1 | 12L | Pat Smullen | |
2011 | Dunaden | WON | 15/2 | 0.1L | Christophe Lemaire |
Red Cadeaux | 2nd | 30/1 | 0.1L | Michael Rodd | |
Americain | 4th | 4/1 | 1.5L | Gerald Mosse | |
Manighar | 5th | 40/1 | 3L | Damien Oliver | |
Lost In The Moment | 6th | 30/1 | 3L | William Buick | |
Fox Hunt | 7th | 30/1 | 3L | Silvestre de Sousa | |
Drunken Sailor | 12th | 40/1 | 8L | Dwayne Dunn | |
Moyenne Corniche | 15th | 30/1 | 8L | Brett Prebble | |
Saptapadi | 16th | 80/1 | 8.5L | Chris Symons | |
Jukebox Jury | 20th | 14/1 | 17L | Neil Callan | |
Modun | 23rd | 30/1 | 26L | Kerrin McEvoy | |
2010 | Americain | WON | 12/1 | 3.0L | Gerald Mosse |
Holberg | 6th | 20/1 | 6.5L | Frankie Dettori | |
Manighar | 7th | 25/1 | 9.4L | Damien Oliver | |
Illustrious Blue | 9th | 50/1 | 11L | Glen Boss | |
Mr Medici | 10th | 60/1 | 12.5L | Darren Beadman | |
Tokai Trick | 12th | 100/1 | 13L | Shinji Fujita | |
Campanologist | 16th | 66/1 | 19L | Kerrin McEvoy | |
Profound Beauty | 17th | 30/1 | 19.5L | Pat Smullen | |
2009 | Crime Scene | 2nd | 40/1 | 0.8L | Kerrin McEvoy |
Mourilyan | 3rd | 20/1 | 2.3L | Glyn Schofield | |
Munsef | 12th | 50/1 | 6.4L | Zac Purton | |
Basaltico | 18th | 25/1 | 11.5L | Danny Nikolic | |
2008 | Bauer | 2nd | 20/1 | 0.1L | Corey Brown |
Profound Beauty | 5th | 8/1 | 2.7L | Glen Boss | |
Mad Rush | 7th | 9/2 | 5.7L | Damien Oliver | |
Varevees | 14th | 100/1 | 11.3L | Craig Williams | |
Septimus | 18th | 6/1 | 20.5L | Johnny Murtagh | |
Alessandro Volta | 20th | 40/1 | 39.5L | Wayne Lordan | |
Honolulu | 21st | 20/1 | 89.5L | Colm O'Donoghue | |
2007 | Purple Moon | 2nd | 9/2 | 0.5L | Damien Oliver |
Mahler | 3rd | 9/1 | 3.0L | Stephen Baster | |
Tungsten Strike | 21st | 30/1 | 53.9L | Darryll Holland | |
2006 | Delta Blues | WON | 16/1 | 0.1L | Yasunari Iwata |
Pop Rock | 2nd | 5/1EF | 0.1L | Damien Oliver | |
Land N Stars | 5th | 200/1 | 7.6L | John Egan | |
Yeats | 7th | 11/2 | 8.1L | Keiran Fallon | |
Glistening | 10th | 80/1 | 10.4L | Scott Seamer | |
Geordieland | 18th | 15/1 | 28.7L | Frankie Dettori | |
2005 | Vinnie Roe | 8th | 15/1 | 5.5L | Patrick Smullen |
Eye Popper | 12th | 5/1 | 6.8L | Shinji Fujita | |
Grey's Inn | 17th | 80/1 | 17.3L | Weichong Marwing | |
Distinction | 19th | 25/1 | 20.6L | Michael Kinnane | |
Franklins Gardens | 24th | 200/1 | PU | Darryll Holland | |
2004 | Vinnie Roe | 2nd | 5/1 | 1.3L | Patrick Smullen |
Distinction | 6th | 12/1 | 7.4L | Darren Beadman | |
Mamool | 7th | 25/1 | 7.5L | Frankie Dettori | |
Razkalla | 9th | 40/1 | 9.9L | Kerrin McEvoy | |
Media Puzzle | 12th | 20/1 | 15.766 | Damien Oliver | |
2003 | Jardine's Lookout | 3rd | 40/1 | 4.2L | Darryll Holland |
Hugs Dancer | 9th | 15/1 | 8.7L | Dean McKeown | |
Holy Orders | 17th | 30/1 | 16.6L | Davy Condon | |
Millstreet | 21st | 30/1 | 23.1L | Patrick Payne | |
Mamool | 23rd | 11/2F | PU | Frankie Dettori | |
2002 | Media Puzzle | WON | 11/2 | 2.0L | Damien Oliver |
Beekeeper | 3rd | 8/1 | 2.2L | Kerrin McEvoy | |
Vinnie Roe | 4th | 9/2f | 3.9L | Pat Smullen | |
Jardines Lookout | 7th | 30/1 | 7.2L | Paddy Payne | |
Daliapour | 16th | 30/1 | 15.9L | Michael Kinnane | |
Pugin | 18th | 15/2 | 23.9L | Frankie Dettori | |
Hatha Anna | 20th | 50/1 | 28.9L | Richard Hills | |
Sandmason | 23rd | 50/1 | 41.3L | Stephen Arnold | |
2001 | Give The Slip | 2nd | 30/1 | 0.8L | Richard Hills |
Persian Punch | 3rd | 12/1 | 6.8L | Tom Quinn | |
Marienbard | 7th | 16/1 | 8.9L | Frankie Dettori | |
Caitano | 13th | 50/1 | 18.2L | John Murtagh | |
2000 | Artic Owl | 5th | 14/1 | 4.9L | David Harrison |
Enzeli | 15th | 15/1 | 25.8L | Greg Hall | |
Lightning Arrow | 17th | 20/1 | 36.1L | Frankie Dettori | |
Far Cry | 21th | 8/1 | 55.9L | Kevin Darley | |
1999 | Central Park | 2nd | 50/1 | 0.5L | Frankie Dettori |
Travelmate | 5th | 9/1 | 1.0L | David Harrison | |
Yavana's Pace | 12th | 30/1 | 7.2L | Richard Hughes | |
Maridpour | 20th | 66/1 | 14.6L | Steve Arnold | |
1998 | Persian Punch | 3rd | 12/1 | 0.8L | Rodney Quinn |
Taufan's Melody | 4th | 20/1 | 1.0L | Patrick Payne | |
Yorkshire | 5th | 33/1 | 1.1L | Danny Nikolic | |
Faithful Son | 7th | 13/2 | 4.4L | Frankie Dettori | |
Darazari | 11th | 14/1 | 7.1L | Opie Bosson | |
Sheer Danzig | 12th | 20/1 | 7.6L | Damien Oliver | |
Peak Of Perfection | 17th | 330/1 | 10.8L | Saimie Jumaat | |
Three Crowns | FTF | 125/1 | PU | Simon Price | |
1997 | Harbour Dues | 4th | 40/1 | 1.1L | Ray Cochrane |
Arabian Story | 6th | 25/1 | 3.7L | Frankie Dettori | |
1996 | Grey Shot | 7th | 25/1 | 5.3L | Pat Eddery |
Oscar Schindler | 15th | 4/1F | 8.3L | Michael Kinnane | |
Court Of Honour | 20th | 25/1 | 13.3L | Simon Marshall | |
1995 | Vintage Crop | 3rd | 8/1 | 4.3L | Michael Kinnane |
Double Trigger | 18th | 7/2F | 51.0L | Jason Weaver | |
1994 | Vintage Crop | 7th | 5/1F | 6.7L | Michael Kinnane |
River Verdon | 20th | 80/1 | 25.0L | John Marshall | |
Clivedon Gail | 22th | 10/1 | 33.5L | Willie Carson | |
Quick Ransom | 23rd | 7/1 | 33.6L | Brent Thomson | |
1993 | Vintage Crop | WON | 14/1 | 3.0L | Michael Kinnane |
Drum Taps | 9th | 8/1 | 10.4L | Frankie Dettori | |
1992 | Val D'Arno | 13th | 33/1 | 15.6L | P Johnson |
1991 | Ivory Way | 5th | 6/1 | 3.5L | Michael Clarke |
Rasheek | 6th | 25/1 | 4.5L | Peter Hutchinson | |
Al Maheb | 7th | 16/1 | 4.8L | Darren Gauci | |
Alphabel | 16th | 40/1 | 11.3L | Glen Darrington | |
Nayrizi | 19th | 33/1 | 14.3L | Greg Hall | |
1990 | Kingston Rule | WON | 7/1EF | 1.0L | Darren Beadman |
Savage Toss | 7th | 66/1 | 5.0L | Brian Hibberd | |
Water Boatman | 19th | 10/1 | 15.0L | Peter Hutchinson | |
1989 | Kudz | 3rd | 50/1 | 2.4L | Michael Clarke |
Gopak | 12th | 16/1 | 14.0L | Lance O'Sullivan | |
1988 | Natski | 2nd | 5/1EF | 0.1L | Mick Dittman |
Shantaroun | 13th | 10/1 | 9.5L | Greg Hall | |
Authaal | 19th | 12/1 | 14.5L | Brent Thomson | |
1987 | Rosedale | 3rd | 5/1F | 0.6L | John Marshall |
1986 | At Talaq | WON | 10/1 | 0.4L | Michael Clarke |
1984 | British | 13th | 33/1 | 14.3L | Michael Clarke |
1983 | Triumphal March | 11th | 14/1 | 9.3L | Brent Thomson |
Machtvogel | 14th | 33/1 | 11.0L | P Jarman | |
1982 | Triumphal March | 15th | 15/1 | 9.0L | Brent Thomson |
1980 | Beldale Ball | WON | 11/1 | 1.5L | John Letts |
Bohemian Grove | 21st | 10/1 | Mick Mallyon | ||
1978 | Panamint | 10th | 9/1 | Roy Higgins |