Finishing last in the Melbourne Cup (G1) will come with a guaranteed AU$100,000 payment—or about US$65,402—after Racing Victoria announced a prize money overhaul for its most famous race.
The "Race That Stops a Nation" will be worth AU$10 million this November, up AU$1.3 million, with the changes primarily designed to reward connections of the runners who finish between 13th and last among a field of 24. They will all receive an AU$100,000 payment despite finishing in the bottom half of the field.
Before the changes, payments of AU$160,000 were made to those runners outside the top five—from sixth to 12th—but those who finished outside the top dozen received no prize money despite the expense of paying a series of declaration fees on the way.
Connections of lower-ranked horses will get two more chances to secure a ballot-free run to the Melbourne Cup, as ballot exemptions will now be earned by the winners of the AU$500,000 Geelong Cup (G3) Oct. 22 and the AU$750,000 Moonee Valley Cup (G2) two days later.
Victoria Racing Club chief executive Kylie Rogers said: "The Lexus Melbourne Cup is unrivaled for its history, status and reach and the VRC is proud to be able to now reward every local and international participant in the great race. It reflects the significant effort required to prepare and qualify for the Lexus Melbourne Cup and goes hand-in-hand with a decision to add additional qualifying opportunities through the Geelong Cup and Moonee Valley Gold Cup."
Rogers told Racenet.com she hoped the move would also help attract international participation as well as grassroots participants nearer to home.
Last month, Racing Victoria announced it had adjusted some of its controversial veterinary protocols for international horses competing at the spring carnival, although there were no changes for those running in the Melbourne Cup.
All international runners in the Melbourne Cup will still need to pass a computed tomography scan to complete in the race, to be held this year Nov. 4.
Last year, the Aidan O'Brien-trained ante-post favorite Jan Brueghel was dramatically pulled from the race in the days leading up to it after a CT scan revealed the 2024 St Leger Stakes (G1) winner was "at heightened risk of injury," a decision O'Brien branded as "ridiculous."
The Willie Mullins-trained Sober and Ethical Diamond, and O'Brien's Illinois, are prominent in the early ante-post betting for the Melbourne Cup.
How does it compare to other major races
Connections of last month's Epsom Derby (G1) sixth-place finisher Tornado Alert were the last to receive a share of the purse, earning £21,654, or approximately US$29,340.
The $20 million Saudi Cup (G1) is the richest race in the world and pays out to 10th place. This year the horse who finished in that position, Defunded, made $200,000, while the 11th through 14th-place finishers did not receive a share of the purse.
The Dubai World Cup (G1) offered prize money down to eighth.
Last year's 14-horse Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) paid down to 10th, with connections of Ushba Tesoro scooping US$70,000 for finishing 14 3/4 lengths behind Sierra Leone at Del Mar last November.
