Melbourne Cup prize money 2023: How much does the winner earn?

Liam O'Loughlin

Melbourne Cup prize money 2023: How much does the winner earn?  image

Melbourne Cup season is officially upon us, with 24 of the best horses set to compete in the famous race on the first Tuesday of November. 

In the midst of a blockbuster spring carnival in both Victoria and NSW, all eyes are turning towards Flemington Racecourse, with the running of the annual 3200m event on November 7th. 

Gold Trip will be back to defend its crowd and looks in tremendous touch, but will be facing stiff competition from the likes of Soulcombe and overseas galloper Vauban.

The Sporting News has all the prize money information for this year's Melbourne Cup below.

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Melbourne Cup prize money: How much does the winner earn?

The total prize money for the Melbourne Cup sits at $8 million, with the connections of the winning horse set to pocket $4.4 million.

The jockey, trainer and owner of the winning horse will also receive their own version of the Melbourne Cup trophy. 

Melbourne Cup prize money breakdown

1st $4.4 million
2nd $1.1 million
3rd $550,000
4th $350,000
5th $230,000
6th-12th $160,000

When is the Melbourne Cup?

This year's Melbourne Cup will be held on Tuesday, November 7th at Flemington Racecourse.

The feature event on a 10-race card will commence at 3pm AEDT. 

What channel is the Melbourne Cup on? 

This year's Melbourne Cup Carnival will be broadcast live on Channel 10.

As always, Sky Racing will also show the main race, as well as every other race on Cup day across the country. 

Liam O'Loughlin

Liam O'Loughlin Photo

Liam has been with The Sporting News since 2019, helping lead both NRL and cricket content, as well as delving into the world of combat sports and NFL. A true rugby league tragic, he has spent the past 20 years playing, coaching and volunteering for his beloved junior club, Penshurst RSL. 

Away from work, Liam has a lifelong passion for all things pro wrestling and has travelled abroad to attend showcase events for WWE, AEW and NJPW.