The 2022 Melbourne Cup Carnival had four glorious days of racing with 37 races. There was over $34 million in prizemoney and 498 horses competed.
The races included 8 Group 1s, 3 Group 2s, 9 Group 3s and 6 Listed races.
Victoria Derby day – Saturday 29th October 2022
The first day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival kicked off with Derby Day on Saturday 29 October 2022. On a day where all nine races have Group status, the feature race of the day was the Group 1 Victoria Derby over 2500m for three year olds where Manzoice beat favourite Sharp ‘N’ Smart giving trainer Chris Waller his second win in the race. In Secret won the 1200m Coolmore Stud Stakes for trainer James Cummings.
Melbourne Cup day – Tuesday 1st November 2022
Tuesday 1st November 2022 was the big one, Melbourne Cup Day, which featured a ten race card program with the Group 1 Lexus Melbourne Cup over 3200m the obvious feature event of the day.Five-year-old stallion Gold Trip was the 2022 winner of the Melbourne Cup. He carried topweight of 57.5kg and was the 11th horse to be topweight and win in the 162 year history of the Cup. Others winning topweights include racing legends Archer, Carbine, Phar Lap, Rising Fast and Makybe Diva. Mark Zahra was rhe winning jockey and Ciaron Maher and David Eustace were the first training partnership to prepare the Cup winner.
Oaks day – Thursday 3rd November 2022
Thursday 3rd November 2022 was Oaks Day which is traditionally known as Ladies Day. The feature event of the day for some is the fashions on the field but for the racing fans it is the Group 1 Kennedy Oaks over 2500m for the fillies. She’s Extreme won the Group 1 race giving Anthony Cummings, son of 12-time Cup-winning trainer Bart, his first Oaks win.
Champions Day – Saturday 5th November 2022
Melbourne wrapped up the Flemington Melbourne Cup Carnival with the inaugural Champions Stakes day. Zaaki took out the 2000m Champion Stakes (previously called the Mackinnon) giving him back-to-back wins, and ending the Group 1 winning streak of short-priced favourite Anamoe. Alligator Blood was tremendous winning the Champions Mile and I cheered him home all the way down the straight, while the much anticipated rematch of Nature Strip and Giga Kick in the Champions Sprint turned out to be a non-event as Roch ‘N’ Horse sailed past the post first and showed what an incredible animal she is down the Flemington straight. She was the first mare to win the race since Black Caviar in 2011.