The 2001 to 2010 Melbourne Cup winners list is dominated by one name – Makybe Diva. She managed to take the race three times consecutively from 2003 to 2005, finishing well ahead of the competition. This Melbourne Cup era had many interesting quirks, with a five year stretch where no stallion took the race. Also, the first win for a full horse in this period was in 2006, and it went to a Japanese horse for the first time, Delta Blues. The 2010 Melbourne Cup also marks the 150th running, an impressive milestone for any horse race.

• 2001 Melbourne Cup – Ethereal
• 2002 Melbourne Cup – Media Puzzle
• 2003 Melbourne Cup – Makybe Diva
• 2004 Melbourne Cup – Makybe Diva
• 2005 Melbourne Cup – Makybe Diva
• 2006 Melbourne Cup – Delta Blues
• 2007 Melbourne Cup – Efficient
• 2008 Melbourne Cup – Viewed
• 2009 Melbourne Cup – Shocking
• 2010 Melbourne Cup – Americain

2001 Melbourne Cup – Ethereal

Race Info:

Placings: 1^st Place Ethereal, 2^nd Place Give The Slip, 3^rd Place Persian Punch

Jockeys: Scott Seamer, R. Hills, R. Quinn

Trainers: Sheila Laxon, Saaed Bin Suroor, D. Elsworth

Winner’s Time: 3:21.08

Weight: 52kg

Odds: 9/1

Prize Money: $4,075,000

About the Race

The New Zealand bred, owned and trained mare, whose name is Greek for ‘upper air’, secured a historic double win in 2001. Ethereal became only the third mare, and eleventh horse, to win both the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups in the same year.

With a late burst on the track, the four-year-old stole the lead from Give the Slip, winning by three-quarters of a length. Trainer Sheila Laxon also hit the record books with the win as the first woman to officially train a Melbourne Cup winner.

Ethereal went on to win the 2001-2002 Champion Stayer in the Australian Horse of the Year Awards.

2002 Melbourne Cup – Media Puzzle

Race Info:

Placings: 1^st Place Media Puzzle, 2^nd Place Mr Prudent, 3^rd Place Beekeeper

Jockeys: Damien Oliver, C. Brwon, K. McEvoy

Trainers: K. K. Weld, G. M. Hanlon, S. B. Suroor

Winner’s Time: 3:16.97

Weight: 52.5kg

Odds: 11/2

Prize Money: $4,075,000

About the Race

The 2002 Cup was an easy win for Media Puzzle. The strong gelding accelerated forward on the final 400 metres of the race, beating Mr Prudent by two lengths, landing a bittersweet victory for jockey Damien Oliver, whose brother was killed in a track accident the week before the race.

Media Puzzle was only the second European horse to win the Cup, Europe’s first win since 1993. He was voted as the 2002-2003 Champion Stayer in the Australian Horse of the Year Awards.

2003 Melbourne Cup – Makybe Diva

Race Info:

Placings: 1^st Place Makybe Diva, 2^nd Place She’s Archie, 3^rd Place Jardine’s Lookout

Jockeys: G. Boss, S. Seamer, D. Holland

Trainers: D. Hall, D. Weir, A. Jarvis

Winner’s Time: 3:19.90

Weight: 51kg

Odds: 7/1

Prize Money: $4,600,000

About the Race

In front of the largest crowd recorded at Flemington, an amazing 122,736 people, Makbye Diva raced to Melbourne Cup victory in her first of three straight wins at the carnival. The first Cup success for trainer David Hall, Makbye Diva and her jockey Glen Boss charged down the straight entertaining the crowd with a clear and decisive win.

2004 Melbourne Cup – Makybe Diva

Race Info:

Placings: 1^st Place Makybe Diva, 2^nd Place Vinnie Roe, 3^rd Place Zazzman

Jockeys: G. Boss, P. Smullen, N. Ryan

Trainers: L. Freedman, D.K. Weld, A. J. Vasil

Winner’s Time: 3:28.55

Weight: 55.5kg

Odds: 5/2f

Prize Money: $4,600,000

About the Race

Only the fifth horse in history to win dual Melbourne Cups, Makybe Diva positioned herself as one of the finest staying mares of all time. Fighting against the heavy rain, she gave trainer Lee Freedman his fourth Cup victory, after also triumphing at the Sydney Cup and placing second in the Caulfield Cup.

2005 Melbourne Cup – Makybe Diva

Race Info:

Placings: 1^st Place Makybe Diva, 2^nd Place On A Jeune, 3^rd Place Xcellent

Jockeys: G. Boss, D. Gauci, M. T. Coleman

Trainers: L. Freedman, P. Montgomerie, M. Moroney

Winner’s Time: 3:10.17

Weight: 58kg

Odds: 4.4/1f

Prize Money: $5,100,000

About the Race

Makybe Diva became the first horse to win three successive Melbourne Cups after taking victory in 2005 at Flemington. It was also a record breaker for jockey Glen Boss, who became the first to win three Cups in a row also. Winning with 58kg she broke her own weight carrying record for a mare. Since described as ‘the best since Phar Lap’, this race and Makybe Diva will be remembered forever by all those who saw the incredible victory.

2006 Melbourne Cup – Delta Blues

Race Info:

Placings: 1^st Place Delta Blues, 2^nd Place Pop Rock, 3^rd Place Maybe Better

Jockeys: Yasunari Iwata, D. Oliver, C. Munce

Trainers: Katsuhiko Sumii, Katsuhiko Sumii, B. Mayfield-Smith

Winner’s Time: 3:21.42

Weight: 56kg

Odds: 18/1

Prize Money: $5,100,000

About the Race

All sorts of excitement surrounded the 2006 Melbourne Cup, as six-year-old Delta Blues became the first Japanese raider to take victory in the race’s 146^th year. Delta Blues’ win for trainer Katsuhiko Sumii was even sweeter as his other horse Pop Rock landed second on the day. This significant 1-2 finish was only the ninth time a single trainer had two horses feature in the quinella at a Melbourne Cup. Delta Blues was only the third cup winner at the time not prepared in Australia or New Zealand, showing his stamina taking and keeping the lead over his stable mate Pop Rock.

2007 Melbourne Cup – Efficient

Race Info:

Placings: 1^st Place Efficient, 2^nd Place Purple Moon, 3^rd Place Mahler

Jockeys: Michael Rodd, D. Oliver, S. Baster

Trainers: Graeme Rogerson, L. Cumani, A. O’Brien

Winner’s Time: 3:23.34

Weight: 54.5kg

Odds: 17/1

Prize Money: $5,100,000

About the Race

Efficient took out the 2007 Melbourne cup, overtaking Purple Moon on the straight to beat him to the line by half a length at Flemington. Showing great speed and stamina, after racing the widest on the outside of the track, Efficient surged forward from 12^th place to take the lead in the last few metres.

This was the first Group One victory for the black beauty, and a great comeback after having been scratched from the previous year’s race. No horse since Phar Lap did as Efficient, claiming Melbourne Cup victory a year after winning the Victoria Derby.

2008 Melbourne Cup – Viewed

Race Info:

Placings: 1^st Place Viewed, 2^nd Place Bauer, 3^rd Place C’est La

Jockeys: B. Shinn, C. Brown, B. Prebble

Trainers: J.B. Cummings, L. Cumani, J. Sadler

Winner’s Time: 3:20.40

Weight: 53kg

Odds: 40/1

Prize Money: $5 560 000

About the Race

This Melbourne Cup victory sealed legendary trainer Bart Cummings in the history books with his 12^th triumph at Flemington; it was Shinn’s first Cup win. One of the closest finishes in the race’s history, requiring a photo finish to seek out the champion. Five-year-old Viewed, seen as the long shot of the race, was found to have won by a nose over the English Bauer after improving his position and leading from the 350 metre mark.

2009 Melbourne Cup – Shocking

Race Info:

Placings: 1^st Place Shocking, 2^nd Place Crime Scene, 3^rd Place Mourilyan

Jockeys: Corey Brown, Kerrin McEvoy, Glyn Schofield

Trainers: Mark Kavanagh, Saeed Bin Suroor, Herman Brown

Winner’s Time: 3:23.87

Weight: 51kg

Odds: $10

Prize Money: $5,650,000

About the Race

The 2009 Melbourne Cup saw Shocking live up to his name as he pulled off a victory that hardly anyone saw coming. While the prior favourites for the race languished in the middle and rear, Shocking kept pace about three back until the final stretch. A strong run home gave Shocking the victory over Irish raiders Crime Scene and Mourilyan.