Grey Horses in the Melbourne Cup: Every Winner Since 1861 & Runner Numbers Since 1999

The Melbourne Cup is one of the biggest betting events in world horse racing. The 2025 edition will go ahead on Tuesday, November 4.

The Melbourne Cup is a quality handicap open to thoroughbred horses aged three years and older, so it has always drawn a wide variety of runners. However, certain types of horses are more common than others, and that applies to colour as well as sex and age.

Grey horses have long captured the imagination of Melbourne Cup fans and with three more set to line up in 2025, we look back at the rare history and numbers behind racing’s most distinctive colour.

There have been six grey Melbourne Cup winners in total so far. The first Toryboy in 1865, the last Efficient in 2007.

Grey Melbourne Cup Winners (6)

Since 1999, only 27 grey horses have raced in the Melbourne Cup. 2025’s race will add 3 more to that tally, with Presage Nocturne, Furthur and Valiant King taking part in the 2025 Melbourne Cup.

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There have been seven Melbourne Cups since 1999 with no grey starters, 13 with one grey runner (if you include Military Mission who was classified Grey-Brown) and four Melbourne Cups with two greys starting the race.

The most greys in a single Melbourne Cup has been three which occurred in 2008, 2011 and 2025. Three greys were selected in the field in 2010, however, Bauer was scratched and did not start.

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Greys in the Melbourne Cup (1999–2025)

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2025 Melbourne Cup Field