Grey horses have long captured the imagination of Melbourne Cup fans. Only six greys have ever won the race since its first running in 1861, while just 27 have started since 1999. With three more set to line up in 2025, we look back at the rare history and numbers behind racing’s most distinctive colour.
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.
Presage Nocturne
- Age: 6YO
- Colour: Grey
- Sex: Horse
- Sire: Wootton Bassett (GB)
- Dam: Kyurem (IRE)
Presage Nocturne 2025 Melbourne Cup Betting Odds
Furthur
- Age: 4YO
- Colour: Grey
- Sex: Horse
- Sire: Waldgeist (GB)
- Dam: Danamight (IRE)
Furthur 2025 Melbourne Cup Betting Odds
Valiant King
- Age: 6YO
- Colour: Grey
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Roaring Lion (USA)
- Dam: Assembly (USA)
Valiant King 2025 Melbourne Cup Betting Odds
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.
Greys in the Melbourne Cup (1999–2025)
| Year | Greys | Runner(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3 | 6 Presage Nocturne — Furthur — Valiant King |
| 2024 | 2 | — Saint George — Valiant King |
| 2023 | 1 | Military Mission (classed Grey-Brown) |
| 2022 | 0 | — |
| 2021 | 0 | — |
| 2020 | 0 | — |
| 2019 | 1 | Neufbosc |
| 2018 | 1 | Muntahaa |
| 2017 | 0 | — |
| 2016 | 1 | Grey Lion |
| 2015 | 0 | — |
| 2014 | 1 | Fawkner |
| 2013 | 1 | Fawkner |
| 2012 | 2 | Voila Ici Tac de Boistron |
| 2011 | 3 | Jukebox Jury Glass Harmonium Manighar |
| 2010 | 2 | Manighar Linton would have been 3 if Bauer hadn’t been scratched |
| 2009 | 1 | Newport |
| 2008 | 3 | Bauer Newport Barbaricus |
| 2007 | 1 | Efficient |
| 2006 | 1 | Geordieland would have been 2 if Efficient hadn’t been scratched |
| 2005 | 0 | — |
| 2004 | 1 | Grey Song |
| 2003 | 2 | Big Pat Grey Song |
| 2002 | 1 | Grey Song |
| 2001 | 1 | Big Pat |
| 2000 | 0 | — |
| 1999 | 1 | Lahar |
2025 Melbourne Cup Field
1. Al Riffa (19)
- T: Joseph O’Brien
- J: Mark Zahra
- W: 59kg
- F: 210x3x4211
- Age: 6YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Horse
- Sire: Wootton Bassett (GB)
- Dam: Love On My Mind (IRE)
2. Buckaroo (12)
- T: Chris Waller
- J: Craig Williams
- W: 57kg
- F: 9x970x3232
- Age: 7YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Fastnet Rock
- Dam: Roheryn (IRE)
3. Arapaho (15)
- T: Bjorn Baker
- J: Rachel King
- W: 56.5kg
- F: 5241×36408
- Age: 9YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Lope De Vega (IRE)
- Dam: Alzubra (GB)
4. Vauban (2)
- T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
- J: Blake Shinn
- W: 56.5kg
- F: 0x130x3650
- Age: 8YO
- Colour: Chestnut
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Galiway (GB)
- Dam: Waldfest (GB)
5. Chevalier Rose (5)
- T: Hisashi Shimizu
- J: Damian Lane
- W: 55.5kg
- F: x11x070x0x
- Age: 8YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Horse
- Sire: Deep Impact (JPN)
- Dam: Viane Rose (FR)
6. Presage Nocturne (9)
- T: Alessandro Botti
- J: Stephane Pasquier
- W: 55.5kg
- F: 71x4x13x34
- Age: 6YO
- Colour: Grey
- Sex: Horse
- Sire: Wootton Bassett (GB)
- Dam: Kyurem (IRE)
7. Middle Earth (13)
- T: Ciaron Maher
- J: Ethan Brown
- W: 54.5kg
- F: x159x50903
- Age: 6YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Roaring Lion (USA)
- Dam: Roheryn (IRE)
8. Meydaan (22)
- T: Simon & Ed Crisford
- J: James McDonald
- W: 54kg
- F: 47×5205239
- Age: 5YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Frankel (GB)
- Dam: Nezwaah (GB)
9. Absurde (4)
- T: Willie Mullins
- J: Kerrin McEvoy
- W: 53.5kg
- F: 5x3132x3x7
- Age: 8YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Fastnet Rock
- Dam: Incroyable (USA)
10. Flatten The Curve (17)
- T: Henk Grewe
- J: Thore Hammer Hansen
- W: 53.5kg
- F: 011x11411x
- Age: 7YO
- Colour: Chestnut
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Zarak (FR)
- Dam: Lailoma (FR)
11. Land Legend (16)
- T: Chris Waller
- J: Joao Moreira
- W: 53.5kg
- F: x768x39500
- Age: 6YO
- Colour: Chestnut
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Galileo (IRE)
- Dam: Landikusic (IRE)
12. Smokin’ Romans (11)
- T: Ciaron Maher
- J: Ben Melham
- W: 53.5kg
- F: 0310×72948
- Age: 9YO
- Colour: Chestnut
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Ghibellines
- Dam: Inferno (NZ)
13. Changingoftheguard (24)
- T: Kris Lees
- J: Tim Clark
- W: 53kg
- F: x742x82106
- Age: 7YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Galileo (IRE)
- Dam: Lady Lara (IRE)
14. Half Yours (8)
- T: Tony & Calvin McEvoy
- J: Jamie Melham
- W: 53kg
- F: x211215141
- Age: 5YO
- Colour: Chestnut
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: St Jean (IRE)
- Dam: La Gazelle
15. More Felons (23)
- T: Chris Waller
- J: Tommy Berry
- W: 53kg
- F: 50x12x0944
- Age: 7YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Churchill (IRE)
- Dam: Pivotalia (IRE)
16. Onesmoothoperator (6)
- T: Brian Ellison
- J: Harry Coffey
- W: 53kg
- F: 5735x840x1
- Age: 8YO
- Colour: Bay or Brown
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Dialed In (USA)
- Dam: Sueno D’Oro (USA)
17. Furthur (7)
- T: Andrew Balding
- J: Michael Dee
- W: 52kg
- F: 72×152516
- Age: 4YO
- Colour: Grey
- Sex: Horse
- Sire: Waldgeist (GB)
- Dam: Danamight (IRE)
18. Parchment Party (3)
- T: William Mott
- J: John Velazquez
- W: 52kg
- F: 5x59231x1x
- Age: 5YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Horse
- Sire: Constitution (USA)
- Dam: Life Well Lived (USA)
19. Athabascan (1)
- T: John O’Shea & Tom Charlton
- J: Declan Bates
- W: 51.5kg
- F: 82959×0002
- Age: 7YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Almanzor (FR)
- Dam: Alzubra (GB)
20. Goodie Two Shoes (20)
- T: Joseph O’Brien
- J: Wayne Lordan
- W: 51.5kg
- F: 57x331113x
- Age: 7YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Mare
- Sire: Fastnet Rock
- Dam: Fits Like a Glove (IRE)
21. River Of Stars (14)
- T: Chris Waller
- J: Beau Mertens
- W: 51.5kg
- F: 42x73x7802
- Age: 7YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Mare
- Sire: Sea The Stars (IRE)
- Dam: Amazone (GER)
22. Royal Supremacy (21)
- T: Ciaron Maher
- J: Robbie Dolan
- W: 51kg
- F: 32×0011215
- Age: 5YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Make Believe (GB)
- Dam: Adelasia (IRE)
23. Torranzino (18)
- T: Paul Preusker
- J: Celine Gaudray
- W: 51kg
- F: 4212×80821
- Age: 6YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Tarzino (NZ)
- Dam: Goldilicious (NZ)