The inaugural Sprit of Sport Award was given to Makybe Diva and her connections (Lee Freedman, Tony Santic, and Glen Boss) for her three successive Melbourne Cups (2003, 2004, 2005), becoming the first racehorse (and only mare) to do so.

Only four other horses have won the Cup more than once in the 145 year history of the event: (‘Archer’ in 1861 and 1862, ‘Peter Pan’ in 1932 and 1934, ‘Rain Lover’ in 1968 and 1969 and ‘Think Big’ in 1974 and 1975).