The Winners: The Cup averaged 2.563 million. Packed to the Rafters was second with 2.072 million at 8.30pm for Seven. Seven News was 3rd with 1.682 million, RSPCA Animal Rescue was next at 7.30pm with 1.583 million and Today Tonight was 5th with 1.564 million. Last Chance Surgery at 8pm on Seven averaged 1.514 million. Ten’s NCIS repeat at 8.30pm did well with 1.266 million and Home and Away won 7pm with 1.266 million. The late session of the Cup coverage averaged 1.212 million and 9th spot nationally, with Nine’s first program being the 20 to 1 episode at 7.30pm with 1.206 million. The 7pm repeat of Two and a Half Men averaged 1.197 million in 11th and 12th was Seven’s Private Practice returning much stronger than when it left us earlier in the year with an average 1.150 million. Ten’s Simpsons episode at 8pm averaged 1.030 million and A Current Affair was 14th with 1.011 million. Nine News was pushed under a million with 985,000. The new Simpsons episode averaged 920,000 on Ten at 7.30pm. Foreign Correspondent was solid with 770,000 at 8pm for the ABC. Ten’s Lie To Me at 9.30pm, 920,000.

The Losers: Aussie Ladette To Lady at 9.30pm on Nine: 688,000. And deservedly so.

News & CA: Seven News again won nationally and in every market as did Today Tonight. The Cup as a lead in to 5.30pm was too much for Nine to combat. in many respects, a non-night. Monday’s weak outings by Nine News and ACA were better current indicators of what is happening between 6pm and 7pm. The 7pm ABC News averaged 946,000. The 7.30 Report, 762,000, Lateline, 203,000, Lateline Business, 101,000. Ten News, 740,000. Ten’s late News/Sports Tonight, 387,000. SBS News at 6.30pm, 176,000, Insight at 7.30pm, 222,000, the late news at 9.30pm 160,000. 7am Today, 346,000, 7am Sunrise , 333,000.

The Stats: Seven won easily and won all the demos as well thanks to the Cup, but especially Rafters. Seven had a combined All People 6pm to Midnight share of 36.1% (35.0% a week ago) from Nine with 24.8% (24.1%), Ten with 21.6% (22.3%), the ABC with 13.1% (124.7%) and SBS with 4.4% (3.9%). Seven won all five metro markets and leads the week 32.2% to 26.6% for Nine.

In regional areas a win to Prime/7Qld with 35.8%, with WIN/NBN on 24.0%, Southern Cross (Ten) with 20.5%, the ABC with 13.2% and SBS with 6.5%.

Digitally: Nine’s Go won with 2.60% (leaving Nine’s main channel on 22.20%), from Seven’s 7TWO with 1.70% (Seven’s main channel share was 34.40%), ABC 2 with 1.50% (ABC 1, 11.50%), Ten’s ONE with 0.80% (Ten’s main channel was on 20.80%), SBS TWO with 0.40% and SBS ONE was on 4.00%.

Glenn Dyer’s comments: 2.563 million watched the Melbourne Cup and Shocking win. The horses I picked are still running. With people watching in pubs and clubs and work, the audience was probably twice that and then a lot more.

The Cup race audience on Seven was the biggest so far since the present ratings system started back in 2001. The 2.563 million topped the previous high of 2.506 million for Makybe Diva’s historic third win in 2005 which was 2.506 million. It was well up on the 2.272 million who watched Viewed win the 2008 Cup as well.

Adding in the regional audience of 895,000, a total of 3.458 million watched the cup in metro and regional markets. The biggest single audience was Melbourne where 1.319 million people watched. 637,000 watched in Sydney and 353,000 in Brisbane: just 60,000 in Adelaide and 211,000 in Perth. They don’t seem to be big on the Cup in Adelaide.

The wedding on Packed to the Rafters pushed it over 2 million for the first time this year. It was in fact the highest audience for Packed to the Rafters since it started, topping the previous high of 2.044 million for episode 2 in 2008.

TONIGHT: RPA Where Are They Now on Nine at 8.30pm. Spicks and Specks at 8.30pm on the ABC. Celebrity MasterChef Australia at 7.30pm. City Homicide at 8.30pm on Seven.

Source: OzTAM, TV Networks reports