2023 Melbourne Cup Tips
The whole of Australia stops when it comes to the Melbourne Cup and we’re intrigued to see whether Vauban is able to live up to his potential and land a victory at Flemington. The five-year-old comes into this race off the back of two victories, with the latest of these being in the Ballyroan Stakes at Naas over one mile and four furlongs.
This came after an even money win in the Copper Horse Handicap at Ascot over one mile and six furlongs, although Gold Trip is a six-year-old who is sure to carry the hopes of many Australian punters. The horse ran very recently at Moonee Valley where a fifth-placed finish was achieved in the very tight Ladbrokes Cox Plate.
There was also a smart performance in the Caulfield Cup on 21 October and connections will now hope that the stars align when it comes to this race. Without A Fight could also be included on the shortlist and there have been three wins in four performances for the Anthony & Sam Freedman-trained runner.
The Caulfield Cup success saw Mark Zahra steer the charge to a famous win and that came after a solid showing in the Underwood Stakes on 23 September. Soulcombe is the other horse trading at single figure odds and there was a seventh-placed finish in the Caulfield Cup which came after finishing a credible third place in the TAB Turnbull Stakes.
2022 Melbourne Cup Tips
Deauville Legend was the winner of the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes on 17 August 2022, with many in horse racing circles talking about the James Ferguson-trained runner as a potential Melbourne Cup winner. It was a smart victory at the Knavesmire where the horse saw off the challenge of Secret State although this is now further in trip for this current favourite.
There was also a runner-up performance in the Goodwood Stakes prior to this, with a win in the Bahrain Stakes taking place over one mile and five furlongs. The season had started with second-place behind Secret Stake in the King George V Stakes, with the horse now needing to find further improvement and an adjustment to different conditions.
Loft is another Melbourne Cup betting favourite, with the four-year-old having scored a couple of victories this season which means we could see a young winner of this race. There was a win in Hoppegarten back in May when the runner obliged in the Comer Group International 51st Oleander-Rennen, with Marcel Weiss having a strong German contender on his hands.
That was followed up by a Belmont Gold Cup Stakes victory, with this happening over two miles and so we should be confident that the horse will get the trip. We’re likely to see price changes as we approach the off, with Smokin’ Romans looking an interesting contender and there was a surprise win for the NZ raider in the TAB Turnbull Stakes at 20/1.
2021 Melbourne Cup Betting Tips
We’re just a few days away from the 2021 Melbourne Cup and the excitement is building in anticipation of a race which makes the country of Australia stand still. Twelve months ago, Twilight Payment beat twenty-two other runners for trainers Joseph O’Brien, with Rekindling, Cross Counter and Vow and Declare some of the more recent winners.
The 2021 renewal has now been priced up by the leading horse racing betting sites, with one horse standing out in terms of price and the big question is whether Incentivise can be toppled considering the excellent unbeaten record that currently stands.
Incentivise Big Favourite to Win 2021 Melbourne Cup
Incentivise has never lost a race since he started running, with the Melbourne Cup betting favourite having broken his duck on 26 June when landing the Tattersalls Cup at Eagle Farm. That performance was achieved under trainer Steve Tragea before the horse was switched to Peter G Moody who has gone on to steer the horse to a further three victories.
The horse then lined up on 11 September in the PFD Food Services Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington, with a victory achieved by a neck when the runner was sent off at 29/10, with the runner then returning to Flemington and scoring a win in the TAB Turnbull Stakes which was another Group 1 success that was landed at odds-against.
Incentivise then secured another impressive when Brett Prebble steered the charge to victory in the Carlton Draught Caulfield Cup and there was plenty to like about a three and a half length win which saw the horse beat Nonconformist.
Which Horses Can Challenge Incentivise in Melbourne Cup?
Spanish Mission could be the closest challenger according to the latest betting odds. Andrew Balding brings this promising runner over from England after some bright performances which included a recent outing in the Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup Stakes at York where the runner was narrowly touched off the legendary Stradivarius.
Previously to this, jockey William Buick rode Spanish Mission into third place in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot, with the horse finishing behind Subjectivist and Princess Zoe on that occasion. The same jockey had previously ridden the horse to success in the Matchbook Yorkshire Cup Stakes.
Grand Promenade also has to be respected and this horse trained by Ciaron Maher & David Eustace triumphed at 9/2 in the recent Lexus Bart Cummings race. This came after a fifth-placed finish in the Catanach's Jewellers MRC Foundation Cup at Caulfield Racecourse, with Away He Goes and Twilight Payment other horses that need to be respected.
Melbourne Cup 2020 Race Betting
The Melbourne Cup betting odds are starting to take shape as we get closer to the big off and Surprise Baby is among the favourites, with the horse having run in the 2019 Melbourne Cup where the Paul Preusker-trained charge having run fifth last season and many punters will be backing the horse to improve on that showing.
We then saw the horse run well in the Ladbrokes Feehan Stakes more recently, with the Group 2 encounter taking place on 5 September 2020 and that sets up Surprise Baby for a big run in the big race.
Other Betting Favourites for the Melbourne Cup
Russian Camelot is a talented three-year-old who can potentially win multiple Melbourne Cup titles, although little is known about the horse considering we have only seen the horse run twice so far, appearing at Flemington in March where the runner finished fourth in the field.
The TAB South Australian Derby then saw the Danny O’Brien-trained horse oblige as the 19/10 favourite, with that performance laying down a market over one mile and four furlongs.
Master Of Wine could also be making a competitive bow when it comes to the 2020 Melbourne Cup, with the horse claiming back-to-back successes at Rosehill earlier this year before finishing fourth in the Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes which is a Group 1 encounter and that form has to be respected.
The History of the Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup, which takes place at Flemington Racecourse, is a fantastic horse race and it was originally run in 1861. It swiftly became the most famous race in Australia, with the entire population tuning in to watch the action which is run over two miles on a left-handed track.
There is a considerable purse available for the Melbourne Cup and the prize money is A$8,000,000, with Kingston Rule currently the record holder when it comes to the winning time in this race and that was recorded in 1990.
Any horse aged three or over can enter this race, with the qualifying requirements being fairly strict and there are currently thirteen races where the winner gets automatic entry into the Melbourne Cup.
Recent winners of the Melbourne Cup have been aged four, with Vow and Declare, Cross Counter and Rekindling the past three horses to have crossed the line first, with Makybe Diva making history between 2003-2005 when winning three successive titles.
In the early hours of the morning on Tuesday 5 November, horse racing fans from all over the world will enjoy the Melbourne Cup, with this being one of the most prestigious horse races on the planet.
The Melbourne Cup is often regarded as the race where Australia stands still and it’s hardly a surprise considering that the total purse amounts to $8,000,000 and it was Cross Counter who won the 2018 race, with the horse triumphing in a field of 24.
Indeed, 24 is the maximum number of horses that can line up at Flemington for this fantastic race, with Godolphin and Charlie Appleby successful with their English raider last year, although there’s always a strong Australian contingent in the race.
At this point in time, there are still plenty of variables approaching the race, although Finche is the favourite with most bookmakers and the five-year-old looks well placed to run a big race if he makes it to the start line in the 2019 Melbourne Cup.
Trainer Chris Waller will be hoping to land his first victory in this race and Finche made a recent appearance at Flemington on 5 October where Damian Lane rode the horse to second place in a Group 1 race.
This was over a distance of one mile and two furlongs, with connections now looking for the horse to get back on the track and demonstrate that the runner has the sufficient stamina to go close.
Surprise Baby is another horse among the favourites and the Australian horse has emerged on to the racing scene this year, with the five-year-old having run five times since March.
The Paul Preusker-trained charge obliged at Flemington recently when winning a Group 3 Handicap and will now be primed for a run in the Melbourne Cup.
As for trainer Charlie Appleby, he will certainly feel as though he has the winning blueprint after Cross Counter’s victory last year and there are a couple of interesting runners that could be in the Godolphin silks this time around.
That includes the reigning champion, with Cross Counter a year older and currently trading at odds of 14/1 to do it all over again. Since winning in Melbourne a year ago, the four-year-old has made four appearances at a racecourse and acquitted himself well.
Some will argue that competing against Stradivarius at Ascot and Goodwood should stand the horse in good stead for this race and it will be comforting to know that the runner has already proved himself over course and distance.
However, a failure to win the Irish St Leger could be a concern and the horse only managed to finish fourth over a distance of one mile and six furlongs.
Stablemate Ispolini has had a more successful season based on the number of victories and the four-year-old recently triumphed in Germany when winning in Dortmund.
The horse also ran well when finishing fourth behind Stradivarius in the Yorkshire Cup Stakes and we’re expecting the Appleby duo to run well.
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