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2025 Melbourne Cup Tips & Betting Predictions


DateTuesday, November 7, 2023
TrackFlemington
Distance2m
ClassGroup 1
Race TypeHandicap
Prize money$6.2 million
Age3YO+

Melbourne Cup betting selections & tips

We will have expert tips for the Melbourne Cup available when the final-field markets are released by bookmakers. 

For bettors wanting to invest in the futures markets, we suggest backing the European and Japanese runners as they have a good history of winning the Melbourne Cup.

2022 Melbourne Cup Odds


Name
Odds
Deauville Legend6/1
Loft6/1
Duais14/1
Camorra16/1
Without A Fight16/1
Hoo Ya Mal16/1
Alegron18/1
Smokin' Romans18/1
Bar20/1

*Odds taken on 13/10/22*

Melbourne Cup betting schedule

The Melbourne Cup is the only Group 1 race on the Tuesday betting card, which features 10 races.

Race Name
2017 Winner
Emirates StakesSetsuna
Tabcorp TrophyTahanee
Short Black StakesDollar For Dollar
Rating 96 PlateFanatic
Flemington FlingPrezado
Hybrid PlateOur Crown Mistress
Melbourne CupRekindling
Premium StakesOdeon
Security SprintOcean Embers
Jockey Club StakesPedrena

Melbourne Cup history

The Melbourne Cup was inaugurated in 1861 and is currently the world's richest "two-mile" handicap race. 

Australia's most iconic and prestigious thoroughbred race, the Melbourne Cup has been a part of Australian life for a long time and the racing culture has thrived due to the Melbourne Cup. 

It's so popular that it's a national public holiday in Australia and the majority of residents have a bet on the Cup, whether it be a sweepstake or with online bookmakers.
 
The past winners' list includes the biggest names in Australian racing and since it has been opened to international entrants, stables such as Dermot Weld, Charlie Appleby and Aidan O'Brien have brought many horses to Melbourne in the hopes to win the Cup. 

2005 marked the first time a horse had won three consecutive Melbourne Cups when Makybe Diva scored in front of a massive crowd at Flemington. 

The best trainer in Melbourne Cup history was Bart Cummings, who scored an incredible 12 wins with the likes of Viewed, Saintly and Think Big. 

A name also synonymous with the Cup is owner Lloyd Williams, who won his sixth Melbourne Cup in 2017 with Rekindling. 

The prominent businessman has the tendency to import European runners into his Macedon Lodge stables in Victoria and set them solely for the Melbourne Cup. 

New Zealand champion Phar Lap carrying 68kg in 1931 when running eighth but the winning record belongs with Carbine, which carried 66kg to victory in 1890 and would later join other champions in the Australian Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame. 

Makybe Diva set the weight record for mares when carrying 58kg in 2005 – her final Melbourne Cup victory before retiring. 

Four horses have won the Melbourne Cup on two occasions (Think Big, Rain Lover, Peter Pan, Archer) and the most wins scored by a jockey was four with both Bobbie Lewis and Harry White scoring multiple wins. 

With the inclusion of online bookmakers in recent years, attendance numbers have dwindled on track at Flemington.

Melbourne Cup betting guide

With 24 runners lining up for the Melbourne Cup, bookmakers are always offering good value odds for most runners. 

The highest odds ever paid was Prince of Penzance in 2005 when it paid $100. It was the first time a female jockey had ridden a Melbourne Cup winner with Michelle Payne being in the saddle. 

Makybe Diva paid $8 when winning her first Melbourne Cup and despite being the form runner in the two years to come, she still paid $3.60 and $3.20 in the following two editions. 

Quality stayers pay good prices in the Melbourne Cup, with 2016 winner Almandin paying $11 and German champion Protectionist returning $8. 

There is rarely a string of upset results and the runners well-found in the market have a good record in the Melbourne Cup. 

Barrier draws don't play much importance as the winning draws have been varied in recent history. Almandin won from barrier 17 in 2016 and Prince of Penzance ran from the inside barrier in 2015. 

Shocking was able to travel three-wide from barrier 21 when winning in 2009 and given how the race is run, sitting wide isn't the worst place to be. 

Avoid backing Frankie Dettori. The champion jockey has produced some shockers in the Melbourne Cup and he simply doesn't ride well in Australia. 

Joao Moreira went close in 2016 but he too has a poor record when travelling down under. 

Stick with the runners set for the Melbourne Cup. They are usually paying around $8-$15 in the market and that's always good value. 

No horse in modern day history as paid odds-on to win the Melbourne Cup.

The winners commonly pay between $8 and $15 due to the openness of the field.

The Melbourne Cup is one of the most iconic thoroughbred races in the world and the "race that stops a nation" is the biggest race in Australia. 

Held on the first Tuesday of November, the Melbourne Cup is a staying race over 3200m which attracts the very best from Australasia, Asia and Europe. 

The centerpiece of Melbourne Cup week and the Melbourne Spring Carnival, the Melbourne Cup is a global race which even has its own parade down the streets of Melbourne in the days leading up to the feature. 

Punters love betting on the Cup and it's the most popular betting race in Australia and New Zealand.

Melbourne Cup lead-up races

There are many lead-up races for the Melbourne Cup and one of the most popular with punters is the Geelong Cup and Caulfield Cup.

Race Name
Turnbull Stakes
The Bart Cummings
Herbert Power Stakes
Caulfield Cup
Geelong Cup
Cox Plate
Moonee Valley Gold Cup
Lexus Stakes

International Melbourne Cup lead-up races


Race Name
Notable Winners
Ascot Gold CupYeats, Trip To Paris
Ebor HandicapNakeeta, Heartbreak City
Goodwood CupBrown Panther, Big Orange
Hardwicke StakesJeune, Sea Moon
Lonsdale CupSeptimus, Max Dynamite
Irish St LegerVintage Crop, Vinnie Roe

Recent Melbourne Cup winners


Year
Race Winner
2022Gold Trip
2021Verry Elleegant
2020Twilight Payment
2019Vow And Declare
2018Cross Counter
2017Rekindling
2016Almandin
2015Prince of Penzance
2014Protectionist
2013Fiorente
2012Green Moon
2011Dunaden
2010Americain
2009Shocking
2008Viewed
2007Efficient
2006Delta Blues
2005Makybe Diva
2004Makybe Diva
2003Makybe Diva
2002Media Puzzle
2001Ethereal
2000Brew
1999Rogan Josh
1998Jezabeel
1997Might And Power
1996Saintly
1995Doriemus
1994Jeune
1993Vintage Crop
1992Subzero
1991Let's Elope
1990Kingston Rule
1989Tawrrific
1988Empire Rose