Horse Racing

Juicy futures markets on the ‘race that stops a nation’, the Melbourne Cup 2012, are already open and getting plenty of action at bookies around the country as the early countdown to the first Tuesday of November beings.

2010 Melbourne Cup winner Americain is one of the top five fancies to win the 2012 edition of the 'race that stops a nation'

Run as Flemington Race 7 on Tuesday November 6, the $6.2 million Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) is the epitome of Australian racing.

It is the richest handicap race in the world and every year a field of the globe’s most outstanding stayers come to Victoria to fight it out for the title Melbourne Cup winner.

Punters don’t have to wait until the spring to get their Melbourne Cup punt on, with our preferred online bookmaker Luxbet offering very competitive and enticing early prices on the likely Melbourne Cup 2012-bound horses.

With so many genuine turf champions having emerged last year, the bookies are finding it hard to split the top elects and as such Luxbet have five horses installed as the equal $21 favourites to win the Melbourne Cup this year.

Current Melbourne Cup 2012 Betting Favourites

• Americain ($21 Luxbet) – Champion Aussie-owned, American-bred, French-trained stayer who won the Melbourne Cup two years ago before finishing fourth to fellow French raider Dunaden in the 2011 showdown. There’s was the run of the race in 2011 as Americain powered from near last on the turn to come within one and a half lengths of another glorious Cup title. Being kept in Oz for the autumn and will only continue to improve with more Aussie starts.
• Atlantic Jewel ($21 Luxbet) – Mark Kavanagh’s spruik filly from last spring, emphatic winner of the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) overcoming multiple interference. Backed up on Derby Day when putting a minimum seven lengths on her rivals in the Group 2 Wakeful Stakes (2000m). Was injured in that run and has been sidelined but is back in light work with an autumn return scheduled.
• Induna ($21 Luxbet) – Peter Snowden-trained Elusive Quality three-year-old took out the Geelong Classic with ease over 2200 metres before going down a mere neck to Sangster in the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington. They got checked early and made a remarkable recovery, have heaps of improvement in them and are better fancied than Sangster ($31 Luxbet) for the Melbourne Cup.
• Lucas Cranach ($21 Luxbet) – German import prepared by Anthony Freedman, made a strong debut down under when third in the Caulfield Cup last year before their brilliant third in the Melbourne Cup. Really like this horse and they are another one with improvement to come.
• Red Cadeaux ($21 Luxbet) – Devastatingly close second to Dunaden in the most recent edition of the Melbourne Cup, was the closest finish in the race’s 151-year history. Getting on in age but if they come back to Oz this Ed Dunlop-trained European galloper could be a strong Melbourne Cup place chance.

Surprisingly reigning Melbourne Cup winner Duanden is further down the futures markets for this year’s race paying $31 to go back-to-back through Luxbet.

Unlike a number of their rival bookmakers, Luxbet are committed to giving punters a better deal and this is especially true in their Melbourne Cup 2012 pre-nominations betting.

Any wager placed on a horse in the current Melbourne Cup futures odds that is not among the initial nominations will be refunded at Luxbet!

So lock in the juicy pre-post Melbourne Cup prices on your early favourites worry free at Luxbet today.

Don’t forget too that if you are new to sign-up and deposit with Luxbet to quote the codeword BONUSBET to enjoy a $400 bonus bet on the house.

2012 Melbourne Cup Odds – Pre-Noms (All In)

*Odds are Top 21 only – See Luxbet for full markets and updates