The Melbourne Cup is Australia’s greatest horse race, and the world’s most prestigious and richest “two mile race”. The whole race invites a field of the best horse runners in Australia and all over the world to run a distance of 3200 metres. Dubbed as the race that stops a nation, the Melbourne Cup constantly attracts more than 150,000 spectators outside and inside the Flemington Racecourse. An additional 700 million worldwide television audience watch the race and a good percentage of them go to online betting websites to wager on their favourite horse.
For Melbourne’s locals and all Australians, the Melbourne Cup is more than a just great horse race. Over seventy percent of Australia’s adult population wager on the Melbourne Cup every year! Spectators watch the race wearing elegant traditional hats, and members of high society come out to make fashion statements. The spectacle of celebrities wearing their best dress is almost as great as the race itself.
Melbourne Cup Tips
Wagering on a prestigious race like the Melbourne Cup is a lot of fun. Unlike most other horse races, the Melbourne Cup fields some of the runners in the world, and it is rare for one horse to dominate the entire field. Even if there are perceived favourites, the best horse is still up against other great horses, and a win is never guaranteed.
Here are some of the best Melbourne Cup betting tips to help you make a smart wager. For even better tips, please visit our new Melbourne Cup tips page!
Read what the experts have to say – The best way to get information on the Melbourne Cup is to read the data and analysis yourself. Some horse betting experts offer their picks for free.
Some experts provide analysis for their picks. Reading the opinions of others will help shape your opinion. Weigh their opinions carefully and do not hesitate to consult other punters or read experts that contradict your analysis. This way, you can have all bases covered when you make your wager.
Invest money to win money - Most punters are usually conservative with the money that they are willing to risk. While it is true that you should not risk money that you cannot afford to lose, it is better not to bet than make an improper bet just because you are not committed to make a full bet. Exotic bets like Trifecta and Superfecta require a larger sum to have a realistic chance of winning. If you seriously want to win in exotic wagers, you have to pay for the best combination. Otherwise, stick to simpler bets with lesser payouts.
Recent Performance and Workouts – Many punters wagering on the Melbourne Cup will tell you that the horse is only as good as his last race. Experienced punters carefully study the last couple of races and find a trend in their performance. In addition, punters can also look at their recent workouts to have a better judge of their current form.
Condition of the Track – The overall condition of the track including the wind, weather, and the softness of the soil matter in the race. Although Flemington is one of the well-maintained race tracks in the world, slight changes in track conditions favour certain runners in the field while putting some runners at a disadvantage.
Other factors that can influence Melbourne Cup betting include the expertise and reputation of the jockeys and trainers, injuries, and medication changes.
The Melbourne Cup is one of the greatest events in Australian sports. With an increasing volume of wagers coming into the betting pool, it’s time to pick your favourite horse. Register and log-in with one of the sports betting sites we recommend to bet on the Melbourne Cup at great odds.
History of the Melbourne Cup
In 2008, the Emirates Melbourne Cup reached a total purse of AUD 5.5 million, making it one of the richest turf races in the world. The Melbourne Cup is a symbol of Australia’s history and culture. Since its inception in 1861, this grand race has showcased the passion of a nation.
The inaugural race was won by a horse named Archer. It was believed that in order for Archer to compete, he had to walk 500 miles from his stable in New South Wales. After he won the race, he was awarded a gold watch. This was the trophy given before the traditional Loving Cup which the Melbourne Cup is known for. Archer went on to win the race the following year, making him one of the five horses to win the event more than once.
The Flemington race track is the most popular course in Australia and the home of the organisers of the Victoria Racing Club. The whole field has a capacity of 120,000. Spectators who cannot get into Flemington watch from the television panels outside of the field. The pear-shaped track has a back straight of six furlongs. The final straight to the finishing post measures 450 metres long. The length of the home stretch has decided Melbourne Cup races throughout history.
The last decade saw the legend of Makybe Diva. Makybe Diva is the only horse to have won the race three straight times, holding the record for most Melbourne cup wins. Makybe Diva also became the highest paid stakes earner in Australian horse racing in history, and only one of eleven mares to win the race multiple times.
Makybe Diva rivaled the career of the legendary Phar Lap from 1929 to 1932. Known as the greatest Australian horse of all time, Phar Lap became the age-old icon for Australian horse racing and is remembered as one of the greatest horses in the world.
