The best way to enjoy the spectacle that is the ‘race that stops a nation’ is to get in on a great Aussie tradition and have a bet on Flemington Race 7 tomorrow, and to help you do that below is the Races.com.au team’s insider Melbourne Cup Trifecta tip 2013.
There are 24 horses making up the field for the $6 million Group 1 Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m), due to jump at 3:00pm (AEST), meaning there are 24 Melbourne Cup runners to do the form on.
Earlier we published our exclusive Two Word Melbourne Cup 2013 Form Guide to give you a brief idea of who to back and who to sack in the famous handicap showdown.
Below we have narrowed it down to our top three Melbourne Cup horses this year that we recommend you lock into a Trifecta bet online at Ladbrokes.com.au.
Don’t forget though to make your first Melbourne Cup bet a straight out win bet on the horse you want to add their name to the list of Melbourne Cup winners as Ladbrokes.com.au will offer you DOUBLE the fixed win price on bets up to $50!
1st
#10 Fawkner ($18 or $36 DTO)
Having done the Melbourne Cup form, over and over, there are just too many positives to ignore on this galloper – one of six for the prolific owner-trainer partnership of Lloyd Williams and Robert Hickmott. This Reset six-year-old is ultra-consistent and won nine of their 20 career starts giving them the best win rate of the field (45%). They have Group 1 form galore and have won $2.5 million in prize money. The bulk of that came from their $1.65 pay day in the Caulfield Cup last start, top form heading into the Flemington edition. 11 before them have completed the spring cups double and the form is there to suggest Fawkner can make it a double. Also bodes well that they come off a win (like six others in the field) as 11 of the past 19 Melbourne Cup winners won their final lead-up. They have a good weight (54.5kg) which is half a kilo less than their Caulfield Cup winning weight, gun barrier eight draw, continues to rise to distance and class challenges, ace Flemington record (9-5-2-1) and connections are looking to go back-to-back.
2nd
#4 Sea Moon ($14 or $28 DTO)
Real toss-up between these two stablemates for a Williams-owned Melbourne Cup quinella. Sea Moon looks in career best form and it’s going to be close. Past two starts have been first across the line. Lost The Bart Cummings (2500m) on protest (with 60kg) but atoned at Caulfield when carrying 59.5kg in the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) on October 12. Steve Arnold comes on for this ride, the duo drawn ideally in barrier seven, dropping back to 56.5kg here. Second best win rate (43%) so know how to get the job done, last-start winner, having been overly taxed, is horse #4 which is equal second most successful saddlecloth number in Melbourne Cup history, and really just a champion waiting for the right race here. Look back to European form before their move down under and they were on fire, e.g. 2012 Hardwick Stakes victory over Duanden (2011 Melbourne Cup winner) and this year’s favourite Fiorente.
3rd
#21 Verema ($13 or $26 DTO)
This is the best of the nine international raiders for us, with some really lovely form back home in France. Is prepared by Alain de Royer Dupre who trained 2010 winner Americain. They were the first French-trained horse to win the Melbourne Cup, followed 12 months later by Dunaden. Now Dupre is back with Verema, one of only two mares in the race this year. While the record of females isn’t all that encouraging, she’s a very classy type. Won her last two back home, most recently defeating Joshua Tree in the Group 2 Prix Kergorlay (3000m). That race produced both Americain and Dunaden, and it proves she can handle the two miles. She’s got heaps of form around that distance, and that last win was with 58.5kg. She has only 53kg here and gets barrier three to boot.
Agree with our Melbourne Cup selections and want to lock them in at the best price? Head to Ladbrokes.com.au and get in on the action?
Disagree and have a better Melbourne Cup tip? Comment below and let us know…then head to Ladbrokes.com.au and get in on the action!
*All odds quoted are Fixed Win from Ladbrokes.com.au and subject to change