The ‘race that stops a nation’ is here with Melbourne Cup 2015 due to jump as Flemington Race 7 at 3:00pm (AEST) this afternoon and below are the insider Melbourne Cup tips from the Races.com.au team.

Preferment is the Races.com.au team’s tip to win the 2015 Melbourne Cup in Victoria this afternoon. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

There are 24 stayers in this year’s $6.2 million Group 1 Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) and if there are no last minute scratching it will be the third time in four years the world’s richest handicap runs at capacity.

Favourites have won twice in the past 10 years, most recently Fiorente ($6 in 2013), and this year the horse leading the Melbourne Cup betting odds is Fame Game.

The Japanese raider is on the drift in the markets at Ladbrokes.com.au, who are giving away a Ford Ranger as the top prize in their ultimate Melbourne Cup Prize Draw today, out from $4 to $4.60 to hand Japan with their second ‘Loving Trophy’ after the success of Delta Blues (2006) nine years ago.

There are two other horses under $10 in betting with the Ed Dunlop-trained British visitor “rip To Paris ($8) coming off a smart second in the Caulfield Cup over 2400m and the Chris Waller-trained Sydney visitor Preferment ($9.50) who is drawn in the most successful Melbourne Cup barrier in history (11).

In recent history there has been a host of upset Melbourne Cup results including Green Moon ($20 in 2012) and the French raider Americain ($12 in 2010).

The best fancied of the single figure Melbourne Cup hopes this spring are the William Mullins-trained Irish hurdler Max Dynamite ($12) coming off a win in the Group 2 Lonsdale Cup (3300m), last start Cox Plate runner-up Criterion ($16) and his stablemate Almoonqith ($16) who gets in on a nice 53kg lightweight after carting 2.5kg more to victory in the Group 3 Geelong Cup (2400m) last start.

So will Fame Game salute for the Melbourne Cup punters this year or is there a roughie primed to take out the two mile classic such as Hartnell ($31) who is one from two over the distance or early market mover Sky Hunter ($67 into $34) prepared by Saeed Bin Suroor for Godolphin?

1^st

#15 Preferment ($9.50)

Chris Waller ran third in the race last year with Kiwi import Who Shot Thebarman and has three hopes in 2015 looking to go two better. The stable is on absolute fire including the Cox Plate success of Winx, and the master horseman is after another major with three hopes in the 2015 Melbourne Cup line-up. The best fancied by the punters is Preferment who many have history against him as a four-year-old – but who ticks plenty of other boxes. The recent history of four-year-olds’ isn’t as bad as it is overall with two saluting in the past 10 years – Shocking (2009) and Efficient (2007). He is a son of Zabeel so is bred to stay and even Racing Victoria’s Chief Handicapper Greg Carpenter labelled him a danger. He comes off a Cox Plate ninth he’ll improve on over more metres, the Cox Plate form-line has stacked up in the Cup in recent years and he drops from 57.5kg carried in that run to just 53.5kg. Hugh Bowman is on and barrier 11 has produced more Melbourne Cup winners than any other gate. Get on.

2^nd

#3 Fame Game ($4.60)

Deserving favourite based on his form back home in Japan that saw him win in Group 3 company over 3400m before a second in the coveted Tenno Sho, the elite level two mile event held in late May. He’s had a run down under in a fast-finishing Caulfield Cup sixth where he was caught up until well inside the final 200m. Flashing home there, this proven stayer will eat up the extra metres this afternoon, but 57kg is a notable weight. Starts one on the outside of Preferment in 12 with Zac Purton aboard and has to be considered even with the weight. He’s been specifically set for this and if he improves on the Caulfield run with a clearer passage he’ll be the one to beat.

3^rd

#4 Our Ivanhowe ($19)

Best outsider in the race shapes up as German import Our Ivanhowe even from the wide barrier 22 draw, which last produced a winner 15 years ago in Brew (2000). Now prepared by Lee & Anthony Freedman, the Soldier Hollow six-year-old has had four runs down under showing true form in his two most recent when runner-up in The Bart Cummings in his first look at Flemington and then the third in the Caulfield Cup beaten under two lengths. He is improving each run, should be suited to the metres after sticking on well in his lead-up and if the Caulfield form stacks up then he could surprise at a juicy price.

Whether you’re backing or sacking our exclusive Melbourne Cup 2015 tips make sure you get in on the action at Ladbrokes.com.au and place as many unique bets as you can – so a range of trifectas using different combinations of horses for example – to get as many entries as you can in their $70,000 prize giveaway!