Macedon Lodge runner Bondi Beach is on top of early 2016 Melbourne Cup tips, following the completion of the final field and barrier draw for the feature race on Tuesday, this evening.

Bondi Beach is the Races.com.au early tip to win the 2016 Melbourne Cup. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos

Twenty-four of the world’s best stayers will line up at Flemington Racecourse at 3pm local time on Tuesday for the Melbourne Cup 2016; a race which offers punters exceptional value from a betting standpoint and several key opportunities to place a winning wager.

Hartnell remains an outright favourite in 2016 Melbourne Cup betting markets with leading online bookie Ladbrokes.com.au, ahead of Oceanographer and Caulfield Cup winner Jameka.

Will Hartnell justify his resounding favouritism and be crowned the 2016 Melbourne Cup winner, or will one of his rivals post an upset?

1^st

Bondi Beach

Bondi Beach has returned to racing in excellent form in 2016 and tops early Melbourne Cup tips after his allocation of the ideal barrier 5 for the race that stops a nation. Luckless in transit before finishing sixteenth in the Melbourne Cup last year, the Galileo gelding resumed this year for consecutive wins in the Listed Martin Molony Stakes (2514m) and Group 3 Vintage Crop Stakes (2816m). Having since finished third in the Group 3 Ballyroan Stakes (2414m) and Group 3 Enterprise Stakes (2414m), Bondi Beach will carry only 55.5kgs in the Melbourne Cup and will be partnered by Ryan Moore. Bet on Bondi Beach

2^nd

Exospheric

There was plenty to like about the way Exospheric savaged the line for third in the Caulfield Cup a fortnight ago and the import should find a great position off pace in the Melbourne Cup from barrier 13. Producing a number of impressive efforts for Sir Michael Stoute earlier this year, the Beat Hollow entire won the Group 2 Jockey Club Stakes (2414m) and finished third in the Group 2 Princess Of Wales’s Stakes (2414m) most notably. Three-time Melbourne Cup winner Damien Oliver will take the ride on the northern hemisphere four-year-old, who represents terrific value at his current Enhanced Odds at Ladbrokes.com.au.

3^rd

Wicklow Brave

Wicklow Brave will have absolutely no problems getting the distance on Tuesday, but the British raider has cooled in early Melbourne Cup tips after drawing the outside barrier. Running third in the Group 2 Lonsdale Cup (3299m) on August 19^th, Wicklow Brave was last seen savaging the line to win the Group 1 Irish St Leger (2818m) on September 11^th; beating the likes of Order Of St George and Trip To Paris. Jockey Frankie Dettori and trainer Willie Mullins combined for second in the Melbourne Cup last year with Max Dynamite.

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