The Melbourne Cup 2016 lights up Flemington Racecourse as Race 7 at 3:00pm (AEDT) on Tuesday, November 2, and below is a comprehensive form guide analysis and betting preview on the ‘race that stops a nation’.

A capacity field of 24 horses take to the track in the $6.2 million Group 1 Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) and markets at Ladbrokes.com.au – home of Odds Boost – are led by the John O’Shea-trained Hartnell.

The Godolphin galloper is at current Melbourne Cup odds of $5 to become the first winner to come off a Cox Plate run since Fiorente (2013), who was also the last favourite to salute for the punters.

There are a few other single-figure fancies in the Melbourne Cup betting markets including last weekend’s Lexus Stakes winning international raider Oceanographer ($8) and Ciaron Maher’s Caulfield Cup winning mare Jameka ($8.50).

That’s the story told by the bookies ahead of Melbourne Cup Day but what about the race form guide, betting history and statistical facts on the two mile classic?

2016 Melbourne Cup Form Facts & Betting Stats

• Last year’s Melbourne Cup winner was the Darren Weir-trained Prince Of Penzance (2015) who came off a Moonee Valley Gold Cup second, jumped from barrier 1 (of 24) and had Michelle Payne aboard at Melbourne Cup odds of $101!

Melbourne Cup Trainers & Jockeys

• The previous Melbourne Cup winning trainers with a runner this year are: Lee Freedman (20-5-3-0) with #2 Our Ivanhowe and #5 Exospheric; Robert Hickmott (13-1-0-0) with #10 Gallante, #17 Almandin and #18 Assign; and Gai Waterhouse (22-1-3-0) with #15 Excess Knowledge

• The previous Melbourne Cup winning jockeys with a ride this year are: Damien Oliver (26-3-3-0) on #5 Exospheric; Glen Boss (13-3-1-1) on #19 Grey Lion; Ryan Moore (4-1-0-0) on #4 Bondi Beach; Blake Shinn (7-1-0-0) on #10 Gallante; and Kerrin McEvoy (13-1-1-1)on #17 Almandin

Melbourne Cup Lead-Up Races

• The Moonee Valley Gold Cup graduates looking to frank the form out of that race again this year are: Grand Marshal (1^st), Who Shot Thebarman (2^nd), Pentathlon (3^rd), Excess Knowledge (4^th) and Gallante (7^th)
• The Cox Plate has produced four Melbourne Cup winners in the past 10 years – most recently Fiorente (3^rd in 2013)
• #6 Hartnell (2^nd) is the only Cox Plate graduate in the field this year
• Vintage Crop (1993) was the last Melbourne Cup winner to come off a non-Australian lead-up
• The Melbourne Cup raiders in the field this year first-up without a lead-up run down under this season are: #1 Big Orange, #3 Curren Mirotic, #4 Bondi Beach, #8 Wicklow Brave, #13 Heartbreak City, #16 Beautiful Romance and #21 Secret Number
• #8 Wicklow Brave ($16) is out to complete the Irish St. Leger – Melbourne Cup double achieved by Vintage Crop (1993) without a run in between
• The last Melbourne Cup winner to come off a Caulfield Cup run was Delta Blues (3^rd in 2006)
• The Caulfield Cup graduates racing on Tuesday are: Jameka (1^st), Exospheric (3^rd), Almoonqith (4^th), Our Ivanhowe (6^th), Sir John Hawkwood (10^th),
• #12 Jameka ($8.50) shoots for the Caulfield Cup – Melbourne Cup double last achieved by Ethereal (2001)

• The Geelong Cup has produced three Melbourne Cup winners since 2002 with Media Puzzle (2002), Americain (2010) and Dunaden (2011) all completing the double
• This year #23 Qewy ($21) comes off the Geelong Cup win

Melbourne Cup Barriers

• Last year’s Melbourne Cup winning barrier (1) has produced two winners (since 1983) and belongs this year to #16 Beautiful Romance ($61)
• The most successful Melbourne Cup barrier in that time producing four winners is gate 11; this year the barrier belongs to #20 Oceanographer ($8)
• The only Melbourne Cup barrier never to produce a winner is 18 and this year #3 Curren Mirotic ($34) is out to break the hoodoo
• The other barriers that haven’t produced a winner (since 1983) are gates 6, 12, 15, 19, 23 and 24; the unlucky gallopers in these barriers on Tuesday are: #2 Our Ivanhowe (6); #6 Hartnell (12); #23 Qewy (15); #9 Almoonqith (19); #13 Heartbreak City (23) and #8 Wicklow Brave (24)

Melbourne Cup Age & Sex

• Six-year-olds have dominated the Melbourne Cup results in the past 30 years including six years in the past decade
• The 6YOs in the race this year are: #1 Big Orange, #6 Hartnell, #10 Gallante and #18 Assign
• No eight-year-old has won the race in over 30 years; the 8YOs in the mix this year are: #7 Who Shot Thebarman, #8 Wicklow Brave and #14 Sir John Hawkwood
• No nine-year-old has won the Melbourne Cup and this year #3 Curren Mirotic is out to be the first
• Stallions have the best strike rate in the race; the stallions (entires) in the race this year are: #2 Our Ivanhowe, #4 Bondi Beach, #5 Exospheric, #9 Almoonqith, #15 Excess Knowledge and #19 Grey Lion
• Makybe Diva (2003-05) was the last Melbourne Cup winning mare
• The mares in the race this year are: #12 Jameka, #16 Beautiful Romance and #24 Rose Of Virginia

Melbourne Cup Favourites

• Since Makybe Diva (2005) the only Melbourne Cup favourite to salute for the punters was Fiorente (2013)
• #6 Hartnell is out to be the next
• Six favourites have won (since 1983)

Melbourne Cup Weights

• Last year’s Melbourne Cup winning weight was 53kg and no horse has exactly that weight this year
• In the past decade four Melbourne Cup winners have carried 54.5kg to victory; the horses under those kilos this spring are: #9 Almoonqith, #10 Gallante, #11 Grand Marshal and #12 Jameka
• #1 Big Orange and #2 Our Ivanhowe head the 2016 Melbourne Cup weights with 57kg
• Only one Melbourne Cup winner (since 1983) has carried more than 56.5kg to victory: Makybe Diva (58kg in 2005)

Melbourne Cup Win & Place Rates

• The horses with the highest Win Rates are: #4 Bondi Beach (40%) and #1 Big Orange (39%)
• The horses with the highest Place Rates are: #4 Bondi Beach (90%) and #17 Almandin (75#)

Melbourne Cup Track & Distance Records

• The horses with previous winning form over the distance (3200m) are: #8 Wicklow Brave (15-6-1-2), #1 Big Orange (6-2-1-0), #13 Heartbreak City (6-2-0-1), #6 Hartnell (3-1-0-0), #7 Who Shot Thebarman (6-1-1-1), #9 Almoonqith (4-1-0-0), #10 Gallante (1-1-0-0) and #11 Grand Marshal (4-1-0-2), #22 Pentathlon (3-1-1-0)
• The horses with previous winning form at the track (Flemington) are: #7 Who Shot Thebarman (5-2-0-1), #12 Jameka (6-2-1-0), #6 Hartnell (3-1-0-0), #11 Grand Marshal (2-1-0-0), #14 Sir John Hawkwood (2-1-0-0), #15 Excess Knowledge (4-1-0-1), #17 Almandin (2-1-0-0) and #20 Oceanographer (1-1-0-0)

See below for the full 2016 Melbourne Cup Form Guide then head to Ladbrokes.com.au to back your favourites based on the facts and stats at better prices thanks to Odds Boost!