The marquee race meeting of the year in Australia is today’s 2016 Melbourne Cup Day, best bets for the ten-race Flemington card from the Races.com.au team detailed below.

Big Orange is the Races.com.au team’s tip to win the 2016 Melbourne Cup. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

Melbourne Cup Day racing gets underway from 10:40am (AEDT) and continues through until the card closer at 5:15pm (AEDT) with Group 3 races bookmarking the Flemington line-up.

Of course the one everyone is waiting for is Flemington Race 7 at 3:00pm (AEDT) when the 24 horse Melbourne Cup field faces off for $6.2 million in total prize money plus the ‘Loving Trophy’.

Hartnell leads Melbourne Cup betting at Ladbrokes.com.au and has eased right out to $6, but can he salute for the punters and head the Melbourne Cup results?

If you think so, back Hartnell at a better price thanks to Odds Boost – a Ladbrokes.com.au exclusive!

Outside of Hartnell and the Aussie-bred Jameka looking to stop the international raiders in the Melbourne Cup 2016, there’s plenty of other value chances across the Flemington card and we’ve got the insider Melbourne Cup Day Best Bets for you to lock in at Ladbrokes.com.au!

In The Big One (Race 7) – 2016 Melbourne Cup

#1 Big Orange ($13) To Win

It’s a very open edition of the world’s richest handicap once again and while the Aussie-trained Hartnell ($6) and Jameka ($8.50) are easing in betting representing better value for the local punt, Big Orange at double-figures looks the best Melbourne Cup bet. He ran fifth last year and has improved, carries 57kg but that won’t bother him and has been doing plenty right overseas including the Goodwood Cup win over two miles. Genuine stayer. Genuine winning chance. Money is rolling in so back him now.

Better Than Bank Interest (Race 4) – 2016 Lavazza Prontissimo

#3 Demonstrate ($1.55)

Don’t normally like tipping odds-on favourites, but with nine left in this Benchmark 90 post-scratchings, the flying John O’Shea-trained New Approach four-year-old Demonstrate is at this price for a reason. He is rock hard fit coming off back to back wins over 1200m by big margins. Latest at Geelong by 3.25 lengths as odds-on favourite and the step up to 1400m will suit at this time of his campaign. James McDonald will give him the gun run. Back him don’t sack him.

Best Upset To Win (Race 5) – 2016 Schweppes #FlemingtonFling

#6 Liberty Song ($51)

Markets on this set weights plus penalties sprint for the three-year-olds is open, but right at the roughies’ end of betting the longest priced contender is Liberty Song. Stupid odds for a rails-drawn horse that has all the upside. No one is on the Statute Of Liberty colt at Flemington because he ran 11^th beaten eight lengths by Trenchant here as a two-year-old in the winter. Excuses galore that run over 1400m and he was set straight out after. Came back and won over 1100m by 1.25 lengths carrying 58.5kg at Pakenham. Ready to show that was no fluke over 1000m down the straight from the inside alley on 56kg.

Last Of The Day (Race 10) – 2016 The Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes

#6 Artistry ($6)

Early market mover for the card closer, a set weights plus penalties race for mares. Artistry is from the Sydney stables of Peter & Paul Snowden and has Hugh Bowman in the saddle second-up. Hasn’t been to Melbourne yet, but the first-up second in Group 3 company at Randwick on October 15 was strong and she doesn’t need to improve much off that to win and offer a bit of value.

*All odds quoted are Fixed Win provided by Ladbrokes.com.au and subject to change