The Melbourne Cup is without doubt the most well-known race in Australia and among the richest in the world. First run back in 1861, it is the leading two mile handicap in global racing and is staged at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Victoria, on the first Tuesday each November, during the annual Melbourne Cup Festival.
As one of racing’s most high profile races, the Melbourne Cup is keenly studied by race punters all over the world and Melbourne Cup tips will appear long before the race day as punters look for the best ante-post selection at big odds. Still, a lot can change before the day of the race, so some punters prefer to wait until closer to the off to start looking for Melbourne Cup Betting Tips. There is a huge range of websites and online tipping outlets that can offer betting advice for the big race, so you can afford to be choosy when you look for tips. When picking your betting tips for this famous race, it’s a good idea to take a look at the Melbourne Cup record of the tipster you are considering, as this is an unusual race and tipsters who have found the winner previously are the best bet.
Speculation over the next Melbourne Cup winner will begin almost as soon as the current edition has finished! Antepost odds will be provided by bookmakers during the months August, and will fluctuate regularly. Those looking for a major contender at big odds may find they can get some tempting prices during this period, though betting in advance does come with risk as some contenders can drop out before the race. Melbourne Cup odds alter hugely after the closing date for entries in August, and there will be subsequent changes in the odds as late entries are made and some contenders are withdrawn. There can also be big fluctuations in the odds during the Saturday before the race, and this can be a good time to cash in before your selection’s odds drop. By the day of the race itself, millions of dollars will have been bet on the Melbourne Cup.
The thrill of winning the Melbourne Cup and writing your name into the history of Australian racing, together with the huge prize fund of more than A$7 million, draws many of the world’s top staying handicappers to Melbourne every November. The field size limit at the Melbourne Cup is 24, so the fight to make the final line-up is fierce, and if you are planning to make a bet before the final line-up is settled, make sure you know the race conditions. For example, some Australian races confer automatic exemption for the Melbourne Cup, including the Caulfield Cup and the Cox Plate. The final field is settled on the Saturday before the race, and is chosen based on Ballot Order and race steward decision, though the best way to predict the likely field is to carefully study the Order of Entry, which should give you plenty of clues.
The Melbourne Cup is often described as ‘The Race that Stops a Nation’ and a global audience of millions watches every year. The official race result is declared seconds after the end of the race and is quickly circulated by racing fans across the globe, thanks to bookmakers’ sites, news outlets and social media. One of the world’s most prestigious races, the Melbourne Cup has been claimed by trainers of some of Australia’s best horses, including Phar Lap, two-time winners Rain Lover and Think Big and Makybe Diva, the only horse to win the race on three occasions. Many punters trying to find the winner of the Melbourne Cup will check out the results of previous years’ races, as horses who have proven they can cope with the particular demands of the contest can be solid bets to do well in it subsequently.