Melbourne Cup Betting Tips
The Melbourne Cup is one of the biggest thoroughbred racing betting events in the world. It is estimated that 3 in 4 of all adult Australians bet on the race every year, either by placing money in betting pools, participating in Melbourne Cup sweepstakes, or by backing Melbourne Cup entries in the fixed odds betting markets.
As a handicap race the Melbourne Cup can be a tricky event to bet on, and a good knowledge of the form, ability and record of the various racehorses in the field is essential for successful betting. Furthermore, a basic knowledge of how the draw affects races at Flemington Park is important.
Last but not least, bets should never fail to take into account the rapidly, ever changing ground conditions at Flemington Racecourse.
Melbourne Cup Tips
The Melbourne Cup is one of the few top rated thoroughbred races for colts and fillies in which the fillies have consistently managed to trump their male opponents. This means that smart bets should never ignore fillies with strong records entered into the race
Increasing numbers of European thoroughbreds are making the journey to Melbourne each year, often coming off the back of success in the English and Irish Classics. Whilst these entries may receive plenty of media attention and strong backing, it is important to note that only two European entries, both trained by Dermott Weld, have won the Melbourne Cup and also, that the long journey from Europe is likely to have a substantial impact on Melbourne Cup fitness and form
A number of races run during the Spring Racing Carnival are considered to be trial events for the Melbourne Cup, and are run by thoroughbreds who may well later participate in the race. The race which has produced the most Melbourne Cup winners is the Caulfield Cup. The Cox Plate and Geelong Cup have only rarely produced Melbourne Cup winners in the past decade
Racehorse age does not appear to have a notable effect on the outcome of the Melbourne Cup. With the emphasis being on staying power rather than outright speed, the Melbourne Cup is often won by racehorses over the age of 3
Flemington Park Racecourse is known for having a measurable bias in favour of entries drawn on the inside of the left-handed course
The last time a top weighted racehorse won the Melbourne Cup was in 1951. It is therefore not unusual for punters to scratch horses carrying more than 10st 5lbs from the card