- Race Date: 1st November 2022
- Race Category: Group I
- Race Track: Flemington Racecourse
- Race Distance: 3200m
- Prize Money: $7,750,000
The Melbourne Cup, nicknamed the “The Race that stops the nation,” is a Group I handicap race reserved for three-year-old and above runners. The race has a distance of 3200m at the Flemington Racecourse. The race was run for the first time in 1861. The Melbourne Cup is the most prominent race in the Australian horse racing calendar and is deeply ingrained in the Australian horse racing culture. Last year, Veery Elleegant won the race.
Melbourne Cup Predictions
Backing up the winner of the Melbourne Cup can be tricky, and there are various reasons for it, including the race distance, the handicap conditions, the huge field, the variety of form lines, and the presence of international horses.
In the past 12 runs, all except one of the race winners finished in the first four in their lead-up races, and upsets have been a common occurrence. Throughout the history of the race, only 34 favourites have won the race. It makes sense to look at multiple lead-up races, which can be considered good indicators for the participants’ prospective performance in the Melbourne Cup.
Strong lead-up races include the Caulfield Cup and the Cox Plate. The winner of the 2021 Melbourne Cup, Veerry Elleegant, had finished third in the Cox Plate before running in the Melbourne Cup. The winner of the 2013 edition, Fiorente, was also in third place in the Cox Plate. Moreover, the winner of the 2019 race, Vow and Declare, had secured second place in the Caulfield Cup before taking part in the Melbourne Cup.
Another tip that has served punters well in the past is picking the Melbourne Cup trifecta and other exotic bets, such as the first four and the quinella. This year’s line-up offers plenty of prospects in terms of runners having real chances at double-figure odds.
This year betting tables are led by Deauville Legend, the English runner. He is yet to win a major race but is being heavily bet on by the punters, especially after the weekend’s dream barrier draw.
Another runner that has caught the punters’ eye is Lunar Flare at $15, the seven-year-old mare that is finally showing good form. Other than the favourites, other notable runners include Young Werther at $34 and No.1 Gold Trip at $11.