The incredible Melbourne Cup is coming up in the early hours of tomorrow morning and the historic Group 1 is a spectacle for horse racing where the greats really battle it out.
Held at Flemington Racecourse, the greatest horses around the world land in Australia take on the 2m flat for the huge prize money that awaits the winner.
The prize money attracts the best of the best, as trainers see the potential of the purse and bring their top-rated horses to take on the Group 1.
Winners include the great three-time winner Makybe Diva, two-time winners Think Big, Archer, and recent winners Green Moon and Protectionist.
Glen Boss rode the three victories onboard Makybe Diva and the 52-year-old jockey is still going nearing 2000 wins.
The big favourite to take the coveted prize is Incentivise who will be ridden by Brett Prebble.
The 5-year-old will take on last year’s winner Twilight Payment who is an outside shot going into the race.
Incentivise has already taken three Group 1 races including two at Flemington racecourse.
The race has also undergone huge changes in order to address the welfare concerns in previous years.
All horses are required to have a CT scan prior to racing so that all underlying injuries are detected before and can then be addressed accordingly.
International horses also require a scan before they leave for Australia wherein the costs incurred will be taken care by the owners as opposed to Racing Victoria, the racing authority for the state.
2021 Melbourne Cup: When is it?
The 2021 Melbourne Cup is set for the off on Tuesday 2nd November.
The Melbourne Cup has taken place on the first Tuesday of November every year since 1875.
The rich Australian race will be run at 4am UK time and 3pm ACT time.
2021 Melbourne Cup: How big is the field?
Each year, there are lots of horses that are nominated for the big race.
But only 24 horses will take on the prestigious race that ‘stops the nation’.
2021 Melbourne Cup: What is the prize money?
The prize money for the Melbourne Cup is expected to be $8 million, as it was in 2020.
2021 Melbourne Cup: Race conditions
The Melbourne Cup is 2m.
It is a handicapped race for horses aged 3 years and above.
2021 Melbourne Cup: Betting tips and horses
Incentivise is currently the runaway favourite at 15/8, with Spanish Mission following up at a reasonably priced 8/1.
Last year’s winner comes off the back of two good runs in Ireland including a Group 3 win at Curragh in the Irish St Leger Trial, before coming second in the big race.
The Joseph O’Brien-trained horse is 14/1 to defend the Melbourne Cup but question marks remain over the preferred ground.
Tralee Rose is also within contention and has avoided a weight penalty for her Geelong Cup success among Group 3 company on October 20.
Racing Victoria said in a statement explaining the handicapper’s reasoning: “no mare has placed in a Melbourne Cup in the 15 editions since Makybe Diva won the race in 2005.”
But the favourite trained by Peter Moody has said he believes in his stable star to ‘just about win’.
“I just hope he gets his chance. I believe if he holds his form – and from what I’ve seen at home it tells me he will hold his form – he should just about win the race,” the trainer said on his Moody on the Mic podcast.
“He’s a deserved favourite on form. Going [into the Melbourne Cup] I’ve just tried to maintain him and hold him together and I’ve been able to do that quite comfortably through his resilience and the way he’s done around the stables.”
Melbourne Cup 2021 Odds
- Incentivise – 15/8
- Spanish Mission – 8/1
- Floating Artist – 10/1
- Twilight Payment – 12/1
- Grand Promenade – 12/1
- Tralee Rose – 14/1
- Pondus – 16/1
- Verry Elleegant – 16/1
- Delphi – 16/1
- Sir Lucan – 18/1
- Persan – 22/1
- Great House – 22/1
BAR 22/1
The Danny O’Brien-trained fancy Young Werther won’t take his place in the race it was confirmed over the weekend.
O’Brien released a statement that a CT scan revealed ‘an area of concern’ which renders a risk to his welfare and is therefore withdrawn.
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