Everyone’s excited about the Melbourne Cup as it’s fast approaching. And regardless if you’re an amateur or seasoned punter, you’ll always do everything in your power to win bets in this prestigious race. You’re in luck. Below are some tips on how you can place your bets and raise your odds of winning.
However, before you start reading these tips, make sure to take note of this Melbourne Cup horses list, as most of the information listed here relies on getting to knowing these horses intimately.
- Consult history
Check the most recent races and know which horses were included in the trifecta or superfecta. Most notably, check the Bart Cummings, Caufield, Cox Plate, and Geelong races. Know the horses that contended and performed exceptionally, as most winners from these races have also won in the Melbourne Cup. For instance, Caufield produced five winners, Cox Plate produced four, and Geelong produced three.
Of course, make sure to take a look at the recent Melbourne Cup results. Also, keep a close eye on current favorites like Incentivise, Dawn Patrol, and Realm Of Flowers.
Moreover, don’t forget about the horses that weren’t in trifectas but were only one or two lengths of the winners. Analyze their performance closely and see forming trends. After all, know that only one of five winners in the cup has been favored to win. Therefore, always make sure to get to learn more about the 24 horses.
- Check the numbers
Betting is a game of chance and analytics, so make sure to do your homework before you set your eyes on a single horse. Make sure to consider checking the numbers and trends. In the past two decades, nine winners out of 20 have been horses aged six years old. Also, three of the four recent winners were four-year-old horses.
Also, don’t forget about barriers. According to trends, some gated numbers bring luck to the jockeys and horses. Particularly, barriers 12, 11, and 9 are famous for bringing home winners, while barrier 18 is infamous for not winning a single cup.
Since gate numbers have been mentioned, know that saddle numbers 12 and 4 have produced 11 wins each. And if you’re a person who’ll consider anything for a win, consider betting on jockeys who wear royal blue, navy blue, and black silks, as those colors have won numerous times compared to other colors.
Of course, these barriers, saddle numbers, and jockey silk colors are highly specific trends in the Melbourne Cup that may be considered superstitions. However, as long as it may raise your chance of winning, it’s fine. In some parts of the world, some believe in betting on the color green numbers, avoiding betting on gray horses on bad weather, or even never wishing jockeys good luck in order to win bets. (1)
- Get more information about the horses
Being local or living in Australia gives you a definite advantage. Unlike the ones who’ll place bets online, you have the benefit of checking the horses personally.
If you have the time, don’t forget to check the horses personally and determine their health. Don’t hesitate to do this—it’s the Melbourne Cup. It’s the only race that can stop a nation. It doesn’t hurt to invest some time preparing yourself and making sure your bet can get you returns.
However, avoid getting biased to locally bred horses. Know that only three Australian-bred horses have won for the past 20 years with Vow And Declare ruining the streak of international horses winning. So be cautious and be critical when appraising the ones you’ll see. (2)
On the other hand, if you can’t check the horses’ fitness, you can check out how many races the horse has participated in. The more recent races, the higher the probability that the horse is in its prime and is fit.
Alternatively, if the horse didn’t race for the past two months, there’s a probability it’s not doing well. However, that’s not always the case. If you can, check if it’s doing morning workouts or training. Typically, most betting sites and platforms provide this information.
Nonetheless, if the horse has been racing for a long time and suddenly stopped racing for whatever reason, it’s not a safe bet. And the longer the horse stopped racing, the lower its chances to lead and make a comeback.
- Don’t forget to anticipate international gallopers
Unfortunately for some proud Australians, recent winners in the Melbourne Cup were international horses. Not to mention that more foreign trainers are taking the spots. In 2018, there were 11 from Europe and six other nationalities. In the coming years, it’s expected that more than half of the participants are horses trained in other countries aside from New Zealand and Australia. (3)
- Keep yourself updated
You don’t need to rely on yourself solely when predicting which horse will win this year. Many betting and sports websites out there generate a lot of opinion and statistical pieces that can provide you the most recent information about your favored stallions or mares. Also, never hesitate to get information from your bookie as well.
Conclusion
Betting on the Melbourne Cup is an exhilarating experience. The thrill of seeing your favored horse galloping towards the finish in this race is an extreme emotion that even makes a grown man cry. And if you don’t want to cry for the wrong reason—losing your bet—be sure to heed these tips.
References
- “The Top Five Horse Racing Betting Superstitions,” Source: https://www.ezhorsebetting.com/the-top-five-horse-racing-betting-superstitions/
- “Australian-Bred Vow And Declare Wins Melbourne Cup,” Source: https://sports.nbcsports.com/2019/11/05/australian-bred-vow-and-declare-wins- melbourne-cup/
- “Why Is The Melbourne Cup (Mostly) Run And Won By Horses From Overseas?” Source: https://www.theage.com.au/sport/racing/why-is-the-melbourne-cup-mostly-run-and-won-by-horses-from-overseas-20191028-p53554.html