The Australian horse racing schedule always intensifies as the calendar passes the halfway point and once again 2024, the prospect of all of the biggest names in the business doing battle is always an enticing one.
It is the Melbourne Cup that will be the headline act once again for each and every horse that has been declared and there looks to be a stellar field in the offing at Flemington in November.
Long coined as the ‘race that stops a nation’, the Melbourne Cup always attracts a huge amount of interest from punters and betting sites alike, with millions of dollars spent on the race each year.
All of the biggest sportsbooks in Australia and across the world will be laying on some inviting promotions and casino bonuses, as they look to encourage people to place their Melbourne Cup bets with them.
No matter who comes out on top in the race itself, the attention and drama is always guaranteed at the Melbourne Cup, as the best horses on the planet battle it out over 3200m.
Striking Early
The A$8 million prize pot on offer at Flemington will of course be a huge carrot for all looking to Melbourne Cup glory, not to mention the prestige and grandeur that comes with winning a race of this calibre.
Each and every punter will be looking to utilise the ante-post market to maximise any potential winnings and if an early gamble does come good, gamblers can often benefit from bigger winning pots when their bet lands.
Some of the biggest names in the world of Australian racing can be backed at huge ante-post prices and each and every punter will be keen to ensure that any potential windfalls don’t slip through their grasp.
Mullins Made To Wait
Irish trainer Willie Mullins remains one of the best in the world when it comes to bagging wins and his record in the UK, Ireland and Europe stands up in every regard.
However, one race that has curiously eluded him throughout his illustrious career is the Melbourne Cup and over the past few seasons, Mullins has seriously turned his attention to winning the Melbourne Cup.
🇦🇺 Willie Mullins confirms that 2022 Triumph Hurdle winner VAUBAN will return to Australia for another shot at the Melbourne Cup this year.
Per @RacingTV, he said: “He might get a run in Punchestown but I’m going to concentrate on getting him back to Melbourne in ship shape.” pic.twitter.com/6I5wtyJCfY
— Road To Cheltenham (@RoadCheltenham) March 20, 2024
Vauban was tipped to do the business for Mullins in the Melbourne Cup in 2023, but it came up short, with Without A Fight managing to bag the famous trophy.
However, with Mullins having already snared another famous win at the Grand National at Aintree in the UK earlier this year, he will be hoping that Vauban can do the business for him down under this year.
Not Going Down Without A Fight
Very few horses have been able to go back-to-back at the Melbourne Cup, with Makybe Diva the last flyer to win the famous race in consecutive years, achieving the feat from 2003-2005.
Without A Fight remains a serious presence in this race, despite having not been seen out on the track since that famous win last November and how connections would love to see it go all the way once again at Flemington this season.
Magnificent Maher
It has been all about Ciaron Maher in 2024, who has been one of the very best trainers in Australia this season and how fitting it would be if he could land a winner in the flagship race of the campaign.
Circle Of Fire has been catching the eye this season, with the British flyer adapting hugely well to conditions in Australia, after making the move from the UK earlier in 2024.
Two wins at Randwick back in April were seen as significant by many backers for the 2024 Melbourne Cup odds and Circle Of Fire looks set to be the market leader, with Maher last winning the race with Gold Trip in 2022.
Best Of The Rest
As with any Melbourne Cup campaign, plenty of horses dip in and out of form as the race approaches and there are plenty of narrative arcs that need to be fulfilled.
The likes of Tower Of London, The Map and Middle Earth look set to challenge, with plenty of other horses looking to etch their name in to Melbourne Cup history on November 5th 2024.