The Melbourne Cup is a 3,200 meters (1.99 miles) Australian horse racing competition that happens on the first Tuesday of November each year at Flemington Racecourse. It was first held in 1861 and is only restricted to 24 horses at least three years of age or older. 

This high-profile horse racing event has attracted local and international interest as its fan base keeps growing each year. Most fans love to travel to Flemington Racecourse each year to watch the iconic race in person, while others opt to follow it live. In addition, many punters bet on this high-risk high-win sport every season, increasing the excitement as the real action unfolds. 

Therefore, as the Melbourne Cup 2022 approaches, consider watching betting channels for more information on how to place your wager. Also, here are four betting tips and tricks for your consideration. 

  1. Consider tipster predictions

The Melbourne Cup is a highly competitive race that requires extensive analysis of facts and figures before betting. Therefore, whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned punter, you’d want to follow expert tips for more informed predictions. 

These specialists have been in the game for decades, so they’ve gained the skills to analyse different metrics and name the frontrunners with a high probability of winning. For such trips, you’d want to leverage reliable sites.

Here are some benefits of using expert predictions: 

  • They can disclose vital information about the race, such as the strengths and weaknesses of all the contenders
  • They offer comprehensive odds based on data-driven analysis of winning patterns. You can also compare the data with your predictions and determine what counts as a safe bet. 
  • They provide the Melbourne Cup past results which can help you gauge the previous performance of horses and forecast an outcome for the upcoming race

Moreover, tipsters usually propose the Punters Melbourne Cup favourites; the horses predicted to win the Melbourne Cup. However, note that a win isn’t guaranteed for the favourites, so it’s best to do an expansive analysis even on the underestimated horses.

  1. Check the performance in the preceding races

The performance of the cup contenders in the lead-up races can act as your guide to predicting the winning horse in the Melbourne Cup. Below are the key horse races to watch out for:

  • Caulfield Cup (2400m): The 2022 competition is expected to occur on the 15th of October. The 2021 winner was Incentivise, who finished second during the 2021 Melbourne Cup.
  • Cox Plate (2,040m): This year’s race is set to happen on the 22nd of October. 
  • The Burt Cummings (2,500m): It’s planned to be held on the 1st of October.
  • Geelong Cup (2,400 m): It’ll take place on the 19th of October at Geelong Racecourse.
  • Moonee Valley Cup(2500m): It’s scheduled to go down on the 22nd of October 2022.

The Victorian Racing Club recently released the nominations for the three notable races, the Melbourne Cup, Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate. There are 186 nominations for the Melbourne Cup, 143 from Australia and New Zealand and 43 foreign runners. Therefore, you’d want to evaluate closely how each of them will perform in the above races.

If they exhibit great results this October, chances are they’ll also perform well in the November 2022 Melbourne Cup because they’ll still be fit. In that case, you can consider the horses when placing your bet. 

  1. Consider the horse’s ages

Analysis of past wins shows that most younger horses are more likely to win than older ones. Essentially, those within a range of four to six years have been the frontrunners. Below is data on the number of wins for different ages:

  • Three-year-olds: 23 times
  • Four-year-olds: 46 times
  • Five-year-olds: 44 times
  • Six-year-olds: 33 times
  • Seven-year-olds: 11times
  • Eight-year-olds: Three times

For that reason, it’s safer to bet on horses within four to six years than to risk on eight-year-olds.

  1. Look into the weights

The Melbourne Cup is a handicap race; therefore, horses are assigned official weights in relation to their age, sex and past performances. All weights range from 49kg-58kg. Of all the Melbourne Cup winners from 1996-2020, only three horses carried a weight of 56kg or more. The highest weight was 58kg by Makybe Diva in 2005, and the lightest weight ever carried to victory was 49kg by Brew in 2000. Four of the recent five winners had at least 52kg. 

Therefore, it’s safe to say a horse carrying lightweight has an advantage. A significant weight may only work out for a top horse. For instance, Verry Elleegant emerged as the winner in the 2021 Melbourne Cup by a margin of 3.17.43L, even with a weight of 57kgs. Even so, it’s best to stake on horses with weights in the bracket of 50-55kgs. 

Conclusion

The Melbourne Cup is one of the most prominent races, highly regarded by Australians and many horse racing fans globally. Therefore, as you eagerly await the Melbourne Cup 2022 competition, you’d want to bet on your most preferred horse to make the experience even more intriguing. Above are some betting tips to consider to increase your odds of winning. Altogether, remember to take advantage of tipster predictions and bet responsibly.

Featured photo by Jeff Griffith