1. The weight to carry for all of the 3,200 metres of the Melbourne Cup is an important factor to remember. Look out for the weight penalties that are handed out and compare these with the weight the horses carried in their more recent wins and races.
A huge number of horses try to make the Melbourne Cup field. Winning recent races, having won a large amount of prize money, success in well-known Group 1 or International racing all help ballot exemption, but they can also mean an additional weight penalty.
Other factors that can influence the weight penalty include age and sex as a mare will automatically receive a 2kg allowance over its male rivals.
Also, winning any of the following important races all allow Melbourne Cup ballot exemption:
- Lexus Stakes (Group 3, 2,500m 4 November 2023)
- W S Cox Plate (Group 1, 2,040m, 28 October 2023)
- Caulfield Cup (Group 1, 2,400m, 21 October 2023)
- The Bart Cummings (Group 3, 2,500m, 7 October 2023)
- Roy Higgins Quality (Listed, 2,600m, 25 March 2023 – winner Goldman)
- Andrew Ramsden Stakes (Listed, 2,800m, 13 May 2023 - winner Lunar Flare)
- Ebor Handicap (Class 2, 1mile 6 furlongs, 26 August 2023 – winner Absurde (Frankie Dettori!)
The thing to look out for here is the date of the race, how close that is to the Melbourne Cup date and whether these winnings horses are maintaining or losing form.
The top weighted horse must carry at least 57kg or more whilst the lowest weight is 49kg.
2. Once you´ve looked at the horse, the next is the trainer, once the full list of runners is announced (or beforehand look at the ballot exempt horses) take a look at the trainers with big race winners.
This does not necessarily mean recent Melbourne Cup wins as few trainers have won more than once. Australian winning Melbourne Cup trainers of note are, Gai Waterhourse (2013) Chris Waller (2021) Ciaron Maher & David Eustace (2022), Joe O´Brien (2017, 2020), Danny O´Brien (2018) and Robert Hickmott (2012,2016).
The racing savviness these trainers have in the way they set up their horse(s) for long races is usually a factor in high profile races like the Melbourne Cup.
3. If there was to be a fairy tale ending with the jockey, I would have to go with Frankie Dettori, what an unbelievable career this man has undertaken with over 280 group 1 wins. Frankie is due to retire in later November 2023 after the Melbourne Cup.
4. Watch the bookmakers and be ready to pounce. Having an account with more than one bookmaker is highly recommended as it allows you the freedom to place your bet where it will be of the most financial benefit. Bookmakers do not always offer the same odds as each other, therefore the betting site offering the highest odds (Win, Place, Exotics or whatever your fancy) will give you the maximum Melbourne Cup profits! If your horse wins! The key is the more sites you can peruse, the more odds you have available and the more choices you can give yourself, the better!
Bookmakers are so important for the Melbourne Cup, I cannot street how important this race is to their business. Two other webpages that are worth reviewing are New betting Sites and Small Betting sites, those who are new will really want to earn your business and those who are small (at present) may be nimble enough to do something different from the big players.
Good Luck!