Best Melbourne Cup guide 2024
Melbourne Cup
Group One 2024 Betting Guide
| Date: | Tuesday, November 5, 2024 |
| Time: | 3pm AEDT |
| Location: | Flemington Racecourse |
| Prize Money: | $8,000,000 |
| Distance: | 3200m |
| 2023 Winner: | Without A Fight | Jockey: Mark Zahra | Trainer: Anthony & Sam Freedman |
This Melbourne Cup betting guide is designed to give you the ultimate leg-up ahead of the 2024 running of the race that stops a nation, which will be held on Tuesday, November 5. Melbourne Cup betting is open all-year round but ramps up in the week leading up to the 3200m battle for stayers run at Flemington Racecourse. You can navigate our Melbourne Cup betting guide using the links on our page menu, which will advance you to the information you are seeking.
The Melbourne Cup is the pinnacle of racing in Australia and one of the most popular races for punters around the world. Considered to be “the race that stops a nation” the Melbourne Cup is held on the first Tuesday of November and attracts, not only the biggest racing crowd each year, but also the most money bet on one race.
The 2023 running of the Melbourne Cup was taken out by Without A Fight, trained by Anthony & Sam Freedman, under Mark Zahra.
2023 Melbourne Cup Final Field
1. Gold Trip (2)
- T: Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
- J: James McDonald
- W: 58.5kg
- F: 0x4135
- Age: 7YO
- Color: Bay
- Sex: Horse
- Sire: Outstrip (GB)
- Dam: Sarvana (USA)
2. Alenquer (9)
- T: Michael Moroney
- J: Damien Oliver
- W: 56.5kg
- F: 00×059
- Age: 6YO
- Color: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Adlerflug (GER)
- Dam: Wild Blossom (GER)
3. Without A Fight (16)
- T: Anthony & Sam Freedman
- J: Mark Zahra
- W: 56.5kg
- F: x11x61
- Age: 7YO
- Color: Brown
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Teofilo (IRE)
- Dam: Khor Sheed (GB)
4. Breakup (18)
- T: Tatsuya Yoshioka
- J: Kohei Matsuyama
- W: 55kg
- F: 0340×8
- Age: 5YO
- Color: Chestnut
- Sex: Horse
- Sire: Novelist (IRE)
- Dam: Little Dun (USA)
5. Vauban (3)
- T: Willie Mullins
- J: Ryan Moore
- W: 55kg
- F: 34211x
- Age: 5YO
- Color: Chestnut
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Gallway (GB)
- Dam: Waldfest (IRE)
6. Soulcombe (4)
- T: Chris Waller
- J: Joao Moreira
- W: 53.5kg
- F: 2×1437
- Age: 5YO
- Color: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Frankel (GB)
- Dam: Ribbons (GER)
7. Absurde (8)
- T: Willie Mullins
- J: Zac Purton
- W: 53kg
- F: 7×1261
- Age: 6YO
- Color: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Fastnet Rock (AUS)
- Dam: Incroyable (IRE)
8. Right You Are (15)
- T: Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
- J: John Allen
- W: 53kg
- F: 1×2505
- Age: 7YO
- Color: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: So You Think (NZ)
- Dam: Leica Ding (NZ)
9. Vow And Declare (19)
- T: Danny O’Brien
- J: Billy Egan
- W: 53kg
- F: 60×022
- Age: 8YO
- Color: Chestnut
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Declaration Of War (USA)
- Dam: Geblitzt (NZ)
10. Cleveland (23)
- T: Kris Lees
- J: Michael Dee
- W: 52kg
- F: x49621
- Age: 6YO
- Color: Bay
- Sex: Horse
- Sire: Camelot (GB)
- Dam: Venus de Milo (IRE)
11. Ashrun (11)
- T: Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
- J: Kerrin McEvoy
- W: 51.5kg
- F: 10×762
- Age: 8YO
- Color: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Authorized (IRE)
- Dam: Ashantee (GER)
12. Daqiansweet Junior (12)
- T: Phillip Stokes
- J: Daniel Stackhouse
- W: 51.5kg
- F: 0x0074
- Age: 6YO
- Color: Bay or Brown
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Sweet Orange (USA)
- Dam: Paulette (NZ)
13. Okita Soushi (20)
- T: Joseph O’Brien
- J: Dylan Gibbons
- W: 51.5kg
- F: 115130
- Age: 6YO
- Color: Bay
- Sex: Stallion
- Sire: Galileo (IRE)
- Dam: Amicus (UNR)
14. Sheraz (22)
- T: Chris Waller
- J: Beau Mertens
- W: 51.5kg
- F: 1×2341
- Age: 7YO
- Color: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Sea The Stars (IRE)
- Dam: Shemiyla (IRE)
15. Lastotchka (21)
- T: Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr
- J: Craig Williams
- W: 51kg
- F: 1×2341
- Age: 4YO
- Color: Bay
- Sex: Mare
- Sire: Myboycharlie (IRE)
- Dam: Muthia (GB)
16. Magical Lagoon (7)
- T: Chris Waller
- J: Mark Du Plessis
- W: 51kg
- F: 06×906
- Age: 5YO
- Color: Bay
- Sex: Mare
- Sire: Galileo (IRE)
- Dam: Night Lagoon (GB)
17. Military Mission (5)
- T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
- J: Rachel King
- W: 51kg
- F: 920141
- Age: 6YO
- Color: Grey/Brown
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Mastercraftsman (IRE)
- Dam: Atlantic Isle (GB)
18. Serpentine (1)
- T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
- J: Jye McNeil
- W: 51kg
- F: 129243
- Age: 7YO
- Color: Chestnut
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Galileo (IRE)
- Dam: Remember When (IRE)
19. Virtuous Circle (6)
- T: Liam Howley
- J: Craig Newitt
- W: 51kg
- F: 2×0908
- Age: 4YO
- Color: Bay
- Sex: Horse
- Sire: Almanzor (FR)
- Dam: She Is Stryking
20. More Felons (24)
- T: Chris Waller
- J: Jamie Kah
- W: 50.5kg
- F: 657285
- Age: 5YO
- Color: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Churchill (IRE)
- Dam: Pivotalia (IRE)
21. Future History (13)
- T: Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
- J: Hollie Doyle
- W: 50kg
- F: 721213
- Age: 6YO
- Color: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Showcasing (GB)
- Dam: Likelihood (USA)
22. Interpretation (17)
- T: Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
- J: Teo Nugent
- W: 50kg
- F: x32591
- Age: 6YO
- Color: Brown
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Galileo (IRE)
- Dam: Daldiyna (FR)
24. True Marvel (10)
- T: Matthew Smith
- J: Ben Thompson
- W: 50kg
- F: 138080
- Age: 8YO
- Color: Brown
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Masked Marvel (GB)
- Dam: Anecdotique (GB)
2023 Melbourne Cup Barrier Draw
2023 Melbourne Cup odds
Flemington - Race 7
Lexus Melbourne Cup
Status: Final
Track Rating: Good4
Weather: Overcast
AUS
3200m
03:00pm - Tue 7th Nov
Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
Melbourne Cup betting 2024
Best Melbourne Cup Bookmakers
The 2024 Melbourne Cup will be run on Tuesday, November 5, with bets now being taken by Australia’s top betting sites. Melbourne Cup futures betting opens in the minutes after the running of the race each year, which allows you to place bets well in advance of the next running. This allows you to spot the talented types that can journey over 3200m and bet on them to win the Melbourne Cup, before they have even qualified, usually at extreme odds.
The more popular way to place Melbourne Cup bets is after the fields have been released. The order of entry is evolving throughout the racing season, with the best 24 horses then given a spot in the field. The Melbourne Cup barrier draw then finalises where horses will jump from and betting then really heats up. Now Melbourne Cup betting sites have more knowledge, they can frame extensive markets and begin ramping up their promotions.
In the days leading up to and on race day, you will be able to place all kinds of bet types at online bookmakers, these include win/place bets, trifectas and even things like quaddies, which allows you to bet on who will win four successive races on cup day. We’ll go into more about the bet types available at Melbourne Cup betting sites on this page.
Melbourne Cup betting is also available across mobile devices, with most Australian betting sites also having downloadable betting apps and mobile websites. This means even if you are on course at Flemington, you can take care of all your Melbourne Cup betting needs on the web
Betting on a normal day’s racing isn’t even comparable to those who punt on the Melbourne Cup.
The atmosphere, even sitting at home, is unlike anything else and Australians embrace the day like no other. For adults in Australia its as hotly looked forward to as Christmas Day.
From a punting perspective, there are a large majority of us that just like to have a runner in the office sweepstakes, but there’s nothing better than punting your hard-earned cash on your Melbourne Cup fancy.
There are multiple reasons to have a bet in the Melbourne Cup:
Firstly, the size of the pools are massive — bigger than any other pool for any other race in Australia and around the world.
What does this mean for you? Even if you’re betting only $1 in the Melbourne Cup, that $1 has already increased in value because the bigger the pool, the better your horse will pay with bookmakers.
If the pool was small, there would be less money to divided between the winning bets, but the Melbourne Cup pools exceed into the millions and this is where Melbourne Cup punters take full advantage.
Secondly, because the pools are so high, the possible payouts for players of Quaddies, Trifectas, Quinellas, Trebles and Doubles are very rewarding.
The Quaddie involving the Melbourne Cup gets into the millions and even if all four favourites win, the payouts are still profitable.
Lastly, our recommended bookmakers have a wide range of Melbourne Cup specials and promotions. Unfortunately though sign up bonuses are now banned at Australian online bookmakers following the introduction of the National Gambling Framework on May 26 2019.
They also offer refund specials, so if your selected horse doesn’t win, you can still get your money back, along with plenty more rewarding promotions.
The 2024 Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup is Australia’s major thoroughbred horse race, not only because of the stake money involved, but it’s a day where even those who have never punted in their life have a little flutter with the bookmakers.
The 3200-metre race is one of the longest flat races in Australia and carries a current prize purse of A$8 million with the winner being paid $4.4 million.
The prize money has steadily grown over the past 10 years due to its increase in popularity with punters. It’s punters money that drives the horse racing business and increases have seen its total prize pool shoot from $5 million in 2005 to $8 million in 2020.
The race is run at Flemington (Read: How to travel to the Melbourne Cup), Victoria’s premier race track, and the current sponsor is Lexus which supplies the winning trophies, valued at around $250,000.
For Australians, the Melbourne Cup is a public holiday which saves them from making an excuse at work. It is also a popular race in New Zealand, Europe and Asia as those three contingents usually have runners in the Melbourne Cup itself.
Recent results of the Melbourne Cup
2023: Without A Fight 
- Trainer Anthony & Sam Freedman
- Jockey Mark Zahra
2022: Gold Trip
- Trainer Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
- Jockey Mark Zahra
2021: Verry Elleegant
- Trainer Chris Waller
- Jockey James McDonald
2020: Twilight Payment
- Trainer Joseph O’Brien
- Jockey Jye McNeil
2019: Vow And Declare
- Trainer Danny O’Brien
- Jockey Craig Williams
2018: Cross Counter
- Trainer Charlie Appleby
- Jockey Kerrin McEvoy
2017: Rekindling
- Trainer Joseph O’Brien
- Jockey Corey Brown
2016: Almandin
- Trainer Robert Hickmott
- Jockey Kerrin McEvoy