Melbourne Cup favourites

2024 Melbourne Cup favourites

Melbourne Cup favourites are anointed in the hours after the running of the 3200m feature each year. As time progresses and more staying races are run, the form is assessed and the Melbourne Cup favourite might be changed. Read on to learn about the Melbourne Cup favourites for 2024 and the historical results of the bookies pick in the race that stops a nation.


2023 Melbourne Cup favourite

Following the money is one of the smartest thing Melbourne Cup punters can do, with connections confidence often backed by their big wallets. Other keen form watchers run big betting syndicates and can also have a huge impact on the 2023 Melbourne Cup favourite.

The 2023 Melbourne Cup favourite is Vauban, priced at $3.80 with Melbourne Cup betting Sites.

View the full Melbourne Cup betting market at Ladbrokes.com.au.

Vauban is the current favourite for the 2023 Melbourne Cup. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Racing Photos)

Betting on Melbourne Cup favourites

THE Melbourne Cup is the one time of the year that the casual fan opens up the wallet and has a flutter.

Naturally the average punter is going to turn to the horses that feature towards the top of the market, and if there’s an outright favourite that horse is going to see the majority of the once-a-year money.

We’ve taken a look at how the favourites have fared in recent Melbourne Cup history to see if the short price is justified.


Who is the 2023 Melbourne Cup favourite?

The $3.80 favourite with online bookmaker Ladbrokes for the 2023 Melbourne Cup is the Willie Mullins-trained Vauban.

The six-year-old gelding brings superb form from the UK to a race like the Melbourne Cup and his form over hurdles and on the flat is some of the best that we have seen from any International galloper in some time.

Vauban has won multiple Group 1 hurdle contests over similar distance to the Melbourne Cup, while he has won his last two starts in Europe, including a massive 7.5-length victory over his stablemate and Ebor Handicap winner, Absurde.


2022 Melbourne Cup Field

No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight Odds
1 Gold Trip Melbourne Cup 2022 Gold Trip Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Mark Zahra 14 57.5kg $13
2 Duais Melbourne Cup 2022 Duais Edward Cummings Hugh Bowman 10 55.5kg $21
3 Knights Order Melbourne Cup 2022 Knights Order Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Tim Clark 24 55.5kg $21
4 Montefilia Melbourne Cup 2022 Montefilia David Payne Jason Collett 11 55.5kg $11
5 Numerian Melbourne Cup 2022 Numerian Annabel Neasham Tommy Berry 7 55.5kg $61
6 Without A Fight Melbourne Cup 2022 Without A Fight Simon & Ed Crisford William Buick 18 55.5kg $11
7 Camorra Melbourne Cup 2022 Camorra Ben & JD Hayes Ben Melham 17 55kg $41
8 Deauville Legend Melbourne Cup 2022 Deauville Legend James Ferguson Kerrin McEvoy 9 55kg $3.80
9 Stockman Melbourne Cup 2022 Stockman Joseph Pride Sam Clipperton 2 54kg $34
10 Vow And Declare Melbourne Cup 2022 Vow And Declare Danny O’Brien Blake Shinn 4 54kg $18
11 Young Werther Melbourne Cup 2022 Young Werther Danny O’Brien Damian Lane 21 54kg $26
12 Hoo Ya Mal Melbourne Cup 2022 Hoo Ya Mal Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Craig Williams 15 53.5kg $21
13 Serpentine Melbourne Cup 2022 Serpentine Robert Hickmott John Allen 23 53.5kg $61
14 Daqiansweet Junior Melbourne Cup 2022 Daqiansweet Junior Phillip Stokes Daniel Moor 13 53kg $51
15 Grand Promenade Melbourne Cup 2022 Grand Promenade Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Harry Coffey 1 53kg $61
16 Arapaho Melbourne Cup 2022 Arapaho Bjorn Baker Rachel King 19 52.5kg $101
17 Emissary Melbourne Cup 2022 Emissary Mike Moroney Patrick Moloney 3 51.5kg $21
18 Lunar Flare Melbourne Cup 2022 Lunar Flare Grahame Begg Michael Dee 12 51.5kg $21
19 Smokin' Romans Melbourne Cup 2022 Smokin’ Romans Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Jamie Kah 16 51.5kg $21
20 Tralee Rose Melbourne Cup 2022 Tralee Rose Symon Wilde Dean Yendall 22 51kg $101
21 Point Nepean Melbourne Cup 2022 Point Nepean Robert Hickmott Wayne Lordan 20 51kg $71
22 High Emocean Melbourne Cup 2022 High Emocean Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Teo Nugent 8 50kg $51
23 Interpretation Melbourne Cup 2022 Interpretation Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Craig Newitt 6 50kg $41
24 Realm Of Flowers Melbourne Cup 2022 Realm Of Flowers Anthony & Sam Freedman Damien Thornton 5 50kg $15

2022 Melbourne Cup Odds

Flemington - Race 7
Lexus Melbourne Cup
Status: Open
Track Rating: Soft7
Weather: Rain
AUS
3200m03:00pm - Tue 1st Nov
1. Gold Trip
Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
Best odds atNeds
2. Duais
Edward Cummings
Best odds atNeds
3. Knights Order
G Waterhouse & A Bott
Best odds atNeds
4. Montefilia
David Payne
Best odds atNeds
5. Numerian
Annabel Neasham
Best odds atNeds
6. Without A Fight
Simon & Ed Crisford
Best odds atNeds
7. Camorra
Ben & Jd Hayes
Best odds atNeds
8. Deauville Legend
James Ferguson
Best odds atNeds
9. Stockman
Joseph Pride
Best odds atNeds
10. Vow And Declare
Danny O'brien
Best odds atNeds
11. Young Werther
Danny O'brien
Best odds atNeds
12. Hoo Ya Mal
G Waterhouse & A Bott
Best odds atNeds
13. Serpentine
Robert Hickmott
Best odds atNeds
14. Daqiansweet Junior
Phillip Stokes
Best odds atNeds
15. Grand Promenade
Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
Best odds atNeds
16. Arapaho
Bjorn Baker
Best odds atNeds
17. Emissary
Michael Moroney
Best odds atNeds
18. Lunar Flare
Grahame Begg
Best odds atNeds
19. Smokin' Romans
Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
Best odds atNeds
20. Tralee Rose
Symon Wilde
Best odds atNeds
21. Point Nepean
Robert Hickmott
Best odds atNeds
22. High Emocean
Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
Best odds atNeds
23. Interpretation
Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
Best odds atNeds
24. Realm Of Flowers
A & S Freedman
Best odds atNeds

How have the most recent Melbourne Cup favourites fared?

It may be surprising to punters to find out that just one horse in the last 10 years has registered a win as the favourite in the Melbourne Cup.

Fiorente
Fiorente was the last favourite to win the Melbourne Cup. (Racing Photos)

Fiorente all the way back in 2013 as a $7 favourite at Ladbrokes was the only time this decade a top elect has got the win, with Incentivise (2021) next best with a second place finish and Hartnell (2015) and So You Think (2010) having third-placed finishes.


How often do favourites win the Melbourne Cup?

As of 2021, the starting favourite has won 34 of 161 Melbourne Cups, which works out to be just under a 1/4 shot.

Typically any horse in a 24-horse field is going to jump at long odds, but these odds shorten considerably when the once-a-year backers place their bets on whatever is on top of the betting market.

Fiorente in 2013 was the last time a favourite saluted in the Melbourne Cup, which means we’re overdue for another top elect to win in the race that stops a nation.


Recent Melbourne Cup favourites & their finishing order

Horse Year Finished Price
Deauville Legend 2022 4th $4.40
Incentivise 2021 2nd $2.50
Surprise Baby 2020 13th $6
Finche 2019 7th $8.50
Yucatan 2018 11th $7
Marmelo 2017 9th $8.50
Hartnell 2016 3rd $5.50
Fame Game 2015 13th $5
Admire Ratki 2014 Retired $5.50
Fiorente 2013 1st $7
Dunaden 2012 14th $7
Americain 2011 5th $5
So You Think 2010 3rd $3
Alcopop 2009 6th $4.80
Mad Rush 2008 7th $5.50

Shortest Melbourne Cup Favourites by Odds

Year Favourite(s) Place
1930 Phar Lap (8/11, $1.70) 1ST
1929 Phar Lap (Evens, $2) 3rd
1912 Duke Foote (6/4, $2.50) Unplaced
1901 Revenue (7/4, $2.70) 1ST
1917 Lanius (7/4, $2.70) 6th
1925 Manfred (7/4, $2.70) 2nd
1940 Beau Vite (7/4, $2.70) 4th
1948 Howe (7/4, $2.70) 5th
1956 Redcraze (7/4, $2.70) 2nd
1971 Gay Icarus (7/4, $2.70) 9th
2021 Incentivise ($2.90) 2nd
1862 Archer (2/1, $3) 1ST
1863 Musidora (2/1ef, $3) & Rose of Denmark (2/1ef, $3) 2nd & 3rd
1869 Circassian (2/1, $3) Unplaced
1874 Goldsborough (2/1, $3) 7th
1955 Rising Fast (2/1, $3) 2nd
1969 Tails (2/1, $3) 7th
2010 So You Think ($3) 3rd
1908 Alawa (9/4, $3.20) 5th
1924 Spearfelt (9/4, $3.20) 3rd
1926 Pantheon (9/4, $3.20) 3rd
1928 Strephon (9/4, $3.20) 2nd
1958 Yeman (9/4, $3.20) 4th
1963 Summer Regent (9/4, $3.20) 22nd
1970 Voleur (9/4, $3.20) 6th
1992 Veandercross (9/4, $3.20) 2nd

Melbourne Cup Favourites Under $5 since 1960

Year Favourite(s) Place
2022 Deauville Legend ($4.40) 4th
2021 Incentivise ($2.90) 2nd
2010 So You Think ($3) 3rd
2009 Alcopop ($4.80) 6th
2007 Master O’Reilly ($3.80) 8th
2005 Makybe Diva ($4.40) 1ST
2004 Makybe Diva ($3.60) 1ST
1999 Sky Heights (7/2, $4.50) 17th
1997 Might And Power (7/2, $4.50) 1ST
1995 Double Trigger (7/2, $4.50) 17th
1992 Veandercross (9/4, $3.20) 2nd
1991 Let’s Elope (3/1, $4) 1ST
1980 Hyperno (3/1, $4) 7th
1979 Dulcify (3/1, $4) FTF
1977 Gold and Black (7/2, $4.50) 1ST
1975 Suleiman (11/4, $3.70) 4th
1974 Leilani (7/2, $4.50) 2nd
1973 Glengowan (5/2, $3.50) 2nd
1972 Magnifique (7/2, $4.50) 2nd
1971 Gay Icarus (7/4, $2.70) 9th
1970 Voleur (9/4, $3.20) 6th
1969 Tails (2/1, $3) 7th
1964 Sir Dane (3/1, $4) 24th
1963 Summer Regent (9/4, $3.20) 22nd
1962 Even Stevens (3/1, $4) 1ST
1960 Tulloch (3/1, $4) 7th

Melbourne Cup Guides

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