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 2021 and the historical results of the bookies pick in the race that stops a nation.
2020 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 2020 Melbourne Cup favourite.
The 2020 Melbourne Cup favourites are Sir Dragonet and Tiger Moth, with both horses priced at $7 with leading Melbourne Cup betting Sites.
View the full Melbourne Cup betting market at Sportsbet.com.au.
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 2019 Melbourne Cup favourite?
After taking out the 2018 Melbourne Cup in barnstorming fashion, Godolphin import Cross Counter opened as the early $17 favourite at online bookmaker Sportsbet for the 2019 event. However, several other horses have come into contention since then.

Finche stormed to the top of the Melbourne Cup outright odds with an impressive second-place finish in the Turnbull Stakes, while Surprise Baby is also well liked after a classy win in The Bart Cummings. Marmelo, which ran second in the Cup last year, is another contender.
The Caulfield Cup often turns up candidates for the big one at Flemington, and this year is no exception. Mer De Glace came through on the day, but it was Constantinople that caught the eye with a strong finish to snatch fourth place.
2019 Melbourne Cup
No. | Silks | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Odds |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
Cross Counter | Charlie Appleby | William Buick | 5 | 57.5kg | $13 |
2 | ![]() |
Mer De Glace | Hisashi Shimizu | Damian Lane | 2 | 56kg | $9 |
3 | ![]() |
Master Of Reality | Joseph O’Brien | Frankie Dettori | 1 | 55.5kg | $26 |
4 | ![]() |
Mirage Dancer | T Busuttin & N Young | Ben Melham | 13 | 55.5kg | $34 |
5 | ![]() |
Southern France | C Maher & D Eustace | Mark Zahra | 14 | 55.5kg | $23 |
6 | ![]() |
Hunting Horn | Aidan O’Brien | Seamie Heffernan | 11 | 55kg | $46 |
7 | ![]() |
Latrobe | Joseph O’Brien | James Mcdonald | 13 | 55kg | $46 |
8 | ![]() |
Mustajeer | Kris Lees | Damien Oliver | 6 | 55kg | $21 |
9 | ![]() |
Rostropovich | D & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Dwayne Dunn | 12 | 55kg | $101 |
10 | ![]() |
Twilight Payment | Joseph O’Brien | Hugh Bowman | 19 | 55kg | $41 |
11 | ![]() |
Finche | Chris Waller | Kerrin McEvoy | 4 | 54kg | $41 |
12 | ![]() |
Prince Of Arran | Charlie Fellowes | Michael Walker | 8 | 54kg | $19 |
13 | ![]() |
Raymond Tusk | Richard Hannon | Jamie Spencer | 3 | 54kg | $23 |
14 | ![]() |
Downdraft | Joseph O’Brien | John Allen | 15 | 53.5kg | $20 |
15 | ![]() |
Magic Wand | Aidan O’Brien | John Allen | 14 | 53.5kg | $19 |
16 | ![]() |
Neufbosc | D & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Luke Nolen | 23 | 53.5kg | $251 |
17 | ![]() |
Sound | Mike Moroney | James Winks | 10 | 53.5kg | $126 |
18 | ![]() |
Surprise Baby | Paul Preusker | Jordan Childs | 20 | 53.5kg | $15 |
19 | ![]() |
Constantinople | D & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Joao Moreira | 7 | 52.5kg | $10 |
20 | ![]() |
Il Paradiso | Aidan O’Brien | Wayne Lordan | 17 | 52.5kg | $14 |
21 | ![]() |
Steel Prince | Anthony Freedman | Brett Prebble | 16 | 52.5kg | $71 |
22 | ![]() |
The Chosen One | M Baker & A Forsman | Tim Clark | 18 | 52kg | $71 |
23 | ![]() |
Vow And Declare | Dan O’Brien | Craig Williams | 21 | 52kg | $12 |
24 | ![]() |
Youngstar | Chris Waller | Tommy Berry | 9 | 52kg | $34 |
2018 Melbourne Cup finishing order
Place | Silks | No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Barrier | Weight | Odds |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
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23 | Cross Counter | Charlie Appleby | Kerrin McEvoy | 19 | 51kg |
$15 |
|
2 |
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9 | Marmelo | Hughie Morrison | Hugh Bowman | 1L | 10 | 55kg |
$12 |
3 |
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17 | A Prince Of Arran | Charlie Fellows | Michael Walker | 3L | 20 | 53kg |
$23 |
4 |
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13 | Finche | Chris Waller | Zac Purton | 3.5L | 15 | 54kg |
$26 |
5 |
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24 | Rostropovich | Aidan O’Brien | Wayne Lordan | 4.5L | 21 | 51kg |
$21 |
6 |
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22 | Youngstar | Chris Waller | Craig Williams | 5.75L | 21 | 51.5kg |
$11 |
7 |
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19 | Sir Charles Road | Lance O’Sullivan & Andrew Scott | Oliver Peslier | 8.25L | 14 | 53kg |
$126 |
8 |
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1 | Best Solution | Saeed Bin Suroor | Pat Cosgrove | 8.75L | 6 | 57.5kg |
$16 |
9 |
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5 | Muntahaa | John Gosden | Jim Crowley | 9.5L | 13 | 55.5kg |
$17 |
10 |
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16 | Ventura Storm | David & Ben Hayes & Tom Dabernig | Mark Zahra | 11L | 7 | 54.5kg |
$31 |
11 |
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11 | Yucatan | Aidan O’Brien | James McDonald | 11.75L | 23 | 54.5kg |
$6 |
12 |
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18 | Nakeeta | Iain Jardine | Regan Bayliss | 11.85L | 3 | 53kg |
$81 |
13 |
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18 | Zacada | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | Damian Lane | 13.85L | 20 | 53kg |
$151 |
14 |
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4 | Chestnut Coat | Yoshito Yahagi | Yuga Kawada | 16.1L | 4 | 55.5kg |
$71 |
15 |
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15 | Vengeur Masque | David & Ben Hayes & Tom Dabernig | Patrick Moloney | 16.3L | 2 | 54kg |
$51 |
16 |
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3 | Magic Circle | Ian Williams | Corey Brown | 19.55L | 15 | 56kg |
$7 |
17 |
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7 | Who Shot TheBarman | Chris Waller | Ben Melham | 22.55L | 17 | 55.5kg |
$31 |
18 |
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6 | Sound Check | Michael Moroney | Jordan Childs | 27.55L | 16 | 51kg |
$41 |
19 |
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21 | Runaway | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Stephen Baster | 28.05L | 12 | 52kg |
$81 |
20 |
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8 | Ace High | David Payne | Tye Angland | 28.15L | 22 | 55kg |
$71 |
21 |
![]() |
12 | Auvray | Richard Freedman | Tommy Berry | 68.15L | 1 | 54kg |
$81 |
22 |
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10 | Avilius | James Cummings | Glyn Schofield | 69.15L | 11 | 54.5kg |
$16 |
23 |
![]() |
14 | Red Cardinal | Darren Weir | Damien Oliver | 69.55L | 5 | 54kg |
$31 |
24 |
![]() |
2 | The Cliffsofmoher | Aidan O’Brien | Ryan Moore | DNF | 9 | 56.5kg |
$21 |
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 all the way back in 2013 as a $7 favourite at Sportsbet was the only time this decade a top elect has got the win, with Hartnell (2015) and So You Think (2010) the next best with a pair of third-placed finishes.
How often do favourites win the Melbourne Cup?
As of 2018, the starting favourite has won 34 of 158 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 | Finishing Position | Price |
---|---|---|---|
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 tdink | 2010 | 3rd | $3 |
Alcopop | 2009 | 6th | $4.80 |
Mad Rush | 2008 | 7th | $5.50 |