2023 Melbourne Cup Tips for Trifecta & First Four

We have expert betting tips for the Melbourne Cup at Flemington on Tuesday, which is the race that stops a nation.

We have a runner-by-runner betting guide available for the Melbourne Cup, where the internationals look to beat the Australians over 3200m.

It’s going to be another classic edition of the great race, and we have our best Melbourne Cup tips.

Melbourne Cup Betting Sites

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Our best bets for Melbourne Cup 2023

Best Bet:

#5 Vauban @ $3.30

Best Each Way Bet:

#3 Without a Fight @ $7

Best Roughie:

#7 Absurde @ $21

Melbourne Cup Tips for Trifecta

Punters should have six runners on their ticket for the Melbourne Cup trifecta. We recommend taking a boxed percentage trifecta. Spend what you want, and the payouts can be massive.

• Vauban
• Without a Fight
• Absurde
• Gold Trip
• Soulcombe
• Vow and Declare

Melbourne Cup Tips for First-Four

We have included eight runners for our Melbourne Cup first-four. Boxing all eight selections for a percentage can still result in a huge payout, and you spend what you want.

• Vauban
• Without a Fight
• Absurde
• Gold Trip
• Soulcombe
• Vow and Declare
• Breakup
• Future History

Melbourne Cup Form Guide & Tips

1. Gold Trip ($4.80)

It’s not easy to win consecutive Melbourne Cups, but there is good confidence with Gold Trip.

He has looked good throughout his campaign, and although he has been busy and carries 58.5kg, he can’t be left out.

2. Alenquer ($71)

His form this preparation hasn’t been good enough, and we don’t think he has upset claims at the odds.

3. Without a Fight (Best Each Way – $7)

Stellar form leading into the Melbourne Cup. He battled best to win the Caulfield Cup, and we expect him to be fighting out the finish.

He has been rock-solid in betting markets, which isn’t surprising given his form. He’s a leading chance and the barrier doesn’t matter over this distance.

4. Breakup ($19)

Beware the Japanese runners, as we found out in the Golden Eagle. Eighth in the Caulfield Cup, and it could improve on that effort.

There is some market confidence, so he can’t be completely ruled out.

5. Vauban (Best Bet – $3.30)

European form reads well for the Melbourne Cup and Vauban is one of the more promising Europeans in recent history.

The Willie Mullins-trained runner owns seven wins from 14 starts, and he has some high-class wins on his record.

Favourites don’t have a good record, but he could be better than most.

6. Soulcombe ($10)

Soulcombe has good local form and we expect him to be fighting out the finish.

A brilliant fresh up winner and he has been threatening to win since. Having Joao Moreira in the saddle is a bonus.

7. Absurde (Best Roughie – $21)

Absurde is Mullins’ second choice stayer, but that doesn’t mean he can’t beat the stablemate.

He comes off a massive Ebor win with 60.5kg on his back, which is a mammoth effort. The Ebor hasn’t been the best guide, but dropping to 53kg must be taken into consideration.

8. Right You Are ($67)

He looked much better last season, so we’re happy to leave him out. He looks to have lost a length or two.

9. Vow and Declare ($34)

The former Melbourne Cup winner is back to his best after consecutive placings.

He is going well enough to win, and he knows what it takes. Considering Gold Trip carries 58.5kg and he gets 53kg as a former Melbourne Cup winner, we can’t leave him out.

10. Cleveland ($27)

Cleveland scored an overdue Australian win last time out, but we don’t think he’s good enough to win the Melbourne Cup.

Drawing barrier 23 doesn’t add to his appeal, so he doesn’t enter our calculations.

11. Ashrun ($41)

Much better when running second in the Geelong Cup, but that form isn’t as good as it used to be.

His run in 2020 was good, but a lot of water has gone under the bridge since then.

12. Daqiansweet Junior ($101)

A surprise entry in the field given his form. The former New Zealand runner is unlikely to threaten at the big odds.

13. Okita Soushi ($126)

Joseph O’Brien lines up the Irish-bred runner, who ran 12 in the Caulfield Cup. Didn’t finish well enough in that race after getting a good trip.

Unlikely to improve enough to win.

14. Sheraz ($126)

Not hitting out well enough this season to warrant attention. Wide draw, and although he has the Waller polish, it might not be enough.

15. Lastotchka ($26)

Capped off consistent form with a win at Longchamp, which came over 3100m.

Her best form has come on wet tracks, and although some rain is expected on race day, the track will be too dry.

16. Magical London ($126)

Not racing well enough this season to give any chance, hence the massive odds.

17. Military Mission ($41)

He has won two of his last three starts, and he will make his own luck near the speed. There has been some money for him, but we don’t think he’s good enough.

The Waterhouse/Bott factor could see his odds shorten.

18. Serpentine ($67)

Consistent enough this preparation, but he lacks the class to really kick on with it.

Getting 51kg on his back is a bonus, but he should be looking for something easier.

19. Virtuous Circle ($126)

Not hitting out to the best of his ability this season. Only a two-race winner, so he’s lucky to get in the field.

20. More Felons ($35)

Another Waller runner who ran fifth at Geelong in his Australian debut. No match for Vauban and Absurde in the UK, so don’t take the $35.

21. Future History ($26)

We don’t mind Future History, who has been running well. Third behind Cleveland last start, but he didn’t have all favours.

He settles well and 50kg is a steal. With Hollie Doyle riding, it would also make for a good story.

22. Interpretation ($126)

The Bendigo Cup winner did well to make the field, but he has yet to fire from six starts at Flemington.

He is better suited to the country cups.

23. Kalapour ($61)

He comes off a win but he’s not the most dynamic stayer going around. We can’t include him.

24. True Marvel ($151)

Wants it wet, and the odds are accurate.

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The is the biggest and most popular thoroughbred race in Australia and is considered “the race that stops a nation”.

Held on the first Tuesday of November at Flemington, the $6.2 million Emirates Melbourne Cup is the premier staying race in Australia and features among the highest-ranked races anywhere in the world.

It’s the feature race during the Melbourne spring carnival which includes a four-day Cup week carnival. The Melbourne Cup is held on the second day of the carnival in between Derby day (Saturday) and Oaks day (Thursday).

Held over 3200m (two miles) the Melbourne is truly an international contest, so much so that the majority of entrants in the modern day are either bred in Europe, Japan or New Zealand – as opposed to Australia.

What makes the Melbourne Cup even more grand is the atmosphere at Flemington on race day. There is a thrilling vide between the casual punters, the more serious punters and those on track which have never seen a horse in their life.

The Cup brings them all together to enjoy a great race and it’s easily the most money spent on one race in Australia.

Melbourne Cup betting markets

Every bookmaker we recommend has betting on the Melbourne Cuphow to bet on the Melbourne Cup.

Markets open for the Melbourne Cup just hours after the running of the previous edition, so there’s no time lost if punters want to get stuck into the action.

Bookmakers provide an all-in market 12 months out from the race, but offer fixed win, fixed place and a range of exotic bets when the field is narrowed down.

Punters often get great value when betting into Melbourne Cup markets because the betting pools are the biggest of the year. The bigger the betting pool the better odds you will get.

Melbourne Cup betting strategies

Punters never really know what the Melbourne Cup is going to throw at them, but favourite punters have had good success in recent years.

The favourite in the Melbourne Cup doesn’t often pay odds-on – in fact the favouritism usually fluctuates around the $5-$6 mark which is great value.

Because of the extreme staying distance of the race, punters have found that they can put a line through most of the field that won’t see out the distance, making punting on the Cup more appealing to both recreational and professional punters.

When does the Melbourne Cup barrier draw take place?

The Melbourne Cup can be won and lost at the barrier draw so it’s taken very seriously and it concludes at around 5:30pm after the races on Derby Day.

It’s one of the most exciting aspects of Cup week where connections test their luck to see what barrier their runner will jump from.

International horses in the Melbourne Cup

One of the hardest things to figure out when betting the Melbourne Cup is the form of the international horses.

The Cup field has seen everything from New Zealand runners, Japan and even European hurdle jumpers, but they’re all in with a chance.

Punters should follow the betting when it comes to assessing the international runners. Do they have previous form in Australia? Will they handle the temperatures on a hot day in Melbourne?

One thing is for sure – the overseas contingent will see out the distance and that’s always a big positive when investing into this race.

The Melbourne Cup field consists of 24 horses and no emergencies. If a runner is scratched then there is no replacement runner to make up the field.

The field consists of horses that have qualified with various results. Some runners qualify because of their good race record at the top level (wins, prize money etc) and some have to qualify by winning a qualifying race.

The winner of the following races is exempt from ballot into the Melbourne Cup:

Lexus Stakes
Mackinnon Stakes
Cox Plate
Caulfield Cup
Bart Cummings
Doncaster Cup (UK)
Irish St. Leger (UK)
Tenno Sho (Japan)
Sankei Sho All Comers (Japan)
Arlington Million (USA)
San Juan Capistrano Handicap (USA)
Australian Stayers Challenge

We might not be able to bet on the fashion, but it’s an integral part of the Melbourne Cup culture.

The best dressed men and ladies compete for big prizes throughout the Cup carnival and it’s always good to attract the young crowd to the race.

Who are the best Melbourne Cup jockeys?

The best current jockeys to bet on are Damien Oliver and Kerrin McEvoy.

Oliver won the Melbourne Cup in 1995 aboard Doriemus, which was made famous by the recent passing of his brother.

He also won in 2002 when riding Media Puzzle to victory for European trainer Dermot Weld and again in 2013 when giving Gai Waterhouse her first Cup victory with Fiorente.

Kerrin McEvoy still has a baby face, but he won the Cup back in 2000 when riding New Zealand stayer Brew. The Michael Moroney-trained gelding was the lesser-fancied of his stable runners with Second Coming attracting big interest, but Brew caused the upset.

McEvoy was back at it in 2016 with Almandin. The European import gave owner Lloyd Willians yet another Melbourne Cup win in a tight tussle with the aptly-named Heartbreak City.

Who are the best Melbourne Cup trainers?

Robert Hickmott is one of the most successful current trainer in Melbourne Cup history.

The man who doesn’t speak to the media trains for Lloyd Williams and has won two of the last five Melbourne Cup races.

Lee Freedman has won five times – two with Makybe Diva and one with both Doriemus, Subzero and Tawrrific.

Neither trainer has a record like the great Bart Cummings, however, who trained a record of 12 winners, which will most likely never be beaten.

Notable Melbourne Cup records

Makybe Diva is the only horse to have won three Melbourne Cups and she did them consecutively.

The champion mare won in 2003, 2004 and 2005 and is considered one of the greatest champions of the Australian turf.

There have been four thoroughbreds to win the Cup on two occasions. Think Big (1974, 75), Rain Lover (1968, 69), Peter Pan (1932, 34) and Archer (1861, 62).

The quickest race time was recorded by Kingston Rule in 1990 when it ran 3.16.30 and the biggest winning margin was from Archer and Rain Lover which scorched the field by eight lengths.

Four horses have won at triple figure odds, with the most recent coming in 2015 when female jockey Michelle Payne won aboard Prince of Penzance.

The shortest priced winner was Phar Lap which won in 1930 paying $1.73.