Melbourne Cup Carnival: SkyNews.com.au expert tipster Matthew Campbell’s best bets for The Oaks

The Melbourne Cup Carnival is rolling on with the 163rd running of The Oaks.

The 2500-metre group 1 race is a true staying test for three-year-old fillies and was first run in 1861.

About 45,000 spectators are expected trackside at Flemington to watch rising stars like Tropical Squall and Zardozi race for their share in the $1 million prize.

Betting can be confusing for fairweather punters, so SkyNews.com.au has collated an easy-to-read guide to help them find the best-value bookmakers.

The Flemington track is currently rated as a soft 5 and there is some cloud keeping temperatures at about 22C with no rain expected.

Kennedy Oaks - 5:10pm - 2500 metres - Flemington

Matthew Campbell:

Best bet: 2. Zardozi - $2.90 - She seems to be the filly that is always the strongest at the end of her races which suggests she will be doing similar at the end of 2500 metres when others will be dropping off. Nice win in the Edward Manifold before chasing hard to just miss on Saturday in The Wakeful. Thought that swoopers like her were up against it that day.

Next best: 7. Basilinna - $10 - She comes out of the Ethereal at Caufield and I thought she finished off the best that day. Has to give some weight back to Tropical Squall but she will stay the distance and Damien Oliver has chosen her over Aethelflaed.

Roughie: 8. Aethelflaed - $7 - Really caught the eye when she stormed home to finish fourth in the Wakeful. Has always looked like she was building to this, her target race, and “jockey of the moment” Mark Zahra jumps on board.

Boxed trifecta: 2. Zardozi, 5. Harlow Mist, 7. Basilinna, 8. Aethelflaed

Matthew Campbell is the head of communications at Betr and an expert tipster and form analyst with The Great Tip Off and Punters.

All odds are provided by Betr (at time of publication) and race times are Australian Eastern Standard Time.