Racing
Melbourne Cup 2021 – Race guide and preview
The eyes of racing fans around the globe will be on Flemington Park, Melbourne, on Tuesday for the race that stops a nation – the 2021 Melbourne Cup. Twenty four runners will head to post, battling it out to add their name to the list of famous winners and a share of the $8 million prize pot. And we’ve got you covered with our guide to the 2021 Melbourne Cup.
Where and when is the 2021 Melbourne Cup?
The Melbourne Cup is run at Flemington Park in Melbourne over a distance of 3,200m – that’s just under 2 miles. And this year’s Melbourne Cup is on Tuesday, November 2 at 3pm local time – 4am on Tuesday morning in the UK and Ireland.
How can I watch the 2021 Melbourne Cup?
This year’s Melbourne Cup will be shown live in the UK and Ireland on Sky Sports Racing.
Who are the favourites for this year’s Melbourne Cup?
Incentivise, trained by Peter Moody, heads the ante-post betting currently for the 2021 Melbourne Cup. He’s proven himself in Group 1 company this year – winning the Makybe Diva Stakes and the Turnbull Stakes before storming home in the Caulfield Cup last time out to cement his place as favourite for Flemington.
Favourites have struggled in the Melbourne Cup in recent seasons though – Fiorente was the last favourite to win the race back in 2013.
Spanish Mission, trained in the UK by Andrew Balding, is also a popular choice for this year’s Melbourne Cup shortlist, and he’s racked up the air miles in recent months, having already raced in Saudi Arabia and Dubai this year.
He was last seen when placing 2nd behind Stradivarius in the Lonsdale Cup at York but his intended prep run in the Caulfield Cup had to be scrapped after his arrival into Australia was delayed.
He’ll now head straight to Flemington in the hope of landing a victory for the UK down under.
One horse who will arrive at Flemington fresh and ready is Realm of Flowers, who sealed her spot in the field back in May when successful in the Andrew Ramsden.
The step up to the Melbourne Cup trip looks ideal for her and she seems to have a great chance of giving Anthony & Sam Freedman their first ever Melbourne Cup winner.
2020 saw Twilight Payment land the Melbourne Cup for Joseph O’Brien and Ireland and he’s back this year as he aims to become the first horse since the great Makybe Diva to win back-to-back Melbourne Cups.
He’s enjoyed a solid season and his last two runs in the Irish St Leger Trial and the Irish St Leger itself will have been ideal prep runs going into Tuesday’s big race.
Betting pointers for the 2021 Melbourne Cup
With 24 runners lining up at Flemington, the Melbourne Cup is a tricky race to find the winner of but we’ve listed some key betting pointers to focus on when deciding who you’re going to have a bet on i 2021.
Favourites have a poor record – Since 2000, just three favourites have won the Melbourne Cup – Makybe Diva in 2004 and 2005, and Fiorente in 2013.
Weight – Over the past decade, the average weight carried to victory in the Cup is 54.5kg and no horse has carried more than 58kg to success in the Melbourne Cup this millennium.
The Draw – Since 2000, 12 Melbourne Cup winners have come from double-digit barriers (starting stalls), including last year’s winner Twilight Payment who was drawn in barrier 12.
You could earn up to £10 (or currency equivalent) in bonus funds by joining Colossus with our New Player Bonus. Click here to join the action.
