Melbourne Cup Day has arrived!
A stacked 10-race card has been set at Flemington for that one special Tuesday in November, and there is plenty of value to be found in each and every contest.
We’ve done the form for every race on the program and our best 2022 Melbourne Cup Day bets can be found below!
Zulfiqar kept finding to win the Trial Stakes for this race on debut, a performance he can only build on now with the class of William Buick – who rides one of the best in Melbourne Cup betting Without A Fight in Race 7- on board.
The Godolphin colt by Exceed and Excel was under hands and heels up until about the 100m mark and I was super impressed with the way he fought of the challenge on the outside to win.
He was strong through the line with plenty left to give and we saw that again at the jumpouts last week. The obvious choice for mine to begin the day in the Maribyrnong Plate.
2 Units Zulfiqar
He’s not the most exciting pick, but I’m with the favourite White Marlin on top in what is a tricky race.
This lightly-raced Waterhouse/Bott colt is unbeaten in four starts, adding to his record in fine style at Caulfield a few weeks ago when he wore down a good horse to win quite comfortably in the end.
The son of Mastercraftsman had six lengths to make up when rounding the turn and he closed the gap impressively in very similar conditions. He was strong through the line, so 2800m looks no issue now.
2 Units White Marlin
Struck By led all the way to score quite convincingly first-up at Morphettville and there’s nothing to suggest he can’t do the same in his Flemington debut.
Travis Doudle’s five-year-old boasts some impressive second-up form with two wins from three starts, so he should have an easy time finding the front again from the low gate.
I’ve also got some time for The Cunning Fox at the each-way price.
He was second to Alegron here in the St Leger back in April and the recent form out of the Patrick Payne yard has been good.
1 Unit Struck By, 1 Unit E/W The Cunning Fox
Pericles has also accepted for the VRC Derby on Saturday, but if he lines up here, he’s the deserving short-priced favourite.
Away from him, Quang Tri is easily next best.
He put away a small field first-up at Caulfield pretty easily when Michael Dee asked something of him with 200m to spare.
Quang Tri had plenty left in the tank through the line, and although the gate isn’t ideal, I think he’s got big improvement to come second-up.
2 Units Quang Tri
It was a tough watch for anyone on Field Of Flutes at The Valley a couple of weeks ago when he went down narrowly over the same distance behind Fission.
The Deep Field three-year-old did all the work in the run home, finding a nice late split under Mark Zahra only to be gunned down late.
He was a dominant 4.5L winner of his maiden the start prior at Warracknabeal though, so I’m not about to hop off him. He gets John Allen in the saddle this time around and we’re getting a good price in a very deep race.
2 Units E/W Field Of Flutes
Lord Vladivostock doesn’t win out of turn but he does look set to peak now with a few runs under his belt.
The Tavistock six-year-old bolted in late to finish second by a nose in the Murray Bridge Cup a few weeks ago, while he was also far from disgraced in this same race last year.
He handles a little sting out of the ground and maps to tuck in behind the speed.
Nomane Lane is a horse I also have time for. Impressive hat-trick winner at Bendigo two back and I think he might just be wanting 1800m now.
He’s another proven wet-tracker that draws to do no work.
1 Unit Lord Vladivostock, 1 Unit Nomane Lane
Montefilia is enormous value in this year’s Melbourne Cup if you fancy some home-grown talent.
The Kermadec mare recorded an impressive win over last year’s Cup winner Verry Elleegant in the Ranvet Stakes during the autumn, and her form since has been nothing short of sound.
She put in an eye-catching performance for fourth in the Caulfield Cup last time out, and although her longest win is over 2400m, she still has scope for improvement with three runs under her belt.
2 Units Montefilia
Minsk Moment flew home to win by nearly two lengths at Geelong a fortnight ago and I’m happy to be with him here out to 1400m.
He’s a slight query on wet going, but the I Am Invincible entire did win on debut on heavy going towards the middle of last year.
The barrier also isn’t ideal, but he gets the class of James McDonald – who lost his ride in the 2022 Melbourne Cup field with the shock scratching of Loft on Friday – in the saddle again and it’s obvious he’s found some good form now.
2 Units Minsk Moment
Turaath has gone up a nice price for a horse that has a slight class edge over some of these in The Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes field.
It’s easy to forget he’s beaten good horses like Annavisto and Mystic Journey during his time, and he seems to have rediscovered some of his form again if his recent win in the Black Pearl Stakes at Geelong was anything to go by.
Fitter now for two runs back and proven in the wet, he’ll do me in what is another impossible race.
2 Units Turaath
Competitive race to wrap up the day with a stack of chances.
General Beau goes on top for mine in his second run back. He had it all in front of him fresh in the Schillaci Stakes, and I thought he showed some real kick toward the line after being squeezed between a pair coming down the straight.
Genuine query if it’s a soggy track, but he’s always been a consistent second-up performer, not to mention Damian Lane’s strong rapport with the horse.
2 Units General Beau