The countdown is on for Australia’s biggest horse race and the best thoroughbreds around the world are beginning their final preparations for the Melbourne Cup. It remains the richest two-mile handicap of all and that fact alone is enough to draw a strong field.
While the final declaration is subject to change, the 2022 field is starting to take shape, and here are the horses to keep an eye on.
Dates for the Diary
Traditionally, the Melbourne Cup is run at 3pm on the first Tuesday in November and that’s the case this year. The 2022 edition will therefore take place on the 1st of the month.
The Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne is the venue for an event which is dubbed as ‘The Race that Stops a Nation’. Horse racing enthusiasts across Australia will certainly stop to take in the action, but this historic event is enjoyed right across the world.
The Horse to Beat
Deauville Legend has been leading the outright Melbourne Cup winner market for some time. Following a stunning win at the Great Voltigeur Stakes in August, the horse cemented its place at the top of the market.
While the Melbourne Cup is one of the biggest global horse races, the traveling logistics involved mean that international entries are relatively rare. That’s why there is great interest in Deauville Legend, and the stable are confident that the three-year-old is up to the task.
Speaking to the racing press, trainer James Ferguson stated that his horse had ‘all the attributes’ needed to win in Australia and that he was a ‘smooth traveller’. Both of these are important qualities for success in big meetings on the other side of the world.
The full Melbourne Cup Market
According to the sports books, Deauville Legend leads the Melbourne Cup market from Loft and Duais who are joint second favourites in places. The odds here are confirmed by the top online betting sites affiliated with ArabianBetting.com and they will remain in place until the start of the race.
In the weeks and days leading up to the Melbourne Cup, there is room for the figures to change and any updates to the numbers will be clearly shown on the website. There is time left for readers to assess the pricing while digesting news and opinion articles on the site.
ArabianBetting also supplies comprehensive reviews of each bookmaker and all are willing to receive new customers. Any sports betting operator mentioned will be open to eligible players and many publish a welcome package to get things moving.
Funds will be needed to cover qualifying bets and there is a range of deposit methods which can help with this. Customer services will assist with any queries and there are a host of other benefits available to those who choose to stick around.
Ongoing promotions, mobile betting and live streaming can also be found among many of those bookmakers. It’s the logical site to follow the Melbourne Cup from a betting perspective but have the odds setters called this correctly?
The Verdict
Only three horses have been mentioned in this round up so far, but there will be plenty of challenges through the field. It’s not unknown for long odds winners at the Melbourne Cup and who can forget Michelle Payne’s brilliant ride as she guided 100/1 shot Prince of Penzance home in 2015.
100/1 winners are rare but we should consider some of the other runners and riders for 2022. Behind that top three, Eldar Eldarov, Spanish Mission, Young Werther, Knights Order and Montefilia are listed in the chasing pack.
There are lots of genuine challengers in the mix, but all of those horses have their work cut out if they are going to deny Deauville Legend. James Ferguson’s runner will arrive in Australia on the back of that win at York which has added to an impressive overall record.
Across this season, the three-year-old has run five times and recorded three wins. In the remaining two races, Deauville Legend finished in second place each time. The Melbourne Cup will provide a different challenge but this is certainly the in-form horse and Deauville Legend is the horse to beat at Flemington on November 1st.
