RacingBetter News
	Saturday 26th October 2019

Constantinople Favoured in the 2019 Melbourne Cup

Australia’s ‘Great Race’ will take place on Monday.

You can find odds on the event at racebooks and online sportsbooks around the globe, but to make sure you compare and get the best bonuses, check this Sportsbetting.AG review before diving in.

Where and When

The Melbourne Cup is always held on the first Tuesday in November. For those in the United States this 11 PM EST on Monday, November 4th, and those in the UK an early bird, 4 AM Tuesday morning. The cup is held at the Flemington Racecourse in Flemington (Melbourne, Victoria) Australia next to the Maribyrnong River.

It’s a left-handed, flat turf (grass) race for three-year-olds. Locals call it ‘the race that stops a nation.’ So, this is Australia’s greatest race and is one of the richest races of the year; and the richest two-mile in the world. The 2018 purse was A$7,300,000.00 and this year’s event is scheduled to pay out A$8,000,000.00, not to mention the trophies alone are valued at over $250,000!

Cash is awarded to the first 12 horses to finish. The winning horse takes the lion’s share at 4,400,000.00, second-place will snatch up a cool 1,100,000.00, and third will receive 550,00.00. The prize lowers progressively until 12th place, who still gets a worthwhile, $160,000.00.

The 2019 Field

The field will consist of the 24 top horses from the 300-plus that are nominated.

Here is the likely field and their riders as per punters.com.au:

Horse   Sex   Age  Trainer  Weight

1   MER DE GLACE (JPN)  H   5  Hisashi Shimizu  56kg 1.0kg Penalty
2   SURPRISE BABY (NZ)  G   5  Paul Preusker     53.5kg 1.0kg Penalty
3   STEEL PRINCE (IRE)    G  6  Anthony Freedman     52.5kg
4   CROSS COUNTER (GB)  G  5  Charlie Appleby  57.5kg
5   MARMELO (GB)      H  7  Hughie Morrison  56kg   
6   MIRAGE DANCER (GB)  H  6  Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young 55.5kg 
7   SOUTHERN FRANCE (IRE) H  5  Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 55.5kg 
8   CONSTANTINOPLE (IRE)  H  4  David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 52.5kg 
9   MASTER OF REALITY (IRE) G  5  Joseph O'Brien   55.5kg
10  IL PARADISO (USA)      H  4  Aidan O'Brien      52.5kg
11  LATROBE (IRE)      H  5  Joseph O'Brien   55kg   
12  ANGEL OF TRUTH        G  4  Gwenda Markwell       53.5kg
13  MUSTAJEER (GB)         G  7  Kris Lees      55kg   
14  ROSTROPOVICH (IRE)  G  5  David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 55kg
15  ISPOLINI (GB)        G  5  Charlie Appleby  55kg   
16  VERRY ELLEEGANT (NZ)     M        4  Chris Waller        52kg   
17  MAGIC WAND (IRE)      M  5  Aidan O'Brien      53.5kg
18  HUNTING HORN (IRE)  H  5  Aidan O'Brien      55kg   
19  TWILIGHT PAYMENT (IRE)   G  7  Joseph O'Brien   55kg   
20  PRINCE OF ARRAN (GB)      G  7  Charlie Fellowes  54kg    1kg Penalty
21  FINCHE (GB)           G  6  Chris Waller        54kg   
22  RAYMOND TUSK (IRE)  H  5  Richard Hannon  54kg   
23  SHRAAOH (IRE)            G  7  Chris Waller        53.5kg
24  VOW AND DECLARE     G  4  Danny O'Brien     52kg   

The Favourites

Constantinople leads the pack at 7.00 to win and 2.50 to place. The 4-year-old horse is followed by Surprise Baby, a 5-year-old gelding at 9.00 to win and 3.00 to place. Mere de Glace comes in at 10.00 to win and 3.25 to place, while Cross Counter, another 5-year-old gelding is 11.00 to win and 3.50 to place.

Marmelo and Vow and Declare are both sitting at 15.00 to win and 4.50 to place then a handful of the field including Ispolini, Master of Reality and Il Paradiso all have lines of 18.00/5.25.

The top five horses are so close that filling out those perfectas and trifectas is going to be difficult.

So, we better fill out a few!