The Melbourne Cup is one of the biggest races run in Australia every year. The two-mile classic race will take place at Flemington Racecourse on the first Tuesday of November 2020. Offering an incredible money prize of up to $8 million, the Melbourne Cup competition attracts genuine turf stars worldwide, including international raiders. Also, the $8 million cash prize makes the competition one of the richest races across the globe and second in prize after the $15 million race, The Everest that is usually held in October in Sydney.
Much like the Kentucky Derby in the United States and the Grand National in the United Kingdom, the Melbourne Cup is seen as the pinnacle of the racing season in Australia. The race usually dominates the sporting headlines for an extended period. Since 1861, the Flemington racecourse has been the host of this exciting event.
The 2020 event is closing in, and punters from Australia, the UK, the US, and other parts of the world are looking for some reliable tips for the race. Both Declare and Vow are one of the favourites to claim a victory after their famous win in 2019. But since 1976, Makybe Diva has retained the title. In the 1990s, he won three titles in a row. Also, Camelot from Russia is among the top contenders. This means that fans could well expect new names in the first position.
In any race or competition, it’s not always the favourites that win, and below are some outsiders that could be worth your bet. Go through the list and probably pick the one you feel can win the race.
Skyward
John Messara recently purchased Skyward with the aim of winning this competition. Currently, most predictions for the Melbourne Cup do not have Skyward among their favourites. And this does not mean that they cannot emerge the winner. Being the son of Camelot, the winner of the Epson Derby in 2012, Skyward can pull a surprise in the race.
Young Rascal
In the Epson Derby in 2018, Young Rascal was one of the favourites to win the race. According to most sources, Young Rascal could be ideal for the Caulfield Cup, a 2,400-metre race rather than the Melbourne Cup that is 3,200 metres. However, Alexander is sure of success at Farmington.
Master of Reality
Despite the controversy that cost the Master of Reality a top-three finish in 2019, when Dotarri was ruled to have blocked Paradiso, it is still one of the favourites. The decision was not friendly for Dotarri, but he believes that he can be the winner in the eagerly awaited Melbourne Cup competition.
Degraves
Since 2012, Lloyd Williams has won three titles in the Melbourne Cup. And with this in mind, there are hopes that Degraves could increase the number of titles under his name. Joseph O’Brien is the trainer, and both O’Brien and Williams brought success in 2017. This simply shows that Degraves is one of the favourites.
Summary
These are the main four outsiders to keep in mind if you are a punter. However, it is also worth keeping an eye on other contenders since surprises, and new winners are a common thing in the world of sports.