Bet on the Melbourne Cup with totesport
Arguably the premier horse race in the southern hemisphere, Australia’s Melbourne Cup, run at Flemington racecourse in early November, has become a popular betting event with totesport.
The contest is famously referred to as ‘The race that stops a nation’ and raceday is now a national public holiday in Australia and as many as 120,000 racegoers flock to the track each year.
The Melbourne, Cup is for three-year-old’s and upwards run over the stamina-sapping distance of 3200 metres and carries a massive prize fund of some AUS$5 million. In recent years it has become a prize much sought after by the big training establishments in Europe and Asia who now send regular raiding parties across the world to bid for the prize.
Here at totesport we offer ante-post prices for the big race, as well as special markets on the day, so punters in Britain and beyond can have a sporting interest in this great racing spectacle.
The Melbourne Cup was first run in 1861 but didn’t hit the international headlines until the great Australian stayer Phar Lap (later the subject of a well known international hit movie) galloped to glory in 1930.
Between 1965 & 1999 legendary Australian trainer Bart Cummins was the man they all feared in the ‘Cup’ landing the race an extraordinary 11 times. Lee Freedman is the trainer to have on your side these days have won the race five times since 1989.
One of the greatest feats of racehorse training was achieved by Irish trainer Dermot Weld, when in 1993 he sent Vintage Crop half way across the world to win the Melbourne Cup in stunning fashion, a feat many seasoned observers had believed was impossible. Just to prove it was no fluke, Weld did the trick again in 2002 with Media Puzzle.
The race gained further international acclaim when the great mare Makybe Diva became the first horse three times winner between 2003-5, an achievement likened by some to Red Rum’s heroics at Aintree in winning three Grand Nationals in the 1970’s.
In 2006 there was another amazing outcome to the race when Japanese raiders Delta Blues and Pop Rock finished first and second, leaving the home team trailing in their wake.
A strong raiding party will again represent Britain and Ireland and you can follow the race with totesport and have a wager on this great international sporting occasion, via our high street offices, telebetting or on the internet.
