Horse Racing Links
- Want your site listed here? Contact Us.
Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup is the Holy Grail of Australian thoroughbred racing. It is literally the biggest racing event in the country; offices and shops close for the duration of the event and Melbourne Cup lunches and social functions have to be booked months in advance - the Melbourne Cup is indeed the race that stops the nation. The Melbourne Cup is run annually on the first Tuesday in November.
Inaugurated in 1861, the Melbourne Cup is the longest running race in Australian history and is currently held over a distance of two miles. It is open to thoroughbred horses aged three and older, who compete for the outrageous purse of AUD$6 million. And as if that was not enough reward there is a bonus of AUD$500,000 on offer for a horse winning not only the Melbourne Cup but also the Irish St. Leger at the Curragh in the same year.
As the Melbourne Cup is a notoriously difficult and ambitious race it is only naturally that most of Australia's racing legends are made at this event. Multiple winners of this race will never be forgotten, especially the iconic mare Makybe Diva who became known as the only thoroughbred to win the Melbourne Cup three times (2003, 2004, 2005). The Melbourne Cup's highest number of runner was 39 in the brutal running of 1890; however, in 1863 the race saw only seven contenders take to the track.
For fans of horse racing, whether from Australia or not, the Melbourne Cup is an event they simply cannot afford to miss. It is a meeting of high-profile runners from all corners of the world and a true celebration of the horse racing tradition.
Recent Winners of the Melbourne Cup:
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Time |
2010 |
Americain |
Gerald Mosse |
Alain de Royer Dupre |
|
2009 |
Shocking |
Corey Brown |
Mark Kavanagh |
3:23.87 |
2008 |
Viewed |
Blake Shinn |
Bart Cummings |
3:20.58 |
2007 |
Efficient |
Michael Rodd |
Graeme Rogerson |
3:23.34 |
2006 |
Delta Blues |
Yasunari Iwata |
Katsuhiko Sumii |
3:21.47 |
2005 |
Makybe Diva |
Glen Boss |
Lee Freedman |
3:19.17 |
Melbourne Cup Odds and News
7 Dec 2011: Jukebox Jury Targets 2012 Ascot Gold Cup Following Injury Scare
Local stayer Jukebox Jury may be back in England in time for next year’s Ascot Gold Cup in June.
The five-year-old colt fractured his leg during a run in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup in Australia last month.
Jukebox Jury has improved greatly since sustaining the serious injury and is expected to leave Australia at the end of January.
Co-owner Colleen Bamford said the horse would be back to his best in time for the Ascot Carnival in 2012.
“All is going really well,” Ms Bamford said.
“He is a really good patient and is showing no signs of any lameness so at this stage it looks like it is healing.
“We really do expect him to make a full recovery. He looks terrific.”
Ms Bamford said Jukebox Jury may only be restricted to his box for another three weeks.
“We are X-raying his leg every two weeks and just waiting on the advice of vets when they think we can stop bandaging him,” Bamford said.
“I would imagine he could be another three weeks in the box and I think he then needs to be 30 days in quarantine before he can go back to England.”
Jukebox Jury is trained by Middleham trainer Mark Johnston, who is also optimistic about Jukebox Jury’s future.
“The reports are good and he should be home by the end of January,” Johnston said.
“The Ascot Gold Cup is in our minds but you couldn’t go straight there so we can’t say he’ll definitely make it.”
The fracture has not put Johnston off taking Jukebox Jury to Australia for another shot at the Melbourne Cup next November.
“The long-term plan is the Melbourne Cup again next year,” he said.
[Bet365] will be the only place you will need to look for the best odds when the Ascot Carnival takes place next summer.
You will find everything you need to be part of the betting action at 
Bet365, which covers all racing throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland.
So sign up and start betting today!
21 Oct 2011: 2011 Melbourne Cup Horses – Field & Form
7 Sep 2011: Galileo’s Choice Unlikely To Target Melbourne Cup
26 Aug 2011: 2011 Melbourne Cup Spring Carnival Betting Odds
