The 2011 Melbourne Cup field will not include all these horses however the top 20 are almost 99% certainties to start. So if you have a hot tip or favourite you can place your bet now (a week and half before the face).

The Melbourne Cup form is generally thought to come from the horses results in lead up races like the Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate.

Here are the current favourites 2011 Melbourne Cup horses:

Americain @ $7.50
Lucas Cranach @ $9.00
Dunaden @ $10.00
Bauer @ $15.00
Lion Tamer @ $15.00
Green Moon @ $15.00
Tullamore @ $17.00
Shamrocker @ $17.00
Midas Touch @ $21.00
Jukebox Jury @ $21.00
Mourayan @ $26.00
Manighar @ $26.00
Unusual Suspect @ $26.00
Red Cadeaux @ $26.00
Fox Hunt @ $26.00
Modun @ $26.00
Moyenne Corniche @ $26.00
Lost In The Moment @ $31.00
At First Sight @ $31.00

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• Coolmore Stud Stakes – Saturday October 29, 2011, Flemington
• Crown Oaks – Thursday November 3, 2011, Flemington
• Emirates Stakes – Saturday November 5, 2011, Flemington
• Mackinnon Stakes – Saturday October 29, 2011, Flemington
• Matriarch Stakes – Saturday November 5, 2011 (Group 2) , Flemington
• Melbourne Cup – Tuesday November 1, 2011, Flemington
• Myer Classic – Saturday October 29, 2011, Flemington
• Patinack Farm Classic – Saturday November 5, 2011, Flemington
• Salinger Stakes – Saturday October 29, 2011 (Group 2),, Flemington
• Victoria Derby – Saturday October 29, 2011, Flemington
• Wakeful Stakes – Saturday October 29, 2011 (Group 2), Flemington

Bet365 already has ante post odds on feature races in the 2011 Melbourne Cup Spring Carnival.

The race is run at Sydney’s Rosehill Gardens Racecourse.

The top ten favourites in early market betting are:

Smart Missile @ 4.20
Helmet @ 5.50
Aeronautical @ 9.00
Foxwedge @ 11.00
Anise @ 13.00
Elite Falls @ 15.00
Hallowell Belle @ 16.00
Pane In The Glass @ 16.00
Do You Think @ 17.00
Glissade @ 19.00

Join Bet365 now to see the odds for all the races, which are currently benefiting from the Best Odds Guarantee that pays you off at the early odds you take or the Starting Price – whichever is better!

We’ll start our coverage with the strongest contenders in the Tuesday races at the 2011 Cheltenham Festival. In the coming days, we’ll cover the odds on other race days for the Cheltenham Festival, but you should be sure to visit Bet365 for the full Cheltenham Festival odds.

The 2011 Stan James Supreme Novices Hurdle odds have Cue Card as the favourite at 2/1 to win. This is followed by Spirit Son at 6/1, with Sprinter Sacre, Recession Proof and Zaidpour all at 8/1.

The 2011 Irish Independent Arkle Trophy odds have Medermit the favourite at 3/1 to win. He is followed by Finians Rainbow at 7/2, Ghizao at 4/1, and both Realt Dubh and Captain Chris at 8/1.

The 2011 The Stewart Family Spinal Research Handicap Chase sees Bensalem in the odds as the favourite at 9/2 to win. Fairly close behind is Sunnyhillboy at 13/2, with Great Endeavour at 7/1, Reve De Sivola at 10/2, and Blazing Bailey at 12/1.

The 2011 Stan James Champion Hurdle favourite is Binocular, priced at 3/1 to win. At 9/2 are both Hurricane Fly and Menorah, with Peddlers Cross very close behind at 5/1.

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The 2011 Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase odds have Garde Champetre at 9/2 to win as the favourite. Behind are L’ami at 6/1, Sizing Australia at 7/1, Maljimar at 8/1 and A New Story at 12/1.

The 2011 Dave Nicholson Mares Hurdle odds see Quevega taking a very strong position as favourite at 10/11 to win. Behind is Sparky May at 9/2, with Laccordioiste at 12/1 and Magen’s Star at 14/1.

The 2011 Centenary Novices’ Handicap Chase favourite is Divers at 8/1 to win, but both Definity and Tullamore Dew are close behind at 9/1. Not far back are Quantitativeeasing and On Borrowed Wings at 10/1, with a whole slew of contenders at 14/1 including Tharawaat, Nadiya De La Vega, Premier Sagas, Quartz De Thaix, and Shirley Casper.

Join Bet365 now to bet on any of the Tuesday Cheltenham Festival events at these generous antepost odds! Also, keep coming back here in the lead up to the festival for more previews on the races and overviews of Cheltenham Festival race days, with odds provided by Bet365.

Join Bet365 now to bet on all the major Cheltenham Festival races at generous early odds that will pay out at the better of the odds you take or the Starting Price!

Bensalem is the 2011 Festival Trophy Handicap Chase favourite at 5/1 to win. It’s looking good for him, as he is coming off a second place finish in a Grade 2 chase last start and has already had a run at Cheltenham this season. He also ran the race last year, which should be in his favour. However, he has yet to even place at Cheltenham and fell in the 2010 Festival Trophy Handicap Chase. We aren’t confident enough in him to place a bet on Bensalem at these odds.

Sunnyhillboy is next in the odds at 13/2 to win, with a lot of experience at Cheltenham in his favour. None of those appearances at Cheltenham have been wins, though a few have been places including a third place finish in a Grade 3 chase last start for the Vote AP Gold Cup. We reckon a place is quite likely for Sunnyhillboy, but we’d only back him to win in a quinella with some other likely contender.

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Great Endeavour is in the odds at 8/1 to win, and also has a lot of experience at Cheltenham in mostly the same races at Sunnyhillboy – except with better results. Get in on backing Great Endeavour now, as his odds are sure to shorten if he ends up running the Festival Trophy Handicap, and Bet365 is offering a Non Runner No Bet deal on this race, anyway.

Reve De Sivola is in the Festival Trophy Handicap Chase odds at 10/1 to win. A seventh place finish in the Grade 1 totepool Challengers Novices’ Chase last start likely turned punters off this one, but we think that’s a mistake. Reve De Sivola has run at Cheltenham three times this season and has not placed further back than fourth, and even took a win at one point. Perhaps the finish last start suggests that Reve De Sivola is done for the season, but we reckon a small bet on him could be worthwhile.

Blazing Bailey is in the odds at 12/1 to win. A couple of wins in lower class chases will get some punters excited, but we’re pretty calm about this one. Blazing Bailey seems to prefer a slightly longer run than this. It would be a pleasant surprise if the 9 year old was really hitting his stride now, but we somehow doubt it.

If you want to see the full Festival trophy Handicap Chase odds, join Bet365 now to take advantage of great antepost markets that benefit from the Best Odds Guarantee that gives you the best of the early odds you take or the Starting Price.

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Medermit is just barely the favourite at 3/1 to win. Coming off a win in the Grade 1 totepool Challengers Novices’ Chase, Medermit looks to be in good form. He only won that race by half a length and has always placed at Cheltenham, however, so we’d recommend backing him each-way if you want to throw your support behind Medermit.

Behind Medermit are both Ghizao and Finians Rainbow at 7/2 to win.

Ghizao is on a two win streak, with one of those a Grade 2 win at Cheltenham, and this prior success at the course could make the difference for the 7 year old. We think Ghizao is a very good chance to win the Arkle Challenge Trophy given his recent performance and prior Grade 1 experience in his hurdling days.

Finians Rainbow is on a three win streak, with his last start a dominant Grade 2 chase win. Despite this, we do not have faith in him to win. Why not? The only losses he has taken have been in Grade 1 affairs, including a Grade 1 fifth place hurdle finish at Cheltenham last March. We just don’t think he has it in him to perform at the very top.

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Both Realt Dubh and Captain Chris are priced at 8/1 to win.

Realt Dubh is coming in from Ireland, but he has had a three race run of Grade 1 events, with two wins and a second place finish to show for it. If you are surprised that he isn’t one of the stronger favourites, don’t be – he came to Cheltenham last year and finished seventh in the Grade 1 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle. We think Realt Dubh has proven to be stronger in chases, though, and we wouldn’t be afraid to back him each-way.

Captain Chris has been doing quite well lately in Grade level chases, coming away with a Grade 2 win last start. With that said, a habit of finishing second in the three chases before that makes us wary of backing him to win. We’d be tempted to pair him with Ghizao and Realt Dubh in a box trifecta, though.

Other contenders in the 2011 Arkle Challenge Trophy early odds include Noble Prince at 14/1, Dan Breen at 16/1, Rock Noir at 16/1, Mikael D’Haguenet at 20/1, Giorgio Quercus at 25/1, Bellvano at 25/1, Pepe Simo at 50/1, Stagecoach Pearl at 50/1, Tullamore Dew at 50/1, Blazing Tempo at 50/1, William’s Wishes at 50/1, West With The Wind at 50/1, Pascha Bere at 66/1, Cadoudalas at 66/1, Phidippides at 66/1, Gus Macrae at 150/1, and Fort Defiance at 150/1.

If you want early odds for Cheltenham Festival races with no chance of getting burned by a longer Starting Price or dropped runner, then we recommend you join Bet365 now and take a look at its antepost odds in the horse racing section of the sportsbook.