The Caulfield Cup is a Group 1 Race for thoroughbreds aged three years and above. It’s run over 2400 metres of the Caulfield course and future races are set to switch to weight for age conditions. A maximum of 18 runners are set to compete in each edition of the Caulfield Cup and there are a number of ways in which those horses can qualify. Winners of the Mornington Cup, the Herbert Power Stakes and the Toorak Handicap will be offered an automatic entry to the Caulfield Cup while prize money plus form are additional factors that will help to complete the final declaration. For the winner of the Caulfield Cup, there is more at stake than the significant prize purse. Whoever crosses the line in first place will be exempt from ballot entries for the Melbourne Cup and that’s a huge incentive.

Caulfield Cup Tips

It’s been a very open race in recent years and, while there are no guarantees in regards to finding the winner, research into form is essential for anyone taking the Caulfield Cup seriously. At 2400 metres, this is a classic distance race so it’s important to look for horses that can stay the course. Recent results over similar distances are naturally going to be important and, while it’s rare for any horse to win this event more than once, any previous history over the Caulfield track should also be taken into account. Unibet’s future markets for the Caulfield Cup will appear well in advance of the off so that our customers can take time to consider form and trends before coming up with their own selection.

We switch to Moonee Valley for the W.S. Cox Plate which provides us with another significant Group 1 race within the Spring Racing Carnival. This race was first run in 1922 and it’s another Weight for Age event for thoroughbred horses aged three years and above. At 2,040 metres of the Moonee Valley track in Melbourne, the Cox Plate is shorter than the Caulfield Cup but it represents another test of endurance for all runners and riders. Held in late October, this prestigious group one now attracts that same significant $5 million purse and that’s another guarantee of a strong field for each subsequent race.

Cox Plate Betting Tips

Once again, while there are useful trends to look out for in the lead up to the Cox Plate, punters should also look to carry out their own research. One trend that may be useful relates to the returns provided by the favourites in recent years. Percentages may change but horses that start with a win price of less than $2 are shown to convert around 70% of the time. The overall success rate for all favourites, irrespective of their starting price, is listed at around the 40% mark so there is a relatively high proportion of lower odds horses coming through. There will never be any guarantees of course but those are interesting figures that may be worth keeping in mind for future races. At the other end of the odds scale, the longest price winner of the race is Leonard, who went off in 1946 at $50. The overriding trend is, therefore, for the shorter priced horses to prevail but nothing will be certain. More recently, 2013’s winner Shamus Award started at $20 while 2011 Cox Plate champion Pinker Pinker offered a higher return at $25. To help further, prospective punters on the Cox Plate should consider immediate form and any previous results over the same, and similar distances. If there are statistics relating to runs over the Moonee Valley course then these should certainly be taken into account when compiling a betting strategy. Ahead of every race, Unibet will publish future markets for the Cox Plate and all customers will have time to consider the runners and riders before making their decision. The odds are there to give further pointers for anyone looking to stake on this important race.

Billed as the ‘race that stops a nation’ the Melbourne Cup is the undoubted highlight of the Spring Racing Carnival and it’s an event that attracts attention all over the world. First held in 1861, we now cross to the Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne for an event which is run by the Victoria Racing Club. The bare facts show that the Melbourne Cup is a 3200 metre race for thoroughbreds aged three years and above but, the important factor is that this is the richest two mile handicap in the sport. With a prize purse that almost hit $8 million in 2021, each race will be hotly contested when the race is traditionally held on the first Tuesday in November.

The longest of our three major Spring Racing Carnival events, the Melbourne Cup represents a significant test of endurance and the length of the race offers plenty of scope for drama. At a shade above three minutes and sixteen seconds, the record for the fastest Melbourne Cup win is currently held by 1990 winner Kingston Rule and the fact that this mark has stood for 30 years underlines just what a challenge lies in front of the runners and riders. That challenge also means that repeat winners of the Melbourne Cup are exceptionally rare. The current record holder for most wins is the incomparable Makybe Diva who set an unprecedented run of three consecutive victories from 2003 to 2005.

Melbourne Cup tips and trends

While the Melbourne Cup is open to thoroughbreds aged three years and above, it could be that the seasoned campaigners are the ones to watch. Any trends that do exist should always be backed up by plenty of research and that starts with the form guide. Performances at the Caulfield Cup and / or the Cox Plate can certainly be taken into consideration while any recent runs can offer some useful pointers towards potential Melbourne Cup winners. Markets for the big event will be released by Unibet in advance of the race, so there will be opportunities to consider each runner as the declarations come in. It’s such an important part of the Spring Racing Carnival and we make sure that the Melbourne Cup receives the excellent coverage that it deserves via our sportsbook.