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Live: 2018 Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington Racecourse

Author
news.com.au,
Publish Date
Tue, 6 Nov 2018, 1:25PM
It's gonna be a wet one at the Melbourne Cup. Photo / Getty
It's gonna be a wet one at the Melbourne Cup. Photo / Getty

Live: 2018 Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington Racecourse

Author
news.com.au,
Publish Date
Tue, 6 Nov 2018, 1:25PM

1:00pm: Cup horse doing a rain dance

Heavy rain in Melbourne is manna from heaven for Magic Circle.

The English stayer is a demon on a heavy track and is now rivalling Yucatan for overall favouritism because of the change in conditions at Flemington.

"Magic Circle could start around equal favourite," Tom Waterhouse predicted.

That could mean a chilly celebration for owner Marwan Koukash, who has promised to receive the trophy in a G-string if his runner salutes.

Punters are also being tempted by the prospect of a lightly-raced UK stayer pulling a Cup shock for the second year running.

Charlie Appleby-trained Cross Counter has been a late mover in the market in the past 24 hours, shortening to $9 to be third favourite behind Yucatan — which has drifted from $5.50 to $6.50.

Cross Counter has only missed a top two finish once in seven starts and aims to repeat the rise to fame of last year's winner Rekindling, which saluted in his 10th start.

But it's Marmelo who remains the centre piece of our $100 betting strategy — which you can see below this complete runner-by-runner guide — and he's also shortened from $16 into $13.

12.30pm: Biggest bet placed

The Melbourne Cup's highest bet has been placed - a massive $200,000.

The weather surely hasn't hampered the punter's spirit, who bet $100,000 each way on Yucatan to win the Melbourne Cup at $6/$2.25, according to justhorseracing.com.au.

If Yucatan triumphs, the punter stands to cash out a whopping $825,000.

Yucatan who is tipped as a favourite for the cup will start the race from the wide barrier number 23.

[Read more: The ultimate Melbourne Cup guide - Where to put your money]

The only worrying stat for all the punters who are backing Yucatan is that no horse has won the Melbourne Cup from barrier 23 since Van Der Hum in 1976.

Owner Nick Williams isn't fazed by the barrier number given to Yucatan.

"I don't think it matters in this race. I'd have been a lot more concerned if he'd been drawn barrier one.

"I think the horse is going very well and there's no point worrying about it," Williams told racingpost.com.

Race goers arrive for Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington Racecourse. Photo / Getty
Race goers arrive for Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington Racecourse. Photo / Getty

11.15am: Melbourne Cup weather outlook is heavy rain, so which horses can win in the wet?

With up to 20mm of rainfall expected, punters are gravitating towards horses who perform better in the wet.

English stayer Magic Circle – who has had 10 starts on soft tracks for five wins and two placings – is now an $8 second favourite because of its superior wet tracking, only behind favourite Yucatan ($5.50).

Another English stayer Marmelo also loves the wet and is a $16 chance.

Caulfield Cup winner Best Solution ($13) who has had three wins from four starts on soft tracks is also strong in the wet.

The favourite Yucatan has had four starts on wet tracks for three placings.

11am: Melbourne is smashed with torrential downpours ahead of the Cup

Melbourne is being smashed by torrential rain ahead of the big race this afternoon, with wild winds and even thunderstorms overnight.

Glamorous racegoers will have to hold onto their fascinators with the weather not expected to calm between now and the race that stops a nation at 3pm.

Meanwhile, Sydney is set to bask in 35C sunshine on one of the hottest days of spring so far.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe weather warning for Melbourne, with flash flooding expected to develop over parts of the area.

Senior Meteorologist at Weatherzone Jacob Cronje said rain and showers will remain persistent throughout the day.

'The weather is going to be pretty awful,' Mr Cronje told Daily Mail Australia.

Racegoers arrive during Melbourne Cup Day. Photo / Getty
Racegoers arrive during Melbourne Cup Day. Photo / Getty

Rainfall could even reach up to 30mm in just two to three hours due to the weather, leaving the track quite wet.

Mr Cronje said the weather is only expected to settle down during the evening and overnight.

'We're looking at primarily southwesterly winds throughout the day with potentially heavy showers at times,' he said.

'Predictably it's not going to be a great day for racing,' Mr Cronje said.

The Melbourne Cup was also hit with wet weather in 2017 and 2012.

Although many won't be fashion-ready for the downpour, it's the most rain parts of central and south-eastern Australia is going to see in months.

Meanwhile, the east coast of Australia is expected to battle high temperatures and humid conditions for another two days before the heat is relieved.

- Daily Mail Australia

10am: The only girl in the race

There's only four local horses in the 24-strong field — but it's even harder to find a female.

There's only one mare in the race this year, the Chris Waller-trained Youngstar.

Rated a $15 chance at the TAB, she has drawn well in barrier eight and has performed strongly in four appearances this campaign without saluting.

One of those results was particular credible, when she finished second to superstar Winx at the Turnbull Stakes.

"She's got the credentials as a Queensland Oaks winner," Waller said. "She has a light weight and a lightweight rider which is a key. And she ran second to Winx and that's the best form in the world."

Veteran Aussie jockey Craig Williams has the ride as he looks to secure an elusive Cup win. 
"She does tick a lot of boxes but we have got a big job to take on these international raiders," he said.

Kids during the Melbourne Cup parade. Photo / Getty
Kids during the Melbourne Cup parade. Photo / Getty

9.30am: Melbourne Cup: The field

1. Best Solution (Barrier: 6, Trainer: Saeed bin Suroor, Jockey: Pat Cosgrave)
2. The Cliffsofmoher (B: 9, T: Aidan O'Brien, J: Ryan Moore)
3. Magic Circle (B: 17, T: Ian Williams, J: Corey Brown)
4. Chestnut Coat (B: 4, T: Yoshito Yahagi, J: Yuga Kawada)
5. Muntahaa (B: 13, T: John Gosden, J: Jim Crowley)
6. Sound Check (B: 16, T: Mike Moroney, J: Jordan Childs)
7. Who Shot the Barman (B: 18, T: Chris Waller, J: Ben Melham)
8. Ace High (B: 22, T: David Payne, J: Tye Angland)
9. Marmelo (B: 10, T: Hughie Morrison, J: Hugh Bowman)
10. Avilius (B: 11, T: James Cummings, J: Glyn Schofield)
11. Yucatan (B: 23, T: Aidan O'Brien, J: James McDonald)
12. Auvray (B: 1, T: Richard Freeman, J: Tommy Berry)
13. Finche (B: 15, T: Chris Waller, J: Zac Purton)
14. Red Cardinal (B: 5, T: Darren Weir, J: Damien Oliver)
15. Vengeur Masque (B: 2, T: Mike Moroney, J: Patrick Moloney)
16. Ventura Storm (B: 7, T: David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig, J: Mark Zahra)
17. A Prince of Arran (B: 20, T: Charlie Fellowes, J: Michael Walker)
18. Nakeeta (B: 3, T: Iain Jardine, J: Regan Bayliss)
19. Sir Charles Road (B: 14, T: Lance O'Sullivan and Andrew Scott, J: Dwayne Dunn)
20. Zacada (B: 24, T: Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman, J: Damian Lane)
21. Runaway (B: 12, T: Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, J: Stephen Baster)
22. Youngstar (B: 8, T: Chris Waller, J: Craig Williams)
23. Cross Counter (B: 19, T: Charlie Appleby, J: Kerrin McEvoy)
24. Rostropovich (B: 21, T: Aidan O'Brien, J: Wayne Lordan)

9am: Complete Flemington race card

Race One — Bumble Stakes (1000m), Group 3, 10.50am
Race Two — TAB APP Trophy (1700m), 11.30am
Race Three — Grinders Coffee Roasters Trophy (1400m), 12.05pm
Race Four — Ronald McDonald House Charities Plate (2800m), 12.40pm
Race Five — Schweppes Flemington Fling (1000m), 1.15pm
Race Six — Jim Beam Black Stakes (1400m), 1.50pm
Race Seven — Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m), 3pm
Race Eight — Furphy Plate (1800m), 4.05pm
Race Nine — MSS Security Sprint (1200m), 4.45pm
Race 10 — The Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes (1400m), 5.20pm

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