The 2023 Melbourne Cup betting odds sees the Willie Mullins-trained Vauban as the clear favourite ahead of the November 7th event that is dubbed “The Race That Stops A Nation”.
Melbourne Cup Betting Odds Suggest Vauban Is The One To Beat
The Melbourne Cup is the richest two-mile handicap horse race in the world and is always run on the first Tuesday in November, which this year falls on the 7th and the 2023 betting has been dominated by the Willie Mullins Irish-trained Vauban.
This Rich Ricci-owned 5 year-old has been propping up the 2023 Melbourne Cup betting market ever since he won the Copper Horse Handicap at Royal Ascot on June 20th and has since enhanced his claims with another easy win at Naas in the Group 3 Ballyroan Stakes – beating Valiant King, who could also be making the trip Down Under.
That most recent win also officially qualified Vauban for the Melbourne Cup (watch below).
Vauban has been put in with the best UK bookmakers as the clear 9/4 Melbourne Cup favourite with BetMGM, with the next best in the betting last year’s Flemington Park winner Gold Trip at 4/1 and the recent Caufield Cup winner Without A Fight at 11/2.
This Mullins horse has a rating of 160 over hurdles, when last seen over the sticks running State Man to 3 lengths in the Paddy Power Champion Hurdle at the end of April, but on the level is now 4 wins from just 6 runs.
At this stage there are still 51 entries for the 2023 Melbourne Cup, but will whittle down to a maximum of 24 runners before the race.
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Royal Ascot Form Franked Too
The other factor that punters have been latching onto in recent days is that the form of Vauban’s Royal Ascot win in June has since been given a big shot in the arm.
He beat a horse called Absurde that day at Ascot, who is also trained by Willie Mullins, and with this 5 year-old winning the Ebor Handicap at York – the richest handicap in Europe on Saturday 26th August – then Vauban’s 7 1/2 lengths thrashing he gave him at the Royal Meeting now looks rock solid form (watch below).
There is a chance Absurde could also join his stablemate on the trip to the Melbourne Cup and is priced at 14/1 with BetMGM.
Owner Rich Ricci Came Close To Melbourne Cup Glory In 2015
Rich Ricci is more famed for having winners over the jumps and in particular the Cheltenham Festival, where he’s had much success over the years – including with Vauban, who won the 2022 Triumph Hurdle.
However, he’s also made it no secret that the Melbourne Cup, that carries a A$8,000,000 purse is high up on his agenda and he almost ticked it off the ‘bucket-list’ in 2015.
The Ricci-owned Max Dynamite (ridden by Frankie Dettori) ran a cracking second that year to 100/1 shock winner Prince Of Penzance and also ran third in 2017 behind another Irish-trained winner Rekindling from the Joseph O’Brien camp.
Other Possible Melbourne Cup Runners
Gold Trip: Last year’s winner of the Melbourne Cup so will be a popular pick to follow-up – this Ciaron Maher and David Eustace runner will be looking to become the first back-to-back winner since Makybe Diva won three on the bounce between 2003 and 2005. He’s now a 6 year-old but has returned this season in good order and won the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington on Oct 7th, which should set him up nicely for his defence bid. Regular rider Mark Zahra, who also rode him 12 months ago, is expected to remain in the saddle.
Without A Fight: Won the Caulfield Cup last time out on Oct 21st – beating West Wind Blows by a head and with that race often a stepping-stone contest towards the Melbourne Cup this Freedman-trained 6 year-old will have many fans. Is, however, up from 1m4f to 2m in trip today so will need to prove he stays the extra yardage.
Soulcombe: Trained by Chris Waller, who won ‘the race that stops a nation’ in 2021 with Verry Elleegant. This 4 year-old has won 4 of his 9 career starts and British racing fans will remember him when trained by William Haggas last year. He’s a winner at Flemington too, when landing the Queen’s Cup there last November.
2023 Melbourne Cup Betting Odds
See below the latest Melbourne Cup betting odds from BetMGM where the Willie Mullins-trained Vauban heads the market.
- Vauban 9/4
- Gold Trip 4/1
- Without A Fight 11/2
- Soulcombe 8/1
- Absurde 14/1
- Breakup 14/1
- 20/1 Bar
Note: Odds are subject to change and others on request
When Is The 2023 Melbourne Cup?
📅Date: Tuesday, 7th November 2023
🕙Time: 4am (UK) or 3pm (Australian AEDT Time)
🏇Racecourse: Flemington
💰 Winner: £2,485, 876
📺 TV: Sky Racing
The Irish Or UK Trainers Have Won 3 Of The Last 6 Melbourne Cups
The Melbourne Cup has also been a great race for the UK and Irish raiders in recent years.
Prior to 2017, you had to go back to 2002 when the Dermot Weld-trained Media Puzzle won the big race for Ireland.
However, in recent times we’ve had a run of three winners since 2017 – two for Joseph O’Brien (Rekindling & Twilight Payment) and one for Charlie Appleby (Cross Counter).
WATCH: Gold Trip Winning The 2022 Melbourne Cup
Best Horse Racing Offers for Melbourne Cup Betting
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