Without a Fight completed the rare Caulfield Cup-Melbourne Cup double on Tuesday as star jockey Mark Zahra went back-to-back in the big one after jumping off last year’s winner Gold Trip. Without a Fight, which paid $9.10 the win and $3.30 the place, came from England for the Cup last year but finished 13th from a wide gate. He claimed two wins in Brisbane over winter before the Caulfield Cup victory. He became the first winner of the Caulfield-Melbourne Cup double since Ethereal in 2001. Soulcombe ($3.40) was second, Sheraz ($17.40) third and Ashrun fourth. Teh quinella paid $35.40, the tridf ..read more

The race that stops the nation is upon us again. Every horse in the Melbourne Cup has reasons they can win, and reasons they can’t. For all the horses below, one of the “pros” will be right, and for the other 23, the “cons” will be correct! Everyone will know the answers after the race, but here are some pointers to help you beforehand. >> Check out the full Melbourne Cup field here 1. GOLD TRIP Trainer: Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Jockey: James McDonald Record at 2800m+: 2: 1-0-0 Pros: Gold Trip won last year’s Melbourne Cup, so he ticks both boxes of being good enough to win and r ..read more

Watching the Melbourne Cup is always a special feeling, particularly for those of us who are born and bred in Victoria. It is a part of who we are. It is un-Australian to not have a bet in the Cup, even if it just takes place in the form of a sweep in the office, or at home with a gathering of friends or family. Last year’s winner, Gold Trip, paid $21 for the win. The placegetters, Emissary and High Emocean, jumped at a starting price $26 and $41 and paid healthy place dividends accordingly. The year before, Verry Elleegant saluted and paid $16 for the win. Twilight Payment, who won in 2020, w ..read more

If you look at betting markets, 2023 is another year you would assume that the Melbourne Cup has been run and won already – there are two or three short-priced favourites, with the rest of the field making up the numbers. The agencies seem to find a few fancied runners in the two-mile race – among the longest in Australia, with the biggest field in the country and with a number of unknown runners – and offer very narrow odds. I cannot see the sense in this, given races are not run on paper, and history shows they get it often wrong when it comes to actually finding the winner (Those who know h ..read more

Champion jockey Damien Oliver is quietly confident his Melbourne Cup mount Alenquer will be passed fit to give him a farewell ride in the race that stops a nation. The Mike Moroney-trained Alenquer was inspected by Racing Victoria (RV) veterinarians on Monday after presenting with a stone bruise following trackwork on Sunday. RV said the quirky six-year-old continued to show signs of soreness in the near fore hoof and would be reinspected prior to the final scratching time of 7.30am on Tuesday. “It’s just a timing thing,” three-time Cup-winning jockey Oliver told reporters on Monday. “I spoke ..read more

Melbourne Cup day is here again, and it’s never anything less than exciting. The Cup itself will of course be full of drama and intrigue: there looks to be a strong handful of top-tier chances this year, but up to a dozen secondary chances that can all lay claims to a top five finish and sneaking a place. Be sure to read our runner-by-runner preview here, to check out the pros and cons for each horse in the great race. But there are also another nine races on the Flemington card on Tuesday. Let’s see if we can find you a winner. RACE 1 – MARIBYRNONG PLATE, 1000m The two-year-olds kick off Cup ..read more

The race that stops the nation is upon us again. Every horse in the Melbourne Cup has reasons they can win, and reasons they can’t. For all the horses below, one of the “pros” will be right, and for the other 23, the “cons” will be correct! Everyone will know the answers after the race, but here are some pointers to help you beforehand. >> Check out the full Melbourne Cup field here 1. GOLD TRIP Trainer: Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Jockey: James McDonald Record at 2800m+: 2: 1-0-0 Pros: Gold Trip won last year’s Melbourne Cup, so he ticks both boxes of being good enough to win and r ..read more

It’s the biggest event on the Australian horse racing calendar, while also being one of the biggest events on the Australian sporting calendar full stop. So, if you’re looking for a 2023 Melbourne Cup live stream or just want to check how to watch the race that stops a nation on TV, we’ve got you covered. The easiest way to catch a Melbourne Cup live stream is through, 10Play – Channel Ten’s live streaming service. With Ten once again holding exclusive rights to the day, their main channel is also the only way to watch the race on free-to-air TV. Luckily, their agreement also extends to digita ..read more

Romantic Warrior has lived up to his huge international reputation, becoming the fourth northern hemisphere-trained winner of the storied Cox Plate by edging Mr Brightside in a photo finish. Ridden by James McDonald, Hong Kong’s premier middle-distance galloper surged home to claim Australasia’s weight-for-age championship by a nose. Cult hero Alligator Blood seized the lead at the turn and was brave in finishing third for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott. Trainer Danny Shum admitted he lost “a little bit” of confidence after Romantic Warrior was fourth first-up in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes, b ..read more

With the annual Spring Racing Carnival heating up, The Everest is the glam event on the social calendar at Randwick – but it will be run at a cost greater than its $20 million contributed prizemoney for the entrants. The 1200m scamper should be called “The Subterranean”, in my opinion, because it continues the decline of Australian breeding and thoroughbred standards. Racing NSW chief executive Peter V’Landys has succeeded in making the race a spring focus, not only in Sydney but nationwide. It is supported by the likes of the $10 million Golden Eagle and $3 million Big Dance, which will ..read more