The 2017 Emirates Melbourne Cup

It’s the race that stops a nation and it sure is fun to watch: Australia’s very own prize jewel, the Melbourne Cup, and it’s right around the corner. If you don’t know how, now is a good time to learn to read the form guide!

Going down on the first Tuesday in November (November 7 to be precise) at Flemington Racecourse in Victoria, the race draws Australia’s finest and most fashionable.

Run over a distance of 3200 metres – open handicap – the Melbourne Cup offers a prize purse worth $6,000,000, making it the world’s richest handicap. Now that’s what you call a lot of moolah. The last time I saw that much money I was arrested. Just kidding (or am I?).

Now for all you racing newbies – last year, Almandin took the cup, and we’re all psyched to see who’s going to take the massive purse this year. My money’s on Red Cardinal – he’s the current odds favourite but who can say, horse-racing is always unpredictable. First of all, it’s not exactly easy to make predictions when you’re working with two lengthy miles of racetrack and 24 local and international horses to consider. So, naturally, pegging down a winner is often quite challenging. There’s always that element of uncertainty, which is exciting, sure, but also a real pain for oddsmakers.

Understanding the form guide

Of course, everyone wants to back a winner and if you’re new to the races, here’s five easy tips on how to read the form:

1. Make sure to note the horse details. This will include the horse’s number, the weight it’s carrying, the trainer, and the barrier number.
2. Check out horse racing colours and jockey. This section will tell you the colour of the jockey’s silks as well as who he is.
3. Next up, have a gander at the horse’s career stats and win & place percentage. This will show you how often the horse has won, its career earnings, and how often it finishes first or in the top three.
4. Look through the horse’s Career Spell / Track & Distance / Track Condition details. These will indicate how well a horse has done on a particular race track and under certain track conditions.
5. Last, but not least, make sure to look up the horse’s recent form. Generally, a form guide will display the last five starts – the most recent being at the front.

Now, if going by the form isn’t your thing, or if you’re anything like my missus, just pick based on colour or the way the horse looks at you coming out into the mounting yard.

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Yeah, yeah, I know this racing stuff is pretty exciting, but so is my casino. And while you wait for the big date, why not take a flutter at all the great casino games I’ve got on offer. If you’re feeling particularly into equestrian sports, I’d say check out A Day at the Derby!

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