Melbourne Cup 2020: Preview & Predictions

The ‘race that stops the nation’ takes centre stage on Tuesday as the prestigious Melbourne Cup is run at Flemington Racecourse.

Held over a distance of 3,200 metres with total prize money of $7,750,000, the race attracts top-class horses from around the world.

A maximum field of 24 will go to post for an event that is a true test of stamina and cements the winner’s status as a great of the staying ranks.

Read on as we take a look at the 2020 Melbourne Cup and pick out four contenders who are prominent in the horse racing betting to win the race.

Melbourne Cup 2020 Runners

The 44 entrants for the Melbourne Cup will be whittled down to a final field of 24 after the running of the Hotham Handicap on Saturday.

The winner of that race is eligible to take the final spot for the big one, potentially knocking the Willie Mullins trained True Self out of the line-up. The declarations are as follows:

	Horse	Trainer	Weight
1	VERRY ELLEEGANT (NZ)	Chris Waller	55.5kg
2	SIR DRAGONET (IRE)	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	55.5kg
3	OCEANEX (NZ)	Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)	51.5kg
4	PERSAN	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	51kg
5	ANTHONY VAN DYCK (IRE)	Aidan O’Brien	58.5kg
6	VOW AND DECLARE	Danny O’Brien	57kg
7	AVILIUS (GB)	James Cummings	57kg
8	RUSSIAN CAMELOT (IRE)	Danny O’Brien	53.5kg
9	MASTER OF REALITY (IRE)	Joseph O’Brien	56kg
10	TWILIGHT PAYMENT (IRE)	Joseph O’Brien	55.5kg
11	TIGER MOTH (IRE)	Aidan O’Brien	52.5kg
12	MUSTAJEER (GB)	Kris Lees	55kg
13	STRATUM ALBION (GB)	Willie Mullins	55kg
14	PRINCE OF ARRAN (GB)	Charlie Fellowes	54.5kg
15	WARNING	Anthony & Sam Freedman	53kg
16	SURPRISE BABY (NZ)	Paul Preusker	54.5kg
17	DASHING WILLOUGHBY (GB)	Andrew Balding	54.5kg
18	FINCHE (GB)	Chris Waller	54.5kg
19	ETAH JAMES (NZ)	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	52.5kg
20	MIAMI BOUND (NZ)	Danny O’Brien	51kg
21	THE CHOSEN ONE (NZ)	Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman	53.5kg
22	STEEL PRINCE (IRE)	Anthony & Sam Freedman	53.5kg
23	KING OF LEOGRANCE (FR)	Danny O’Brien	53.5kg
24	TRUE SELF (IRE)	Willie Mullins	52kg
25	SAN HUBERTO (IRE)	Matt Cumani	53.5kg
26	NICKAJACK CAVE (IRE)	Peter G Moody	53.5kg
27	PLATINUM INVADOR (NZ)	Peter G Moody	53kg
28	ASHRUN (FR)	Andreas Wohler	53kg
29	HUSH WRITER (JPN)	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	52.5kg
30	LE DON DE VIE (GB)	Anthony & Sam Freedman	52.5kg
31	SKYWARD (FR)	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	52.5kg
32	SOUND (GER)	Michael Moroney	52kg
33	AZURO (FR)	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	52kg
34	CHAPADA	Michael Moroney	52kg
35	CARIF	Peter & Paul Snowden	52kg
36	HAKY (IRE)	Archie Alexander	52kg
37	GALLIC CHIEFTAIN (FR)	Archie Alexander	51kg
38	PONDUS (GB)	Joseph O’Brien	51kg
39	SCHABAU (GER)	Robert Hickmott	50.5kg
40	ATTORNEY (FR)	Matthew Smith	50kg
41	LORD BELVEDERE (GB)	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	50.5kg
42	ADMIRE ROBSON (JPN)	Paul Preusker	50kg
43	FUTURE SCORE (IRE)	Matt Cumani	50kg
44	SARACEN KNIGHT (IRE)	Danny O’Brien	50kg

 

Melbourne Cup 2020: Four to Follow

Tiger Moth

Top Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien has made no secret of his desire to win the Melbourne Cup, and his Tiger Moth could be tough to beat.

The three-year-old finished second behind Santiago in the Irish Derby, before demolishing a classy field in the Kilternan Stakes at Leopardstown during September.

The son of Galileo has been laid out for the race and is potentially the best horse that O’Brien has ever sent to Australia.

Sir Dragonet

One of the biggest threats to O’Brien’s hopes of winning the race comes in the shape of a horse that he previously trained.

Sir Dragonet produced some solid performances in Europe, before being sold and placed in the care of local co-trainers Ciaron Maher & David Eustace.

That move paid immediate dividends as Sir Dragonet won the Cox Plate and the extra distance of the Melbourne Cup should be right up his street.

Russian Camelot

Russian Camelot has been prominent in the betting for the Melbourne Cup since claiming an impressive victory in the South Australian Derby during the Adelaide Autumn Carnival.

He has since finished third in the Cox Plate behind Sir Dragonet, but the longer distance at Flemington will be more to his liking.

However, O’Brien’s Armory finished second in that race, which gives him an excellent idea of where he stands with Tiger Moth.

Anthony Van Dyck

Anthony Van Dyck won the Epsom Derby as a three-year-old, before finishing as runner-up in the Irish equivalent later in the year.

The horse has produced some impressive performances this season, most notably when beating Stravidairus in the Prix Foy at Longchamp.

He has since been beaten a head by Verry Elleegant in the Caulfield Cup, but should reverse that form over the more extended trip.

Melbourne Cup Prediction: Aidan O’Brien is desperate to win the race, and Tiger Moth looks well in at the weights. The Cox Plate form line gives the Irish trainer a handle on the main opposition, and he is strongly fancied to break his duck on Tuesday.

You may also like to read