Melbourne Cup 2020: Preview & Predictions

Melbourne Cup 2020: Preview & Predictions
Melbourne cup horses
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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.

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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

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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.

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Suzanne Ashton

Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012). Qualifications include a Ba Hons in Marketing Management and Diploma in Equine Studies. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses since a young child and has over a decade of experience in news writing and magazine content publication in the equestrian industry.