The 2015 Melbourne Cup form guide is essential reading for punters right around the world this morning, but we understand that it can be very difficult to understand for punters that are only placing a bet once a year.
Criterion is one of the leading contenders in the 2015 Melbourne Cup field. Photo by: Steve Hart
We have done all the hard work for you and complied everything that you need to know about all 24 runners in the 2015 Melbourne Cup field!
Snow Sky (58kg) – He was far from disgraced in the Caulfield Cup and his form in the United Kingdom is excellent, but history is against him with the top weight on his back and it is tough to see him turning-the-tables on the horses that beat him in the Caulfield Cup.
Criterion (57.5kg) – There are question marks over his ability to run out a strong 3200 metres, but his performances in the Ladbrokes Caulfield Stakes and Cox Plate were excellent and he will be right in the finish if he gets the trip.
Fame Game (57kg) – Fame Game has been a dominate favourite in Melbourne Cup betting markets for quite a while and he is clearly the horse to beat on the back of his second place finish in the Tenno Sho and his fast-finishing sixth in the Caulfield Cup.
Our Ivanhowe (56kg) – The German import is yet to record a race win in Australia, but he has improved each time that he has been seen at the races and is one of the best roughies in the race on the back off his run in the Caulfield Cup.
Big Orange (55.5kg) – He beat Quest For More and Trip To Paris to take out the Goodwood Cup, but he was badly beaten in the Lonsdale Cup and may struggle to hold off the swoopers after he takes up the running in the early stages of the race.
Hartnell (55.5kg) – The Godolphin stayer has had an unusual Melbourne Cup preparation, but he was far from disgraced in the Chelmsford Stakes, Turnbull Stakes and Cox Plate and it would not be a surprise if he was a factor in the finish.
Hokko Brave (55.5kg) – The other Japanese stayer in the field was not beaten far by Gold Ship and Fame Game in the Tenno Sho, but he was slightly flat in the Caulfield Cup and the wide Melbourne Cup barrier draw won’t suit.
Max Dynamite (55kg) – He was absolutely outstanding in the Lonsdale Cup and he clearly has an outstanding turn-of-foot that puts him right in the race, but he would probably be suited by a bit more sting out of the ground.
Red Cadeaux (55kg) – The veteran stayer is back for another crack at the Melbourne Cup after finishing second on three previous occasions and there is no knocking his form as he finished second behind Criterion in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Trip To Paris (55kg) – He showed that he has the turn-of-foot required to win a race like the Melbourne Cup when he finished second in the Caulfield Cup and he is likely to improve on that performance when he steps-up to 3200 metres. He is the main danger to Fame Game.
Who Shot Thebarman (54.5kg) – The popular stayer finished a credible third in the Melbourne Cup last year and he arguably brings even stronger form into this year’s race, which makes him one of the big roughies in the field.
Sky Hunter (54kg) – There has been plenty of betting support for Sky Hunter, but he has only had two race starts in the past 12 months and he does not have the profile of a Melbourne Cup winner.
The Offer (54kg) – The 2014 Sydney Cup winner did not make it to the Melbourne Cup last year when he was the early favourite, but he gets an opportunity in 2015 after taking out the Bendigo Cup last week.
Grand Marshal (53.5kg) – There has been nothing wrong with Grand Marshal’s preparation to date, but history is clearly against him as Makybe Diva is the only horse to complete the Melbourne Cup/Sydney Cup double in the modern era.
Preferment (53.5kg) – There is a great deal of hype surrounding Preferment after his wins in the Hill Stakes and the Turnbull Stakes, but his Cox Plate effort was slightly flat and he would need to find another level.
Quest For More (53.5kg) – There is nothing wrong with his form in Europe, but he was extremely poor in the Geelong Cup and it is very tough to see him improving to a level good enough to win the Melbourne Cup.
Almoonqith (53kg) – He did not have a great deal of luck at the start of his racing career in Australia, but he produced an outstanding staying performance in the Geelong Cup and on the back of that has to come into Melbourne Cup reckoning.
Kingfisher (53kg) – Kingfisher was not beaten far by Trip To Paris in the Ascot Gold Cup, but his two runs subsequent to that were fairly flat and he might be a touch dour to win the Melbourne Cup.
Prince Of Penzance (53kg) – The tough stayer was only narrowly denied by The United States in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup and he looks like he will be suited by the trip, but lacks the class to win the Melbourne Cup.
Bondi Beach (52.5kg) – Bondi Beach is one of the most interesting horses in the Melbourne Cup and his performances in the Ladbrokes St Leger Stakes was excellent, but he faces a tough assignment in just his sixth race start.
Sertorius (52.5kg) – He is the battlers champion in the 2015 Melbourne Cup and it is great to see him get a run, but he is another horse that simply does not have the talent required to win ‘the race that stops a nation’.
The United States (52.5kg) – The United States only just snuck into the field following the removal of his stablemate Amralah, but he is a genuine stayer that will run out the trip strongly and should finish in the top ten.
Excess Knowledge (51kg) – Many consider him lucky to even be in the Melbourne Cup field following his controversial win in the Lexus Stakes and based on that performance he simply can’t beat this field.
Gust Of Wind (51kg) – The Australian Oaks winner has been ticking over beautifully for the Melbourne Cup and she was great in the Caulfield Cup, but whether she has the class to win is the question.
