Melbourne Cup 2008

Spring Carnival Betting

The Flemington Spring Carnival betting captures the imagination of the Australian sporting public with its combination of racing, fashion, glamour and excitement rolled into one exciting package.

The best gallopers from Australia, New Zealand and abroad are in action, with the most prominent owners, trainers and jockeys represented.

The Victoria Racing Club's meetings that make up the Flemington Spring Carnival attract huge interest from the media and indeed the whole country.

Launching the flood of Flemington Spring Carnival bets is the VRC Derby, a set-weights race for three-year-old horses held the Saturday before the Melbourne Cup.

The Melbourne Cup, held on the first Tuesday in November, has always been an intriguing and challenging contest for punters to dissect.

A two mile handicap with a large field usually run at a steady pace and on a firm track, the race attracts the majority of Flemington Spring Carnival betting. Punters are able to place stakes bets many months in advance with the aim of securing some decent Flemington Spring Carnival odds.

One advantage for punters seeking to find the winning Flemington Spring Carnival odds is that the big race has a long and detailed history allowing them to view the formlines of past winners.

In recent years, the theme has been one of class with most winners demonstrating Group One (weight for age or set weight) form prior to contesting the big race - such as Saintly, Ethereal and Makybe Diva).

Another theme for winning Flemington Spring Carnival bets was that of last start winners, with VRC Stakes bets on Rogan Josh, Brew and Media Puzzle being successful.

Flemington Spring Carnival betting comes to a close on Stakes Day, the Saturday after the Melbourne Cup, where the best milers come together in what is always a very competitive race.

Punters placing VRC Stakes bets on favourites don't always have a successful winning ratio in this event. They were hit for six last year when Tears I Cry prevailed at the massive Stakes odds of 70-1.

VRC Stakes betting is always a tough caper on this race. With many different form lines coming together, the advantage is that many runners are at stakes odds far greater than what they should be.

In recent years, VRC Stakes betting on mares have proved successful with Divine Madonna and rank outsider Sky Cuddle proving triumphant.

The last time winning VRC Stakes odds were paid out on the same horse in two successive years was 1995, when Seascray triumphed for the second time.

Heroic Stone won the big race twice, producing winning VRC Stakes bets in both 1965 and 1967, while Aquanita won back-to-back in 1960-61.