Key posts
Top jockey gets one last ride
By Damien Ractliffe
Alenquer WILL run in today’s Melbourne Cup. He’s been passed fit, after vets checked him at 3.30am to see if he had overcome a stone bruise to one of his feet.
Champion jockey Damien Oliver gets one last ride in the Melbourne Cup, searching for his fourth win in four decades before retiring at the end of this year’s carnival.
Champion jockey Damien Oliver will go after his fourth win at Flemington today after Alenquer got the all clear.Credit: Racing Photos via Getty Images
Thunderstorm, damaging winds forecast for Cup Day
By Alex Crowe
A hot and humid day is expected in Melbourne this morning with a possible thunderstorm in the afternoon after a predicted top of 30 degrees.
The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast a 70 per cent chance of rain for Cup Day, as well as possible damaging winds and even hail and lightning over Flemington from about 2pm.
The race that stops the nation is scheduled to start at 3pm.
Vilma Riparip, Domingo Martinez, Frelyn Dela-Cruz wait for the train to Flemington Racecourse at Southern Cross Station.Credit: Rebecca Hallas
Melbourne’s predicted top of 30 degrees would be the warmest day in the city this spring after temperatures peaked at 29.8 degrees on Monday.
The hot and humid conditions forecast for this year’s Melbourne Cup follow a cold and windy year in 2022 when temperatures reached just 13.2 degrees. Melbourne Cup Day temperatures peaked at 30 degrees and mostly sunny in 2021.
Birdcage barometer: the other economic indicator on Cup Day
By Cara Waters
Alongside the Reserve Bank’s Cup Day interest rates decision on Melbourne Cup Day, the other economic barometer this week is how full the exclusive Birdcage enclosure at Flemington is
Already at 9am the space, which is accessible only to those with coveted marquee invitations or Victoria Racing Club members, is starting to fill up with race goers dressed in Cup day finery.
Racegoers are being welcomed at the gates of Flemington Racecourse this morning.Credit: Getty
We’ll be popping into the marquees during the day to see who’s there and what’s going on.
The marquee line up this year includes Crown and Schweppes which have both returned to the Birdcage after several years’ absence, while luxury jeweller Kennedy and streaming service Paramount + (Channel Ten) are out this year.
Who will win this year’s Melbourne Cup?
By Alex Crowe
With the form analysed and the race pattern predicted, the bets are on for who will claim the 2023 Melbourne Cup.
Watch The Age’s chief racing reporter Damien Ractliffe boil down on the most likely to take home today’s trophy.
Ractliffe recently sat down with leading form analyst Hayden Byrne to discuss how the Cup might be run and won, what tactics some of the key jockeys might adopt, and just who the top five winning chances are for the $8.4 million race.
Fevola among the first celebrity names dropped
By Cara Waters
The gates for the 163rd running of the Melbourne Cup only opened at 8.30am, but we already know some of the invited attendees to the exclusive Birdcage enclosure.
Today at Lexus we can expect to see model Adut Akech, racing royalty Kate, Tom and Hoda Waterhouse, influencer Rebecca Harding and former politician and Birdcage regular Julie Bishop.
Penfolds marquee is hosting influencer Mia Fevola and actor Tim Kano, while in G.H. Mumm guests include football stars Josh Daicos and Moana Hope.
Mia Fevola at the Caulfield Cup.Credit: Luis Ascui
There are more athletes over in Schweppes, with former cricketer Michael Clarke and tennis player Thanasi Kokkinakis.
In Crown, actress Francesca Hung and AFL great Nathan Buckley will be in attendance. We will also be keeping our eyes peeled for VRC ambassadors, the late Princess Diana’s nieces Lady Amelia and Lady Eliza Spencer.
It remains to be seen whether Hollywood celebrity Matt Damon will make a return visit after his enthusiastic embrace of Flemington on Derby Day.
Read more from Cara Waters on curating the perfect Cup carnival guest list.
Dettori tips Cup Day upset against Vauban
By AAP
Champion jockey Frankie Dettori has tipped the heavily backed Absurde to upset long-time Melbourne Cup favourite and stablemate Vauban in the race that stops a nation.
Dettori’s winning ride on Absurde in the Ebor Handicap booked the Willie Mullins-trained six-year-old’s spot in the field for Tuesday’s $8 million Flemington feature.
Frankie Dettori has tipped Absurde to upset Vauban.Credit: Getty
Absurde carried 60.5 kilograms to victory at that race in York, England, but drops to 53 kilograms for the Cup; which was too low for Dettori to maintain the partnership.
Australian jockey Zac Purton has instead been booked to ride Absurde, who will jump from barrier eight.
“He’s got a good weight, he’s got a good draw,” Dettori said.
“This is a Melbourne Cup, it’s always wide open, but if I had to pick one, I’d pick him.”
Bill Shorten offers race day tip
By Caroline Schelle
Maribyrnong MP Bill Shorten has spoken at Flemington about the race that stops a nation this morning. He told ABC News Breakfast he was a fan of the race, which is due to kick off at 3pm.
“I like seeing people come together and having a party. Flemington is in my race track. I used to be the union rep for stable hands and jockeys and gardeners here,” Shorten, who is also the NDIS minister, said this morning.
“A lot of people dress up, they come out, they have fun. It’s a very good celebration.”
The minister was also asked about his tips, but warned “free advice is worth what you pay for” but said he was considering Without A Fight as one worth watching.
“I think Chris Waller is a good trainer. I got to speak to him yesterday. You always look at what he has in the field,” he said.
“It’s a fun day and I think at this time of the year, people just need to have a bit of a laugh.”
What goes into a day at Flemington?
It might be early, but preparations at the track are already well and truly under way.
From the keeper of the roses to the man in charge of the horse areas on the course, the insiders explain what goes into a day at the track.
Get the full story from Rob Harris here.
The grounds are whipped into shape.Credit: Justin McManus
Have you sorted your sweep yet?
It’s not too late! Use our virtual Cup sweep generator, which you can find here, for a paperless Melbourne Cup sweep.
You can divide the field evenly between two, three, four, six, eight and 12 players, or you can fill out 24 names in the sweep. That second option is useful for when you want to sell second tickets to people, because you can enter the same name more than once, as often happens when you don’t have quite enough people to take the whole field.
Top jockey gets one last ride
By Damien Ractliffe
Alenquer WILL run in today’s Melbourne Cup. He’s been passed fit, after vets checked him at 3.30am to see if he had overcome a stone bruise to one of his feet.
Champion jockey Damien Oliver gets one last ride in the Melbourne Cup, searching for his fourth win in four decades before retiring at the end of this year’s carnival.
Champion jockey Damien Oliver will go after his fourth win at Flemington today after Alenquer got the all clear.Credit: Racing Photos via Getty Images
Welcome to our Cup Day coverage
By Alex Crowe
Good morning.
Melbourne Cup Day has arrived, and we’ll be bringing you all the action from Flemington with live updates throughout the day. From the latest on champion jockey Damien Oliver’s last Melbourne Cup mount to which horse to back.
As well as racing news, we’ll let you know what’s happening off the racetrack, too. From Delta Goodrem’s pre-race entertainment to celebrity spotting in the Birdcage, follow here for everything happening throughout the biggest day of the spring racing carnival.
My name is Alex Crowe – I’ll be kicking things off this morning before handing over to Roy Ward later today.
Happy Cup Day.
