Top jockey's fear of Melbourne Cup 'dampener'

The Melbourne Cup is known arsenic 'the contention that stops a nation' and connected the archetypal Tuesday successful November millions of eyes astir Australia volition beryllium keenly watching the events astatine Flemington.

Last year's winning jockey James McDonald - who steered Verry Elleegant to glory - volition not contention this year's contention aft his runner Durston was scratched from the tract connected Friday.

After getting a tally arsenic the exigency successful the Caulfield Cup earlier shocking the tract to decorativeness first, McDonald had hoped to instrumentality Durston archetypal to the enactment connected Cup time - becoming the archetypal jockey since Glen Boss to triumph consecutive Melbourne Cups.

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James Mcdonald riding Verry Elleegant wins the 2021 Melbourne Cup. (Getty)

But it wasn't meant to be.

Following 4 victories astatine Derby Day connected Saturday, McDonald spoke to Nine's Sport Sunday astir the soggy conditions forecast for Flemington connected Tuesday and however the bedewed way volition disadvantage immoderate horses.

"[The track] raced beautifully, it was successful large order. It was similar a bowling greenish retired there," helium said.

"We got a fewer showers during the time which was a small spot unfortunate but the way held up beautifully - it raced precise reasonably each day.

"It's forecast for a spot of rainfall connected Tuesday for Melbourne Cup day, which is beauteous unfortunate arsenic good arsenic it volition enactment a small spot of a dampener connected the contention itself arsenic evidently horses that don't grip [wet conditions] are going to beryllium disadvantaged.

"But wide it should beryllium a truly large time arsenic Melbourne Cup time is always."

James Mcdonald hoists the Melbourne Cup. (Getty)

WHAT TIME WILL THE CUP RUN

The 2022 Melbourne Cup volition beryllium tally connected Tuesday, November 2 astatine 3pm (AEDT).

In Queensland, daylight savings clip doesn't apply, truthful the main contention volition tally astatine 2pm (AEST). In Western Australia, the contention volition beryllium astatine midday, 1.30pm successful the Northern Territory, and 2.30pm successful South Australia.

The archetypal contention connected Melbourne Cup Day is astatine 10.45am (AEDT) and the past contention is astatine 5.15pm (AEDT).

THE RACE ITSELF

Race 7 is the Melbourne Cup astatine Flemington Racecourse and it is tally implicit 3200m.

A full of 24 horses marque up the field. There are a full of 10 races contested connected Melbourne Cup day.

The main contention is usually completed successful conscionable implicit 3 minutes.

The closest finishes successful Melbourne Cup history: Photo contention sparks chaos successful 1948

Verry Elleegant storms to Melbourne Cup victory

PRIZEMONEY ON OFFER

The Melbourne Cup is the world's richest handicap race.

This twelvemonth the contention is worthy a full of $7.75 million, and the celebrated 18ct coagulated golden Hardy Brothers trophy is worthy $250,000.

The victor volition person $4.4 million, 2nd spot $1.1 million, 3rd $550,000, 4th $350,000, 5th $230,000 and sixth to 12th $160,000.

Jockeys person astir 3 per cent of the prizemoney and a miniature Melbourne Cup trophy worthy $10,000.

Trainers person 10 per cent of the prizemoney and the connections cod the rest.

THE 2022 FIELD

1. GOLD TRIP (FRA) (horse, 6yo, Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, 57.5kg) - obstruction 14

2. DUAIS (mare, 5yo, Edward Cummings, 55.5kg) - obstruction 10

3. KNIGHTS ORDER (IRE) (gelding, 8yo, Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, 55.5kg) - obstruction 24

4. MONTEFILIA (mare, 5yo, David Payne, 55.5kg) - obstruction 11

5. NUMERIAN (IRE) (gelding, 7yo, Annabel Neasham, 55.5kg) - obstruction 7

6. WITHOUT A FIGHT (IRE) (gelding, 6yo, Simon and Ed Crisford, 55.5kg) - obstruction 18

7. CAMORRA (IRE) (gelding, 6yo, Ben and JD Hayes, 55kg) - obstruction 17

8. DEAUVILLE LEGEND (IRE) (gelding, 4yo, James Ferguson, 55kg) - obstruction 9

9. STOCKMAN (NZ) (gelding, 6yo, Joseph Pride, 54kg) - obstruction 2

10. VOW AND DECLARE (gelding, 7yo, Danny O'Brien, 54kg) - obstruction 4

11. YOUNG WERTHER (NZ) (gelding, 5yo, Danny O'Brien, 54kg) - obstruction 21

12. HOO YA MAL (GB) (horse, 4yo, Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, 53.5kg) - obstruction 15

13. SERPENTINE (IRE) (gelding, 6yo, Robert Hickmott, 53.5kg) - obstruction 23

14. DAQIANSWEET JUNIOR (NZ) (gelding, 5yo, Phillip Stokes, 53kg) - obstruction 13

15. GRAND PROMENADE (GB) (gelding, 7yo, Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, 53kg) - obstruction 1

16. ARAPAHO (FRA) (gelding, 6yo, Bjorn Baker, 52) - obstruction 19

17. EMISSARY (GB) (gelding, 6yo, Michael Moroney, 51kg + 0.5kg penalty) - obstruction 3

18. LUNAR FLARE (mare, 7yo, Grahame Begg, 51.5kg + 0.5kg penalty) - obstruction 12

19. SMOKIN' ROMANS (NZ) (gelding, 6yo, Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, 51.5kg + 1.5kg penalty) - obstruction 16

20. TRALEE ROSE (NZ) (mare, 6yo, Symon Wilde, 51.5kg) - obstruction 22

21. POINT NEPEAN (IRE) (horse, 5yo, Robert Hickmott, 51kg) - obstruction 20

22. HIGH EMOCEAN (NZ) (mare, 6yo, Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, 50kg) - obstruction 8

23.  INTERPRETATION (IRE) (horse, 5yo, Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, 50kg) - obstruction 6

24. REALM OF FLOWERS (mare, 6yo, Anthony and Sam Freedman, 50kg) - obstruction 5

Heavy Melbourne Cup favourite Deauville Legend has jagged a fortunate effect successful the obstruction gully up of Tuesday's celebrated race. (PA Images via Getty Images)

RACE DAY SCHEDULE

On Melbourne Cup day, determination volition beryllium a full of 10 races, including the all-important contention 7.

The archetypal contention begins astatine 10.45am (AEDT) and the past contention of the time is scheduled astatine 5.15pm (AEDT).

Race 1. 10.45am (AEDT) - 1000m Darley Maribyrnong Plate

Race 2. 11.20am (AEDT) - 2800m The Macca's Run

Race 3. 12.00pm (AEDT) - 1400m Resimax Group Subzero Handicap

Race 4. 12.40pm (AEDT) - 1800m TAB Trophy

Race 5. 1.20pm (AEDT) - 1000m The Schweppervescence Plate

Race 6. 1.55pm (AEDT) - 1800m Furphy Plate

Race 7. 3pm (AEDT) - 3200m Lexus Melbourne Cup

Race 8. 3.50pm (AEDT) -1400m In Memory of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Race 9. 4.35pm (AEDT) - 1400m The Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes

Race 10. 5.15pm (AEDT) - 1200m MSS Security Sprint

WEATHER FORECAST FOR FLEMINGTON

According to the Bureau of Meteorology, Flemington tin expect unreality screen and showers passim Melbourne Cup day, with a apical somesthesia of 14 degrees and the anticipation of betwixt 6-10mm of rainfall.

A thunderstorm could besides rotation done to truly rainfall connected the punters' parade.

Melbourne is besides forecast to person 1-3mm of rainfall connected some the Sunday and Monday earlier the Melbourne Cup, perchance leaving the people damp for the large race.

Flemington Racecourse was astir flooded earlier this month. (A Current Affair)

EXPERT TIPS AND ODDS

Analyst Simon O'Donnell's adept tips tin beryllium recovered successful Wide World of Sports' signifier guide.

HOW IS THE MELBOURNE CUP FIELD DECIDED?

Connections, referring to the owners and trainer of a racehorse, indispensable nominate their equine for the Melbourne Cup. Selection is unfastened to some section and planetary horses with nary restrictions connected sex.

This twelvemonth a full of 186 horses were initially nominated for the race.

As soon arsenic that database is completed, the handicappers volition measure and delegate each nominee a weight, based connected their handicap standing and past performances astatine the time.

There are 2 requirements that each racehorses indispensable conscionable to enactment successful the process. This includes that a nominated equine indispensable beryllium astatine slightest 3 years old. While a horse's handicap-allocated value indispensable transcend 49kg, but beryllium nary much than 57kg.

2022 Melbourne Cup Preview

The handicappers volition gully up an "order of entry" which ranks each equine from archetypal to past based connected however apt they are to marque the last field. Generally, the horses astatine the apical of the database volition beryllium assigned the heaviest weights.

From the clip it is created, the bid of introduction volition past alteration erstwhile connections retreat their equine from contention, oregon erstwhile a nominated equine moves up the database based connected value penalties oregon show successful exemption events.

When the Melbourne Cup obstruction gully happens connected the Saturday earlier the race, the apical 24 ranked horses connected the bid of introduction volition signifier the Cup field, and each volition beryllium assigned a barrier.

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE MELBOURNE CUP

The inaugural Melbourne Cup, which was tally successful 1861, was won by Archer from a tract of 16 horses. Since then, the contention has grown truthful overmuch that Melbourne Cup time is simply a nationalist vacation for astir of the authorities of Victoria.

Makybe Diva is the lone equine to person won the Cup 3 times, securing the triumph consecutively betwixt 2003 and 2005, jockeyed by Glen Boss.

The jockeys with the astir victories are Harry White (1974, 1975, 1978, 1979) and Bobbie Lewis (1902, 1915, 1919, 1927).

With 12 Melbourne Cup victories spanning implicit 43 years, Bart Cummings holds the grounds for the astir victories arsenic a trainer. His past triumph came successful 2008.

Verry Elleegant was the 2021 Melbourne Cup winner, becoming the archetypal equine successful past to triumph the contention from obstruction 18.

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