Melbourne Cup 2016: Find out who the punters are backing with the TAB in the Flemington two-miler

TAB BIG BETS: ONE punter is set to turn $1900 into almost $103,000 if race favourite Hartnell can win the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday.

Hartnell is prepared for early morning trackwork at Godolphin at Agnes Banks. Picture: Mark Evans

ONE punter is set to turn $1900 into almost $103,000 if race favourite Hartnell can win the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday.

The John O’Shea-trained stayer is the final leg of TAB multi that kicked off Right Advice winning a race at Sunshine Coast on Friday and was followed by Miss Vista’s win at Moonee Valley later that night. Oceanographer’s fast-finishing win in the Lexus Stakes at Flemington on Saturday has put the punter on the brink of a massive payday if Hartnell can win the Big One.

Hartnell is the $5 favourite for the Cup.

MELBOURNE CUP: FORM GUIDE

MELBOURNE CUP: EXPERT TIPS

MELBOURNE CUP SWEEP

Take a look at all the big TAB multis still in play on Tuesday, plus a rundown of the betting moves and big bets for each runner in this year’s Melbourne Cup.

MULTI WATCH

Big bets involving Melbourne Cup runners (in bold)

$20,000 Double @ $9 on Hartnell [Post Draw] (Melbourne Cup) / Yankee Rose (2016 Crown Oaks) [placed on October 29]

$2,000 Treble @ $68.40 on Winx (Cox Plate — Won) / Almandin (Melbourne Cup) / Yankee Rose (2016 Crown Oaks) [placed on October 22]

$1,900 Pick 4 @ $54.16 on Right Advice (Sunshine Coast Race 2 on October 28 — Won) / Miss Vista (Moonee Valley Race 5 on October 28 — Won) / Oceanographer (Lexus Stakes at Flemington on October 29 — Won) / Hartnell (Melbourne Cup) [placed on October 28]

$1,000 Treble @ $45.54 on Hartnell [Pre Draw] (Melbourne Cup) / Yankee Rose (2016 Crown Oaks) / The Quarterback (2016 Darley Classic) [placed on October 29]

$1,000 Treble @ $37.62 on Jameka (2016 Caulfield Cup) / Winx (2016 Cox Plate) / Hartnell (Melbourne Cup) [placed on October 9]

$1,000 Double @ $34.50 on Hartnell (Melbourne Cup) / Eleonora (2016 Crown Oaks) [placed on October 23]

$1,000 Double @ $23 on Hartnell (Melbourne Cup) / Harlow Gold (2016 Crown Oaks) [placed on October 22]

$1,000 Double @ $14.40 on Jameka (Melbourne Cup) / Yankee Rose (2016 Crown Oaks) [placed Today]

MATT STEWART, DANNY RUSSELL & GILBERT GARDINER PREVIEW THE MELBOURNE CUP

THE BETTING RUNDOWN

1. BIG ORANGE

Opened: $21

Pre Barrier Draw: $18

Post Barrier Draw: $16

NOW: $16

Bets of Note: $1,500 each-way at $16/$4.75 (Sunday)

$1,500 at $15 (October 12)

$1,250 at $15 (October 28)

$1,000 at $15 (October 10, October 14 and October 15)

2. OUR IVANHOWE

Opened: $26

Pre Barrier Draw: $35

Post Barrier Draw: $26

NOW: $35

Bets of Note: $1,500 each-way at $26/$7.25 (October 26)

$600 each-way at $26/$7.25 (September 9)

$500 at $26 (September 10)

3. CURREN MIROTIC

Opened: $21

Pre Barrier Draw: $26

Post Barrier Draw: $26

NOW: $26

Bet of Note: $400 at $21 (October 7)

4. BONDI BEACH

Opened: $26

Pre Barrier Draw: $11

Post Barrier Draw: $10

NOW: $9

Bets of Note: $4,000 at $13 (October 17)

$3,000 at $13 (October 19)

$1,500 each-way at $13/$4 (October 24)

$1,100 at $9 (Sunday)

$1,000 at $13 (October 14, October 17, October 20 and October 29)

5. EXOSPHERIC

Opened: $26

Pre Barrier Draw: $18

Post Barrier Draw: $18

NOW: $17

Bets of Note: $2,000 at $13 (October 18)

$1,500 each-way at $16/$4.75 (October 26)

$1,000 at $15 (October 22)

$500 at $16 (October 26)

Hartnell will carry the hopes of many when he lines up in the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday. Picture: Mark Evans

6. HARTNELL

Opened: $35

Pre Barrier Draw: $4.60

Post Barrier Draw: $5

NOW: $5

Bets of Note: $4,000 at $4.20 (October 27)

$1,700 at $4.60 (October 24)

$1,500 at $5 (October 17, October 18 and October 20)

$1,000 at $7 (October 2 [twice] and October 3)

$800 at $26 (September 16)

7. WHO SHOT THEBARMAN

Opened: $51

Pre Barrier Draw: $26

Post Barrier Draw: $35

NOW: $31

Bets of Note: $1,500 at $26 (October 26)

$1,000 at $35 (Sunday)

$500 at $35 (September 21)

$500 each-way at $26/$7.25 (October 27 and October 28)

$500 at $26 (October 15)

8. WICKLOW BRAVE

Opened: $101

Pre Barrier Draw: $18

Post Barrier Draw: $21

NOW: $18

Bets of Note: $4,000 each-way at $16/$4.75 (October 27)

$1,000 each-way at $16/$4.75 (October 28)

$800 at $17 (October 24)

$500 at $21 (Sunday)

$500 at $19 (Sunday)

9. ALMOONQITH

Opened: $51

Pre Barrier Draw: $23

Post Barrier Draw: $26

NOW: $19

Bets of Note: $3,000 at $16 (October 26)

$1,000 at $26 (Sunday)

$1,000 at $16 (October 25)

$600 at $101 (September 18)

$500 at $51 (October 5 and October 11)

10. GALLANTE

Opened: $35

Pre Barrier Draw: $61

Post Barrier Draw: $41

NOW: $51

Bet of Note: $500 at $21 (October 20)

11. GRAND MARSHAL

Opened: $35

Pre Barrier Draw: $35

Post Barrier Draw: $26

NOW: $31

Bet of Note: $500 at $26 (October 26)

12. JAMEKA

Opened: $35

Pre Barrier Draw: $7.50

Post Barrier Draw: $7

NOW: $8

Bets of Note: $3,000 at $8 (Today)

$2,200 at $5.50 (October 27)

$2,000 at $5.50 (October 26)

$2,000 at $5 (October 15)

$1,000 at $8 (Sunday)

13. HEARTBREAK CITY

Opened: $151

Pre Barrier Draw: $14

Post Barrier Draw: $15

NOW: $16

Bets of Note: $2,000 at $14 (October 27)

$725 at $14 (October 29)

$500 at $81 (September 5)

$500 at $35 (September 18)

$500 each-way at $14/$4.25 (October 27)

14. SIR JOHN HAWKWOOD

Opened: $101

Pre Barrier Draw: $81

Post Barrier Draw: $81

NOW: $81

Bet of Note: $400 the win / $500 the place at $35/$9.50 (October 23)

15. EXCESS KNOWLEDGE

Opened: $51

Pre Barrier Draw: $41

Post Barrier Draw: $61

NOW: $61

Bets of Note: $500 each-way at $51/$13.50 (October 26)

$500 each-way at $35/$9.50 (October 19)

$200 at $61 (Sunday)

16. BEAUTIFUL ROMANCE

Opened: $151

Pre Barrier Draw: $41

Post Barrier Draw: $35

NOW: $61

Bets of Note: $200 at $35 (October 28 and October 29)

17. ALMANDIN

Opened: $51

Pre Barrier Draw: $14

Post Barrier Draw: $16

NOW: $17

Bets of Note: $5,000 at $14 (October 29)

$2,000 at $10 (October 17)

$1,000 at $16 (Sunday)

$1,000 at $10 (October 22 [twice])

$200 at $101 (September 24)

18. ASSIGN

Opened: $151

Pre Barrier Draw: $61

Post Barrier Draw: $81

NOW: $71

Bets of Note: $350 at $71 (October 30)

$50 each-way at $301/$76 (October 6)

19. GREY LION

Opened: $301

Pre Barrier Draw: $35

Post Barrier Draw: $41

NOW: $31

Bets of Note: $1,500 at $26 (October 26)

$1,000 at $51 (October 18)

$1,000 at $35 (October 19)

$1,000 at $31 (October 29)

$1,000 at $26 (October 27)

20. OCEANOGRAPHER

Opened: $151

Pre Barrier Draw: $5.50

Post Barrier Draw: $5.50

NOW: $6.50

Bets of Note: $8,000 at $26 (October 27)

$1,000 at $26 (October 27)

$1,000 at $6 (Sunday)

$700 at $21 (October 28)

$500 at $26 (October 26)

21. SECRET NUMBER

Opened: $35

Pre Barrier Draw: $35

Post Barrier Draw: $35

NOW: $35

Bets of Note: $350 at $35 (Sunday)

$300 each-way at $35/$9.50 (Sunday)

22. PENTATHLON

Opened: $301

Pre Barrier Draw: $101

Post Barrier Draw: $101

NOW: $126

Bets of Note: $500 each-way at $301/$76 (September 22)

$100 each-way at $201/$51 (September 25 and September 28)

$100 at $126 (Sunday)

23. QEWY

Opened: $101

Pre Barrier Draw: $35

Post Barrier Draw: $31

NOW: $21

Bets of Note: $4,000 at $51 (October 19)

$1,000 at $31 (October 29)

$1,000 at $26 (October 27)

$500 at $31 (October 29 and Sunday)

$200 each-way at $151/$38.50 (October 15)

24. ROSE OF VIRGINIA

Opened: $301

Pre Barrier Draw: $201

Post Barrier Draw: $201

NOW: $126

Bets of Note: $100 each-way at $301/$76 (October 25)

$100 at $301 (October 21 and October 28)

$100 at $201 (Sunday [twice])

$100 each-way at $151/$38.50 (Sunday)

$100 at $151 (Sunday [twice])

TOP 5 IN TERMS OF OVERALL TAKE

Jameka ($8)

Hartnell ($5)

Almoonqith ($19)

Wicklow Brave ($18)

Almandin ($17)

TOP 5 SUNDAY IN TERMS OF TAKE

Jameka ($8)

Wicklow Brave ($18)

Almandin ($17)

Hartnell ($5)

Almoonqith ($19)

MELBOURNE CUP — STATS AND FACTS

1 — Just one favourite has won in the past 10 years (Fiorente at $7 in 2013)

5 — Apart from Bart Cummings with 12 wins, Lee Freedman is the next most successful with five (he has Exospheric $19 and Our Ivanhowe $35)

6 — Six-year-olds have a great strike rate in recent years having won four of the last six races (there are five with Hartnell $5 the best chance)

11 — Saddlecloth numbers 4 and 12 have been the most successful both winning 11 times (Bondi Beach $9 and Jameka $8 respectively)

1993 — The last time a horse (Vintage Crop) won the Cup without having previously had a run in Australia (Heartbreak City $15 is the best chance)

2005 — Makybe Diva was the last mare to win the race (there are three mares with Jameka $7.50 the best chance)

$118,652 — One punter turned $1 into $118,652 after successfully picking the First 4 — Fiorente-Red Cadeaux-Mounth Athos-Simenon — in order in 2013

$434,083.30 — One punter spent $100 a mystery box trifecta with three runners (Prince of Penzance, Max Dynamite, Criterion) in the 2015 Melbourne Cup and collected almost half-a-million dollars

Originally published as Melbourne Cup 2016: Find out who the punters are backing with the TAB in the Flemington two-miler