Melbourne Cup tips 2017: Who will win? The experts and celebrities reveal their selections

NEED a little help choosing a horse to back in the Melbourne Cup? Find out who the News Corp racing team and the celebrities are tipping in the big race.

FIND out who the experts and celebrities are tipping in Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup.

Almandin is favourite to win back to back Melbourne Cups, but according to the panel, there are plenty of contenders for the big prize in Australia’s great race.

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LEO SCHLINK (Herald Sun chief racing reporter)

1. MARMELO

2. Wall Of Fire

3. Almandin

Roughie: Red Cardinal

MICHAEL MANLEY (Herald Sun)

1. ALMANDIN

2. Johannes Vermeer

3. Marmelo

Roughie: Big Duke

SIMON MOY (Superracing)

1. BIG DUKE

2. Almandin

3. Marmelo

Roughie: Reklindinig

Can Almandin go back to back?

CHRIS VERNUCCIO (Superracing)

1. MARMELO

2. Almandin

3. Tiberian

Roughie: Wicklow Brave

GLENN McFARLANE (Herald Sun)

1. HUMIDOR

2. Almandin

3. Marmelo

Roughie: Single Gaze

GILBERT GARDINER (Herald Sun)

1. WALL OF FIRE

2. Almandin

3. Humidor

Roughie: Secret Gaze

RAY THOMAS (Daily Telegraph racing editor)

1. RED CARDINAL

2. Marmelo

3. Johannes Vermeer

Roughie: Single Gaze

BRAD DAVIDSON (Racing reporter)

1. MARMELO

2. Red Cardinal

3. Tiberian

Roughie: Nakeeta

DARREN PRENDERGAST (Superracing)

1. JOHANNES VERMEER

2. Marmelo

3. Red Cardinal

Roughie: Hartnell

Marmelo has plenty of admirers. Picture: AAP

RON DUFFICY (Sky Thoroughbred Central)

1. WALL OF FIRE

2. Almandin

3. Marmelo

Roughie: Thomas Hobson

GARY CRISPE (Timeform)

1. HUMIDOR

2. Marmelo

3. Wall Of Fire

Roughie: Rekindling

NATHAN EXELBY (The Courier-Mail racing editor)

1. MARMELO

2. Wall Of Fire

3. Johannes Vermeer

Roughie: Red Cardinal

ROBERT CRADDOCK (The Courier-Mail chief sports writer)

1. JOHANNES VERMEER

2. Rekindling

3. Red Cardinal

Roughie: Wicklow Brave

SHAYNE O’CASS (Sportsman)

1. MARMELO

2. Tiberian

3. Red Cardinal

Roughie: Boom Time

PAUL MICALLEF (Sportsman)

1. JOHANNES VERMEER

2. Marmelo

3. Humidor

Roughie: Hartnell

CELEBRITY TIPS

RICKY PONTING (Crownbet)

1. ALMANDIN

2. Max Dynamite

3. Wall Of Fire

4. Johannes Vermeer

The Cup is my favourite race of the year. Every runner is value, the pools are huge and everyone has an opinion. Mine points to Almandin going back to back, with 2015 runner-up Max Dynamite again getting into the placings and Hugo Palmer raider Wall of Fire third.

SAM GROTH (Tennis ace)

1. ALMANDIN

2. Cismontane

3. Hartnell

4. Johannes Vermeer

Hard to go past last year’s winner in Almandin, who looks set to repeat and I’ve got a soft spot for Cismontane after his Lexus performance. James Cummings’ Hartnell was third last year and has been largely forgotten.

SHANE CRAWFORD (Channel 9)

1. REKINDLING

2. Marmello

3. Almandin

4. Humidor

Rekindling has good form around a horse called Order of St George, who is one of the best stayers in the world and he has a light weight (51.5kg). so I’ll have something on it.

BRUCE McAVANEY (Channel 7)

1. MARMELO

2. Humidor

3. Wall of Fire

4. Johannes Vermeer

Marmelo had an eye-catching finish to the Caulfield Cup. His last start in Europe was a win in the Kergorlay, a race that’s been used successfully by two other Melbourne Cup winners in the past. And has Winx jockey Hugh Bowman on board.

GREG MILES (Calling royalty)

1. MARMELO

2. Almandin

3. Wall Of Fire

4. Johannes Vermeer

It’s the most open Cup I can remember but I’m tipping Marmelo on top. His Caulfield Cup run was outstanding, suggesting two miles at Flemington will be ideal. It’s an awkward gate but these imports like a bit of room in their races so it may end up an advantage. Almandin has a great chance to repeat last year’s win.

Wall Of Fire’s form has been solid. Picture: Nicole Garmston

SAM HYLAND (Track walker)

1. JOHANNES VERMEER

2. Marmelo

3. Wall of Fire

4. Thomas Hobson

Johannes Vermeer’s last two runs have been terrific, he is drawn to have a great run and I’m confident he will love the 3200m. Marmelo was a great run in the Caulfield Cup and his work has been sharp for this. Wall Of Fire is a true stayer and will be back in the run but strong to the line.

DANIEL HARFORD (RSN927)

1. MARMELO

2. Wall of Fire

3. Almandin

4. Amelie’s Star

Marmelo looks the perfect Cup horse with the eye-catching Caulfield Cup run, and is “in” beautifully with 55kg. Wall of Fire drops 5kg from stunning Herbert Power finish. Forget Almandin’s last outing. Amelie’s Star the best lightweight chance.

NATHAN BROWN (Sportsbet)

1. MARMELO

2. Amelie’s Star

3. Max Dynamite

4. Big Duke

Marmelo flew home in the Caulfield Cup and looked to have plenty left. Will be peaking for the 3200m and lead-up races similar to Protectionist and Americain. Forget Amelie’s Star’s Caulfield Cup run and remember win in The Bart Cummings.

ADAM HAMILTON (TAB)

1. WALL OF FIRE

2. Thomas Hobson

3. Rekindling

4. Humidor

Liked Wall Of Fire’s UK form and loved his massive swoop-around-field second in the Herbert Power (noted strong form race for the Cup). Exciting stayer with turn of speed. Thomas Hobson is a genuine, old-school stayer with featherweight. Rekindling is lightly-raced, well-drawn and will give a great sight.

LIBBY HOPWOOD (Sky Racing)

1. RED CARDINAL

2. Marmelo

3. Humidor

4. Big Duke

Red Cardinal is a proven winner at the trip last prep after a 33-week spell, only missed a placing once in his career and is unbeaten at this distance. Liked the way Marmelo hit the line in the Caulfield Cup and should be further improved. Humidor did pull plenty of ground of the mighty Winx in the Cox Plate, but some query at 3200m.

JAIMEE ROGERS (TAB)

1. Marmelo

2. Red Cardinal

3. Rekindling

4. Amelie’s Star

Prix de Kergolay winner, Marmelo has had four runs over the 3000m and hasn’t been out of the placings. Hugh Bowman on board another plus. Red Cardinal, while drawn very wide, has won two from two over the distance and is trained by Andreas Wohler who won in 2014 with Protectionist.

ROSS STEVENSON (3AW)

1. MARMELO

2. Humidor

3. Red Cardinal

4. Cismontane

Met trainer Hugh Morrison on Saturday, a meeting which left me with considerable confidence about his horse Marmelo. Darren Weir is equally confident about Humidor while Red Cardinal’s trainer Andreas Wohler is a German Bart Cummings.

JON ANDERSON (Herald Sun)

1. WALL OF FIRE

2. Marmelo

3. Red Cardinal

4. Alamandin

Love the fact that Wall of Fire and Marmelo have already run here and that the former gave Boom Time a start and beat him beat home in the Herbert Power. Marmelo’s close in the Caulfield Cup was impossible to miss.

 

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