Expert Opinion

BALLARAT, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 06: Jockey Michelle Payne and her brother Steven Payne, who has Down syndrome and works as a strapper pose with the cup after Michelle Payne riding Prince Of Penzance won the Emirates Melbourne Cup during the 2015 Melbourne Cup Community Celebration at Ballarat Town Hall on November 6, 2015 in Ballarat, Australia. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)

Spring carnival of pleasure and Payne

THE Daily Telegraph’s racing editor Ray Thomas looks back on the highlights, lowlights, most memorable moments, headlines and controversies of the Melbourne spring carnival.

NSW Races

Hugh Bowman ( pink /black spots ) rides MR MANHATTAN to the line to win Race 4 at Warwick Farm Races . Warwick Farm .Picture Gregg Porteous

Saturday Best with Ray and Duff

PODCAST: THE Daily Telegraph racing editor Ray Thomas and Sky Thoroughbred Central’s Ron Dufficy dissect the meetings at Canterbury and Flemington.

Melbourne Cup

Max Dynamite is worked at Flemington racecourse in Melbourne, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2015. (AAP Image/Julian Smith) NO ARCHIVING

Who the bookies are tipping in the Cup

THE bookmakers reveal their Melbourne Cup tips plus all the big bets for Tuesday’s race at Flemington.

Horse Racing

Going for a record 13th Melbourne Cup Bart Cummings was back at work early for morning trackwork at Flemington.

Bart’s blueprint to Cup success

BART Cummings will be remembered for many training achievements but most notably his 12 Melbourne Cup wins — and the blueprint he developed to win the nation’s greatest race.

NSW Races

Rachael Finch with the horse The Offer at Flemington. Pic for Monday to point to melb cup parade. Picture: Tim Carrafa

Cup tips: Our experts’ selections for the great race

THE Telegraph’s racing editor Ray Thomas tipped the winners of the Golden Slipper, Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate. See who he and our other experts have tipped for the Melbourne Cup.

NSW Races

Photographs: Simon Bullard. Race 6 PRO-RIDE WARWICK STAKES (3YO&UP) - 1400m. Winner 'Royal Descent' ridden by Hugh Bowman.

Weekend Best Bets

OUR experts give you an early shot at finding a winner as they look at the major races around the nation.

NSW Races

Derby Day Races Picture:Wayne Ludbey Race 6 Mackinnon Stakes Damien Oliver wins on Happy Trails

Beat The Bookie value bets

OUR experts try to boost your bank balance with the best value bets of the weekend in the major cards around the nation.

NSW Races

Jamie McDonald on Leebaz , left, at the home turn, was the eventual winner of race 5 at Warwick Farm races. pic mark evans

Midweek Best Bets

PODCAST: OUR experts give you an early shot at finding that elusive midweek winner as they look at the major cards around the nation.

Vic Races

2015 Cox Plate Day at Moonee Valley Racecourse, Race9- Cox Plate, Hugh Bowman onboard Winx after the win . Melbourne. 24th October 2015. Picture: Colleen Petch. Coxplate15

Alarming trend at Spring Racing Carnival

A TREND is emerging at the Spring Racing Carnival that might be the most alarming wake-up call for racing in decades.

NSW Races

International horse's track work at Werribee Racecourse, Jockey Craig Williams onboard Arod does some fast work . Melbourne. 21st October 2015. Picture: Colleen Petch.

Friday formline: Your weekend guide

PODCAST/BEST BETS: OUR experts around the country pinpoint the horses, jockeys and trainers to follow this weekend.

Vic Races

2015 Caulfield Guineas Day at Caulfield Racecourse. Race 7- Glen Boss onboard Lucky Hussler wins. ,10th October 2015. Picture: Colleen Petch.

Weekend Best Bets

OUR experts give you an early shot at finding a winner as they look at the major races around the nation.

NSW Races

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 15: Michael Walker riding Criterion as the sun rises above the horizon during a trackwork session at Moonee Valley Racecourse on October 15, 2015 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images)

Beat The Bookie value bets

OUR experts try to boost your bank balance with the best value bets of the weekend in the major cards around the nation.

NSW Races

Photographs: Simon Bullard. Gai Waterhouse for Nic Ashman.

Midweek Best Bets

OUR experts give you an early shot at finding that elusive midweek winner as they look at the major cards around the nation.

Horse Racing

Caulfield Cup winner Mongolian Khan gets a close look at the cup as owner Mr Lin Lang aka Mr Wolf as strapper Sophia Orting looks on at his Flemington stable this morning, Melbourne. 18th October 2015. Picture: Colleen Petch.

Mongolian Khan’s mighty Cup trial

ANALYSIS: CAULFIELD Cup form is traditionally the most reliable Melbourne Cup guide, so which horse produced the best trial for Flemington’s famous two-miler?

NSW Races

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MAY 30: Luke Nolen riding Kinglike defeats Dwayne Dunn riding Battle of Troy in Race 1 during Melbourne Racing at Moonee Valley Racecourse on May 30, 2015 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images)

Midweek Best Bets

OUR experts give you an early shot at finding that elusive midweek winner as they look at the major cards around the nation.

NSW Races

Photographer: Simon Bullard. Race 6 - 3:45PM DE BORTOLI WINES GOLDEN ROSE STAKES (1400 METRES) Winner 'Exosphere' ridden by James McDonald.

Spring clean needed for carnival program

DESPITE a strong finish, the Australian Turf Club should consider some spring carnival programming changes for next year.

NSW Races

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 26: Craig Williams riding Stratum Star (ctr) defeats Damien Oliver riding Disposition (R) and Mark Zahra riding Under The Louvre (L) in Race 8, the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes during Melbourne Racing at Caulfield Racecourse on September 26, 2015 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images)

Beat The Bookie value bets

PODCAST: OUR experts try to boost your bank balance with the best value bets of the weekend in the major cards around the nation.

NSW Races

Emirates Stakes Day at Flemington Race course, (R) Dom Tourneur onboard Hucklebuck wins from Glen Boss on Lucky Hussler. Melbourne. 8th November 2014. Picture : Colleen Petch.

Friday formline: Your weekend guide

PODCAST / POLL / BEST BETS: OUR experts around the country pinpoint the horses, jockeys and trainers to follow this weekend.

NSW Races

Makybe Diva Stakes Day. Race 7, winner, Fawkner No 11, jockey Damien Oliver. 2nd Rising Romance, 3rd Entirely Platinum. Picture: Tony Gough.

Weekend Best Bets

PODCAST: OUR experts give you an early shot at finding a winner as they look at the major races around the nation.

NSW Races

Jockey Brenton Avdulla rides No.11 Cartier Rock to victory during Race 2 at Royal Randwick, Sydney. Pic Brett Costello

Midweek Best Bets

PODCAST: OUR experts give you an early shot at finding that elusive midweek winner as they look at the major cards around the nation.

NSW Races

Photographs: Simon Bullard. Race 6 TATTERSALLS CLUB CHELMSFORD STAKES (3YO&UP) - 1600m. Winner 'Complacent' ridden by Sam Clipperton. Trained by John O'Shea.

Saturday Best with Ray and Duff

TAB BIG BETS: THE Daily Telegraph’s Ray Thomas and Sky Thoroughbred Central’s Ron Dufficy analyse the big Epsom meeting at Randwick on Saturday.

Horse Racing

Memsie Stakes Day at Caulfield Racecourse, Race 8 - Memsie Stakes, (R) Glyn Schofield onboard Boban wins from (middle) Dwayne Dunn onboard Entirely Platinum and (L) Ben Melham onboard Stratum Star. Melbourne. 29th August 2015. Picture: Colleen Petch.

The Last Say: Epsom Day

SATURDAY racing comes to you today from Randwick and Caulfield. Get all the last minute tips and info from the Telegraph’s racing editor Ray Thomas.

NSW Races

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MAY 25: Dean Yendall riding Akavoroun wins the Jimjoca Handicap during Melbourne Racing at Caulfield Racecourse on May 25, 2013 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images)

Saturday Best with Ray and Duff

TAB BIG BETS: THE Daily Telegraph’s Ray Thomas and Sky Thoroughbred Central’s Ron Dufficy analyse the big races at Rosehill and Caulfield on Saturday.

NSW Races

Photographer: Simon Bullard. Race 5 MTA NSW RUN TO THE ROSE (3YO) - 1200m. Winner 'Magic Hurricane' ridden by Sam Clipperton.

Price check: Early guide to Saturday’s big races

FIELD/BETTING: THE Daily Telegraph’s form guide editor Simon Thomas and TAB’s Glenn Munsie look at the early betting and main chances at Randwick and Flemington this weekend.

NSW Races

Sweet Fire ridden by James McDonald, wins race4 during Rosehill midweek races. pic Mark Evans

Midweek Best Bets

PODCAST: OUR experts give you an early shot at finding that elusive midweek winner as they look at the major cards around the nation.

Horse Racing

Jockey Sam Clipperton riding Peeping(centre), wins the Ronald McDonald House Westmead Golden Pendant race during the Golden Pendant Day at Rosehill race course in Sydney. Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015. (AAP Image/David Moir) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY

Sydney a happy hunting ground for Waller

CATKINS ran below her best but trainer Chris Waller was still able to maintain his phenomenal Sydney Saturday winning streak at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

AnalysisNSW Races

Turf Talk: Rosehill and Caulfield preview

THE Daily Telegraph’s form guide editor Simon Thomas and The Sportsman’s Shayne O’Cass preview the big meetings at Rosehill and Caulfield on Saturday.

QLD Races