Who Will Win the Melbourne Cup 2023?

Photo by Timothy Eberly on Unsplash

One of the biggest horse races in Australia, The Melbourne Cup, is just one month away, and fans can’t hide their excitement. Many experts have already picked their favourite to win the race, so it is an excellent time to check them out.

Vauban

Trained by Willie Mullins, this thoroughbred horse has become the favourite of many Melbourne Cup betting sites and experts following his success.

Born in France in 2018, Vauban has an outstanding rating of 160 over hurdles and has participated in eight hurdles, six Flat Turfs and 14 Rule Races.

Among his most significant achievements, the first places obtained in the Champion Four-Year-Old and the Triumph Hurdle are worth mentioning. Both competitions were held in Great Britain last year.

Vauban recently won the 76th Royal Ascot and passed two veterinary checks for the Melbourne Cup to appear among the strongest competitors.

Soulcombe

Trained by Chris Waller, Soulcombe is another strong runner who will appear in the Melbourne Cup. This horse hasn’t won as many important events as Vouban, but competitors and punters shouldn’t underestimate him.

Since 2019, Soulcombe has run in 11 Flat Turfs, winning five of them and scoring second place, marking six races with good results. He also succeeded in Caulfield just a few weeks ago and earned second place in Flemington in March, leaving him with a solid record.

In the last weeks, the British Jockey Hollie Doyle expressed her interest in being Soulcombe jockey on the Melbourne Cup. While it’s still not confirmed that both will compete together, fans should keep a close eye on them.

Hollie has made a pretty solid career in the last few years, participating in 4000 races and becoming the first British female jockey to win the European and the French Classics. If she and Soulcombe make a team in Melbourne, they could become a threat to Vauban, including the other racers.

Francesco Guardi

Former jockey Shane Dye once declared that if Francesco Guardi had participated in the Melbourne Cup of last year, he would have won it easily. Now, it seems Francesco will get to prove if Dye was right.

Chris Waller also trained this horse and has participated in 15 Flat Turf races, reaching first in three only and second in two. While this record seems poor compared to Vauban and Soulcombe, it shouldn’t be taken lightly.

Francesco won the Moonee Valley Gold Cup in 2021, which wasn’t easy. Besides that, the horse has amassed a total of EUR 1,022,355.32 in winnings, a far bigger amount than the ones obtained by Soulcombe and Vulban.

So far, Waller hasn’t announced which jockey will participate with this horse in the Melbourne Cup. But bettors should remain alert because if the jockey is James McDonald, it could spell trouble, as he was the one who won the Moonee Valley with Francesco.

What Is The Date Of The Melbourne Cup?

The Melbourne Cup will occur on Tuesday, November 7th. As always, the date of the cup will be a public holiday in Victoria and Melbourne, and all schools will be closed that day, so everyone can enjoy the races and festivities.