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ALMANDIN has claimed the 2016 Melbourne Cup in a thrilling burst to the line, with Heartbreak City in second and Hartnell in third.
Almandin started the race as a $16 for Lloyd Williams’ team and gives them their fifth winner of the Melbourne Cup, and unprecedented achievement.
» 2018 Melbourne Cup live blog
He was also picked by The Roar‘s own Tristan Rayner pre-race as the winner.
The two horses streaked home to beat the rest of the field by three lengths.
More:
» 2016 Melbourne Cup: Who won, came last
» 2016 Melbourne Cup full finishing order
» 2016 Melbourne Cup: Who came second
The 2016 Melbourne Cup runs at 3pm (AEDT) and The Roar will bring you live updates, winners, losers, and all the results, plus the late mail as Australia’s richest and most historic race gets underway.
The Roar’s experts have published some huge previews if you’re looking to find a winner. Read the full Melbourne Cup preview and tips here and a complete runner-by-runner guide here.
It’s a horse race rich in history and tradition and one of the biggest events on the Australian calendar, sporting or otherwise.
The famous 2-mile dash has attracted horses from all around the globe for the 2016 edition, making up a field of 24 from Australia, England, Germany, Japan, Ireland and even across the ditch in New Zealand.
In terms of local talent, Jameka is the one to watch as one of the top favourites coming into the race.
A stunning run at the Caulfield Cup saw the four-year-old win by three lengths and shoot up the bookies market for the Melbourne Cup.
The John O’Shea trained Hartnell has also been thrown in the mix after three wins on the trot before the Cox Plate, including the Hill and Turnbull Stakes.
He was blown away by a record eight lengths at the Plate in his last start by the unstoppable Winx, but he ran a near faultless race to beat the rest of the field into second.
British invader Big Orange may be carrying the heaviest weight in the field, but is a huge presence on the track and threatens to take the Cup back to Europe.
He’s fresh off a 14-week break following a win at Goodwood on a similar distance, the track conditions suit him as well.
While there will be plenty of individual battles across the field when the barriers drop, there’s already a battle going on among the big three stables.
Godolphin, Lee Freedman and Lloyd Williams have 11 runners between them.
Freedman is after a sixth Cup victory, while Williams has four to his name. The powerhouse Godolphin stable are winless in the big race and are looking to break their Melbourne Cup curse with five runners in the field.
Jameka is one of the favourites for the race that stops the nation after winning the Caulfield Cup
Oceanographer has come charging in late to threaten the order after a wonderful run at the Lexus Stakes on Derby Day to earn a spot in the field.
Bondi Beach had a tumultuous run in the Cup last year but is coming off some much better form and a decent barrier draw at number five.
Almandin may be one of the most underrated in the field and a real dark horse to snatch the win from the favourites.
A last start win at the Bart Cummings made it two in a row and has him in good stead leading up to the race off a four-week break.
He now has three wins from three starts from 2200 metres or more and is becoming a long distance specialist.
Exospheric is another in with a chance after a third place finish at the Caulfield Cup, while Qewy also brings a win in the Geelong Cup to the table for Godolphin.
Prediction
The handicap nature of the race always makes it a difficult one to call, especially with so many top-class horses in the field.
Just to throw a spanner in the works, the chance of rain could very well affect the track underfoot and could change up the whole race.
Hartnell is the heavily backed favourite at the moment, and although Oceanographer is on level terms with Jameka as one of the top three runners, the later should be shaping up for a one-on-one with Hartnell.
There’s plenty of talent across the field and an upset is always on the card in a race this size.
For mine, it will be a tough ask to deny Godolphin their first win with Hartnell. Three wins and a pair of second place finishes in the last five starts is nearly as good a form you could ask for coming into the Cup.
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