Melbourne Cup 2021: See how James McDonald and Verry Elleegant shocked the favourite

The Melbourne Cup will take centre stage at Flemington with one of the shortest-priced favourites in 80 years tipped to win the famous trophy.

Join The Roar for live race updates and commentary of the race that stops a nation starting with the lead-up races from 12pm (AEDT).

Whilst the atmosphere at Flemington will be a little different with just 10,000 vaccinated folk permitted to attend, they will no doubt create enough noise to make this edition of the race very special. As Victorians start to enjoy the new found freedoms thay have been granted, Australia’s greatest horse race could not have come at a better time; a prefect reminder of the things we have missed so much and are slowly returning to right across the nation.

2020 winner Twilight Payment returns with an additional 2.5 kilograms on his back, but has been racing in brilliant form in Europe. The USA’s Spanish Mission looks a serious contendor, as does Persan, who was the first locally bred horse across the line 12 months ago. Great House could be a shrewd each way bet for the Chris Waller stable, whilst Tralee Rose and Floating Artist could both benefit from minimal weight and excellent preparations.

However, all the talk has been about the clear favourite Incentivise from the Peter Moody stable and frankly, on any given day, he should beat this field by a few lengths with plenty to spare. Yet the race will need to play out kindly for jockey Brett Prebble, as there is enough class elsewhere capable of springing the upset should either the speed of the race or position in running present the favourite with a challenge or two.

One horse keen to produce such a result will be Australian Horse of the Year Verry Elleegant. A seventh-placed finish last year came off the back of some poor luck and management in running and should the mare manage to run more on pace this time around, her brilliant season could well be capped with the biggest victory of them all.

Prediction
It is hard to go past Incentivise, whilst Spanish Mission has won over 3600 metres and likely to run out the slightly shorter distance very well. I’ll throw Persan in for third based on a perfect preparation and his love of Flemington.

1/ Incentivise
2/ Spanish Mission
3/ Persan

Melbourne Cup race information

Start time: 3pm (AEDT), 2:30pm (ACDT), 2pm (AEST), 12pm (AWST)
Venue: Flemington Race Course, Melbourne
TV: Ten Network
Live Stream: 10Play, Kayo Sports
Pre-Race Favourites: Incentivise $3.00, Spanish Mission $10.00, Twilight Payment $13.00, Floating Artist $13.00 (Odds via PlayUp)

Melbourne Cup field

1 – Twilight Payment
2 – Incentivise
3 – Spanish Mission
4 – Verry Elleegant
5 – Explosive Jack
6 – The Chosen One
7 – Delphi
8 – Ocean Billy
9 – Selino
10 – Johnny Get Angry
11 – Knights Order
12 – Persan
13 – Carif
14 – Master of Wine
15 – Pondus
16 – Grand Promenade
17 – Miami Bound
18 – Port Guillaume
19 – She’s Ideel
20 – Future Score
21 – Tralee Rose
22 – Floating Artist
23 – Great House
24 – Sir Lucan