Australian Cup, Flemington Races, Melbourne Races
The 2011 Australian Cup
The 2000-metre, Group 1 Australian Cup is a weight-for-age race that is held annually every March at the Flemington races in Melbourne. This race takes place on Super Saturday which features seven group races including the Newmarket Handicap and the Australian Guineas. The 2011 Australian Cup will have total prize money of $1,000,000.
The Australian Cup was first staged in 1863 and it was staged in different distances over the years. From 1863-1942, the race had a distance of 18 furlongs or about 3600 metres. From 1943 to 1962, the race distance was adjusted to 17 furlongs and 110 yards or about 3500 metres. In 1963, the race distance is two miles or 3200 metres and in 1964, it was at ten furlongs or 2000 metres. In 1973, the race distance was fixed at 2000 metres following the introduction of the metric system in Australia.
The Flemington Racecourse is not pear-shaped and it has a 1200-metre straight which is popularly known as “The Straight Six” for it is six furlongs in length. The track has a circumference of 2312 metres while it has a final straight of 450 metres for races at 1200 metres. Races here are staged counter-clockwise.
Flemington Race Track Map
Betting options for the Australian Cup can be categorized into two: standard bets and exotic bets. Classified under the standard bets are the win bet, the place bet and the each-way bet. In the win bet, you simply have to pick the race horse that will win the race. For the place bet, you will pick the horses that you think will finish first, second and third and you will win if you get any of the three places right.
For the each-way bet, you can place two bets on one horse. This means that you can have one of two payouts if your chosen horse wins the Australian Cup or if it finished second or third. This bet is ideal especially if there are three equally-talented race horses in a particular race.
Meanwhile, exotic bets involve a number of horses and they are harder to satisfy given the higher volume of horses needed to complete the bet. Experienced punters take on these bets for they have followed the nuances of betting odds and past performances of an Australian Cup participant. Under the exotic odds are the trifecta bet, the quinella bet, the exacta bet and the first four bet.
For the trifecta bet, you must pick the three race horses that will cross the 2011 Australian Cup finish line first in exact order. Meanwhile, the quinella bet requires that you pick the first two horses that will finish the race regardless of order. If you want a tougher bet, the exacta bet requires you to pick the top two horses that will finish the race in exact order.
The toughest bet that you can make for the Australian Cup is the first four bet wherein you must choose the first four race horses that will finish the race in exact order. Winning this bet gives you a payout that is bigger than any other bet.
The 2011 Australian Cup will be held on the 12th of March and at the betting odds list, Whobegotyou and Zipping are tied at the top with betting odds of 6.50 while Shocking has betting odds of 7.00. Moudre was given betting odds of 9.00 while Theseo, Heart of Dreams and Precedence have identical betting odds of 13.00.
At the middle of the 2011 Australian Cup betting odds list are Vigor and Linton with the same betting odds of 14.00 while Wall Street, Anacheeva and Speed Gifted have betting odds of 15.00, 17.00 and 18.00. Ginga Dude and Once Were Wild have betting odds of 21.00 while Scenic Shot, Alcopop and Playing God will enter the 2011 Australian Cup with betting odds of 26.00.
Bookmaker.com.au Bonus Bet
The 2012 Melbourne Cup Guide
Luxbet Racing Specials
