I see a few bookies are taking bets now for the Melbourne Cup. Michael Eskander (http://www.eskander.webcentral.com.au/) and Double Bet (http://www.doublebet.com/)

I am interested to know what the views of the Punters are on jumping aboard handsome odds (some of them anyway) at this stage being so far out from the big race?

One thing I noticed, which I'm sure never used to be that way is if a horse is not nominated you actually get your money back.

Dude

Bad idea Dude, unless you have some inside info on a very well priced horse. Punters lost a packet betting on UP last year. Not many would have picked Ethereal until after the Caulfield Cup.

The winner is usually the horse that puts in the best run in either:

Caulfield Cup - Ethereal, Jezabeal, Doriemus etc

Cox Plate - not many WFA stars go onto Melb Cup, but some do - Saintly for instance.

Mackinnon - Rogan Josh, Jeune (also Cox), Empire Rose etcc.

Watch those 3 races and you'll normally see the winner.

The only other race which is sometimes a guide is the SAAB Quality - Brew, Kingston Rule.