Droves of optimistic punters will descend on Flemington Racecourse for the Melbourne Cup in early November. The showpiece event will be sandwiched between several other top-quality races. It’s shaping up to be a promising day of action. We’re expecting plenty of surprise results along the way.

As always, bettors are stepping up their preparations and searching for the latest advice from horse racing tipsters. Everyone is looking for that one piece of vital information that could land them a winning bet. For that reason, we’ve decided to review some of our favourite runners.

The field is jam-packed with quality horses. Naturally, we can’t analyze all of them. We’ll begin with the strongest runners and finish up by looking at some of the potential surprise packages.

The Favourites

We use the term ‘favourites’ loosely on this occasion Almost anyone can win this race. That’s why it’s one of the most thrilling horse racing events in the world. Having said that, the stats suggest that the following horses have the best chance on paper.

• Cross Counter - This horse is the favourite for a reason. Cross Counter won the race last year when he was just a three-year-old. The Godolphin runner, who’s trained by Charlie Appelby, won the Melbourne Cup on his eighth start. He’s already proved that he can be successful here. What’s more, Cross Counter seems to love the course and conditions. We’re expecting him to be involved at the business end of the race once again.

• Marmelo - Marmelo will be hoping for revenge this year after finishing second behind Cross Counter last time out. He’s performed well so far this season and picked up the spoils after an incredible race in Deauville. If he can cap off a brilliant year with a win at Flemington, his connections will be elated. However, this race is won on merit, not sentiment.

• Mustajeer - Mustajeer will start his Melbourne Cup preparations early this year. Naturally, this is fantastic news if you’re thinking about backing him. The seven-year-old will take part in the Caulfield Cup on the 19th of October. This run should benefit the horse greatly and give him plenty of time to acclimatize. Keep a close eye on the market. We suspect plenty of punters will fancy him.

The Outsiders

The rank outsiders tend to perform well in the Melbourne Cup. Don’t write any of them off. Here are some of the most eye-catching high-odds runners.

• A Prince of Arran - This seven-year-old gelding is another horse that’s making the trip across from England. He’ll run in the Caulfield Cup before appearing at Flemington a few weeks later. He has plenty of experience and doesn’t get fazed by the big occasions. If you’re backing him, play it safe and place an each-way bet.

• Steel Prince - This horse is currently without a jockey for the Melbourne Cup with Damien Oliver not able to ride him. However, we’re sure there will be plenty of takers. Steel Prince has put in a string of excellent performances this year, and his yard will be hoping he can take part in the Caulfield Cup. If he runs well there, expect his price to shorten before the main event.