Hitchins a furlong closer to picking the Melbourne Cup winner
MOREE old-boy Max Hitchins, a self-confessed Melbourne Cup tragic who likes nothing better than to each year try and pick the winner of Australia’s greatest horse race, has been busy in the southern capital this past week letting people know exactly how he does it.
“On Thursday I attended a function at O’Connell’s Pub in South Melbourne,” Hitchins said.
“It was a gathering organised by the syndicate head of the Brew Syndicate which won the 2000 Melbourne Cup.
“In all, 30 Melbourne Cup owners and trainers attended and I was there to share my statistics approach to the Melbourne Cup,” he said.
Aptly-named gelding Brew, from the champion Japan Cup-winning mare Horlicks, gave Kerrin McEvoy – a little-known apprentice at the time – his first win in the great race.
Max Hitchins with Richard Pegum, a part-owner of 2000 Melbourne Cup winner Brew (right).
On the same day at Moree, a dozen or so P-plate jockeys at a meeting that was restricted to apprentice riders were watching in awe as McEvoy steered Brew to an emphatic win – a clear message to junior riders across the country that dreams do come true in the racing game.
Statistics and historical facts and figures mean everything when delving through the Melbourne Cup form, and Hitchins has supplied a leg-up with some interesting information that just may help punters narrow down their selections for this year’s famous Flemington two-miler.
Hitchins says a few simple rules of thumb will help punters find the 2017 Melbourne Cup winner on Tuesday.
These are just some of Max’s statistical tips that will eliminate a few runners and make the task just that little bit easier.
After all, there is no better feeling that lobbing to work the next day to tell your mates and colleagues that you did indeed back the cup winner.
These are just a few of Max’s pointers to this year’s Melbourne Cup:
Did you know: The last eight-year-old to win the Melbourne Cup was Catalogue in 1938, and before that Toryboy 1865?
Did you know: There looks like there will be at least five eight-year-olds in the 2017 Melbourne Cup?
Did you know: Male horses usually win the Cup – only 16 females have won since the race was first held in 1861.
Did you know: The Melbourne Cup winner will more than likely be at odds less than 20-1.
Did you know: International horses usually need to ‘have a run’ in Australia if they are to succeed in winning the Melbourne Cup.
Did you know: The only international raider, so far, to win the Melbourne Cup without ‘having a run’ beforehand was Vintage Crop in 1993.
Did you know: In Tuesday’s Cup there looks like being at least five horses who will not have ‘had a run’ in Australia before starting in the 2017 Melbourne Cup.
Did you know: Since 1993 there have been 91 international horses attempt to win the Melbourne Cup without ‘having a run’ in Australia before the Cup.
Did you know: No horse has ever won from barrier 18.
Did you know: Barriers five and 11 are the luckiest numbers.
Did you know: Saddlecloth numbers four and 12 are the luckiest.
Did you know: Only seven grey horses have ever won the Cup. The last one was Efficient in 2007.
Did you know: Nowadays, international horses usually win (In 2016 only four of the 24 runners were bred in Australia).
Did you know: Predominantly blue (41) black (33) and yellow (30) are the most successful jockeys colours.
Did you know: Favourites have won 22 percent of the Melbourne Cups since 1861. The last one was Fiorente in 2013.
Did you know: No horses starting the letters I, Q, U, X or Y have ever won the Melbourne Cup.
Did you know: Max’s Melbourne Cup System has been successful for 25 out of the last 29 years, and last year the system selected winner Almandin and runner-up Heartbreak City.
Did you know: You can download Max’s Melbourne Cup system for FREE at www.pickthecupwinner.com.au