This Saturday Caulfield Racecourse will host the first of the ‘Big 3’ Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival classics with the 2012 Caulfield Cup set to light up the track, the Races.com.au team’s insider Caulfield Cup form guide and betting preview detailed below.

History is against Glencadam Gold as the 2012 Caulfield Cup betting favourite

Due to jump as Caulfield Race 8 at 4:05pm (AEST) the $2.5 million Group 1 BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m) has drawn a capacity field of 18 starters and four emergencies, the favourite of which is still the Gai Waterhouse-trained Glencadam Gold.

Easing out to $5 in the Caulfield Cup odds at bookmaker.com.au the flying import is undefeated in Australia having won their fourth straight race in the Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m) but has suffered an early blow for Saturday drawing the second widest gate 21 (of 22) in the Caulfield Cup barrier draw.

In the big 2012 Caulfield Cup field just two of the favourite’s rivals are also paying under $10 to take out the feature with reigning Melbourne Cup winner Dunaden who was the only one to draw wider (22) and last year’s beaten favourite December Draw in gate 12 both paying $7.50.

So what is the best Caulfield Cup betting tip?

Should you stick with the top trio in the Caulfield Cup betting markets?

Or is there value to be found tipping a double-figure chance such as early market mover Lights Of Heaven ($11), Luca Cumani’s international galloper My Quest For Peace ($11) or defending Caulfield Cup winner Southern Speed ($19)?

To help you back a winner this Caulfield Cup Day the team of form and tipping experts at Races.com.au have gone over the field, form guide and betting stats to come up with the must know Caulfield Cup 2012 facts.

2012 Caulfield Cup Form Facts & Betting Stats

• Last year’s Caulfield Cup winner Southern Speed came off a second in the Underwood Stakes and fourth in the Turnbull Stakes, jumped from barrier three (of 18) with Craig Williams in the saddle on 52.5kg
• This year #7 Southern Speed ($19) is back to defend her title but this year she ran fourth in the Underwood and 15^th in the Turnbull, has drawn wide with barrier 14 (of 22) and will be ridden by Nash Rawiller on 54.5kg
• Last year’s winning jockey Craig Williams meanwhile will seek back-to-back wins with #2 Dunaden ($7.50) while last year’s winning barrier (3) belongs to #8 Sanagas ($61)
• Other horses that contested both the Underwood and Turnbull on way to the Caulfield Cup this year meanwhile are #6 Voila Ici (2^nd & 4^th), #5 December Draw (3^rd in both), #11 Niwot (13^th & 8^th) and #4 Winchester (9^th in both)
• Meanwhile all the Caulfield Cup horses to finish out of the money in the Turnbull this year are #6 Voila Ici (4^th), #14 Sneak A Peek (7^th), #11 Niwot (8^th), #4 Wincehster (9^th), #18 Zabeelionaire (14^th), #7  Southern Speed (15^th) and #16 Moudre (last)
• Horse Racing Tip #17 Folding Gear has the best record at the track of any horse in the Caulfield Cup field making them a juicy roughie at $21 to add into your exotics
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• #9 Glencadam Gold ($5) and #8 Sanagas ($61) share the best Win Rate with 50.00% followed closely by #10 My Quest For Peace ($11) with 45.45% and second emergency #20e Gatewood (44.55%)
• #20e Gatewood ($11), who is unlikely to gain a Caulfield Cup start, also has the best Place Percentage of the field with 77.78% followed by #6 Voila Ici (77.42%), #2 Dunaden (75.76%), #9 Glencadam Gold (75%) and #13 Secret Admirer (75%)
• There are four last-start winners in the field with #3 Jakkalberry (American St Leger Stakes, 2714m, Arlington, USA, 18/08/20120, #9 Glencadam Gold (Group 1 The Metropolitan, 2400m, Randwick, 06/10/2012), #10 My Quest For Peace (Listed March Stakes, 2816m, Goodwood, GB, 25/08/2012) and #17 Folding Gear (Group 3 Naturalism Stakes, 2000m, Caulfield, 22/09/2012)
• In the past 20 years only three horses have carried 56kg or more to victory with Viewed (75kg, 2009), Northerly (58kg, 2002) and Sky Heights (56.5kg, 1999) – #1 Americain ($16) and #2 Dunaden ($7.50) who are the 58kg topweights will be out to become the next this year
• History is also against #1 Americain and #2 Dunaden as no original top-weight in Caulfield Cup history has gone on to win the race
• The other 17 Caulfield Cup winners in the past two decades all carried 54.5kg or less which also rules out #3 Jakkalberry (55.5kg), #4 Winchester (55.5kg), #5 December Draw (55kg) and #6 Voila Ici (55kg) this year
• Favourites have a poor recent record in the Caulfield Cup with the last to win being Master O’Reilly (2007), this year #9 Glencadam Gold ($5) will be out to break the hoodoo of top elects
• Also going against #9 Glencadam Gold is their two Caulfield Cup weight penalties for their Newcastle Gold Cup (1.5kg) and The Metropolitan (2kg) wins as the only horse in recent history to contest the Caulfield Cup after receiving two weight penalties was Vita Man (1999) who finished second-last behind Sky Heights
• Five of the past six Caulfield Cup winners jumped at $10 or more in the markets also ruling out #2 Dunaden ($7.50) and #5 December Draw ($7.50) this year
• The most successful barriers in Caulfield Cup history that have produced the most winners are barriers 4 and 9 with eight wins each which this year were drawn by #17 Folding Gear ($21) and #15 Alcopop ($19) respectively
• With the emergencies out however #15 Alcopop will actually come into the least successful barrier (8) while gate nine will belong on the day to #14 Sneak A Peek ($16)
• The longest losing sequence for a barrier with the last win being back in 1941 is gate one drawn this year by #18 Zabeelionaire ($31)
• There is plenty else in Zabeelionaire’s favour historically however including their weight, price and age
• 4YO’s have the best record in the race with 48 winners since 1879 including 17 of the past 30 – #18 Zabeelionaire is the sole 4YO in this year’s race
• Horses with previous winning form at Caulfield Racecourse are #17 Folding Gear (5-3-0-1), #19e Sabrage (4-2-0-0), #5 December Draw (3-1-0-1), #7 Southern Speed (8-2-2-0), #15 Alcopop (5-1-2-0), #16 Moudre (5-1-0-1) and #18 Zabeelionaire (5-1-0-0)
• Over the distance (2400m) horses with the best record are #1 Americain (8-3-1-1), #2 Dunaden (12-4-4-2), #3 Jakkalberry (11-4-0-1), #4 Winchester (15-3-2-2), #6 Voila Ici (10-4-1-2), #9 Glencadam Gold (3-2-0-0), #10 Quest For Peace (7-3-1-0), #7 Southern Speed (2-1-0-0), #14 Sneak A Peek (2-1-0-0), #15 Alcopop (2-1-0-0), #8 Sanagas (1-1-0-0) and #12 Lights Of Heaven (1-1-0-0)

Think you’ve uncovered the winning Caulfield Cup Trifecta for 2012 and want to lock it in at the best price?

Head straight to bookmaker.com.au and enjoy betting with a 100 percent Aussie owned, operated and trusted bookie who offer the country’s best range of fixed win racing odds as well as their exclusive Pick markets on all the spring majors!