Dr Mumbo’s Guide to the Melbourne Cup 2015
The Melbourne Cup is the race that stops a nation, and once again the media industry will stop watch the race.
Picking the winner of the two-miler is notoriously hard, so one again Dr Mumbo has asked a few of the media and marketing industry’s biggest names for their tips for the big race.
Last’s year’s winner John Steedman has retired and that leaves an opening for the glory of beating all their agency and media rivals. It’s a vacancy that many are taking seriously, with a number of media CEOs studying up on the form guide before giving Dr Mumbo their answers.
Below you can see the picks from racing die-hards who give their carefully considered tips. While others have taken a more creative bent and it’s fair to say that more than a few chose their picks by the age old method of the horses’ name… Trip to Paris anyone?
Which is more scientific? We’ll let you decide. And whilst Dr Mumbo is certainly not encouraging you to gamble, if you do choose to, do so responsibly.
Tim Worner, CEO of Seven West Media
“It is a very even Melbourne Cup. Impossible to tip with confidence. Fame Game – they reckon they didn’t try that hard with it in the Caulfield Cup. The price is very short. Criterion will come right into if it rains hard. For good value, I like Bondi Beach and Who Shot The Barman. Hopefully the winner is amongst them.
Picks: Fame Game, Bondi Beach, Who Shot The Barman.
David Gyngell, CEO of Nine Entertainment
“My tip for the cup is Trip to Paris. It’s won over 4000m before, so will certainly get the distance. The trick is getting there faster than the rest.”
Pick: Trip to Paris.
Paul Anderson, CEO of Network Ten
“Hard to go past Fame Game for a win although I like the look of Kiwi horses Preferment and Criterion to round out the top 3. Who Shot The barman could be a long shot.”
Picks: Fame Game, Preferment, Criterion
Mark Scott, managing director of the ABC
“When doesn’t a Trip to Paris sound like a great idea? And Red Cadeaux is the best runner up in the business.”
Picks: Trip to Paris followed by Red Cadeaux and Our Ivanhowe.
Michael Ebeid, managing director of SBS
“Three tips from me: #3. Fame Game – it’s international, has the best odds, but more to the point – in the media business what name could be more suitable to pick than ‘Fame Game’? #10. Trip to Paris – doubles as a nod to the Tour de France 🙂 #20. Bondi Beach – local and international at once, solid odds.”
Picks: Fame Game, Trip to Paris, Bondi Beach.
Grant Blackley, CEO of Southern Cross Austereo
“Who would not want a trip to Paris any time of the year? Winner of the Ascot Gold Cup and second in the Caulfield Cup he may well upset a few punters.”
Picks: Trip to Paris, Preferment & Excess Knowledge with a win for Trip to Paris.
Cathy O’Connor, CEO of Nova Entertainment
“To win – Preferment, it is the best of the Australian horses and has had a great lead up to the Melbourne Cup.”
Picks: Preferment, Trip to Paris and Fame Game
Ciaran Davis, CEO of APN News & Media
Davis
“It’s an Irish invasion this year with a 1, 2, 3 finish. Trip to Paris is your winner-all-right with the draw in his favour. Kingfisher needs a bit of luck – but he’s Irish so no need to worry there. And finally, Bondi Beach is young and inexperienced but Aidan O’Brien doesn’t send his horses half way around the world for nothing!”
Picks: Trip to Paris, Kingfisher, Bondi Beach (‘slainte!!’)
Nicole Sheffield, CEO of NewsLifeMedia
“This year I consulted news.com.au‘s form guide for people who know nothing about horses to pick my winning top three.”
Picks: Preferment, Trip to Paris and Fame Game
Chris Wharton, CEO of West Australian newspapers
“I like the Irish raider, Bondi Beach. I also like the Mullins-trained Max Dynamite. Mullins is one of those blokes who often brings off a coup in the big races around the world. I’ll round off my picks with The United States, which is well-drawn and a mature horse with a big heart.”
Picks: Bondi Beach, Dynamite, The United States
Kylie Rogers, managing director of Mamamia Women’s Network
“The last time I picked a Melbourne Cup winner was with Kiwi in 1983 , so take these tips with a grain of salt!”
Picks: To win- Criterion To Place- Our Ivanhowe and Red Cadeaux, Outside chance- Bondi Beach
Rob Atkinson, CEO of Adshel
“Little did I know when I arrived at the Adshel office on Melbourne Cup Day back in 2001, they were celebrating the biggest race of the year and not dressing up to the nines as a norm!
“My winner is Preferment – Vic Derby winner in 2014, loves Flemington and has a top jockey in Hugh Bowman. In my limited knowledge he has a chance!
Picks: Preferment, Who Shot the Barman, Quest for More, Snow Sky
Lindsey Evans, CEO of Special Group Australia
“If I feel the need to go beyond my usual practice of picking by name and good looks I’ll ‘call a friend’. My step dad once gave me a tip of Norton’s Coin in the UK’s Gold Cup which I did, at 100:1. That was one memorable night at the university halls of residence. So, here’s what he says…
“I know how much store the Sheik Mohammed’s Godolphin stable have put on winning this race and their two entries Hartnell and Sky Hunter are worth a look at decent odds. Ryan Moore is also probably the best jockey in the world currently and won 2 big races in the Breeders Cup in US over weekend, so Snow Sky although with top weight is worth a look – a class horse in UK and also decent odds. But it could be any of the others!! Meanwhile Richie Ragel, celebrity tipster at Special Group, is going all out for Trip to Paris.”
Picks: Winner: Hartnell. Top Four: Hartnell, Trip to Paris, Sky Hunter, Snow Sky.
Luke Littlefield, CEO of Dentsu Aegis
“I’m tipping Fame Game to win of course – it’s a Japanese powerhouse like Dentsu! To round out the top three will be Trip to Paris (tipped to me by a lawyer – so that’s got to be a genuine tip!) and Who Shot The Barman (the punters sentimental favourite and has credentials finishing 3rd last year).”
Picks: Fame Game, Trip To Paris, Who Shot The Barman
Katie Rigg Smith, CEO of Mindshare
“My gut is telling me Fame Game BUT my due date is the 21st so I am going to go with ‘Sertorius’…”
Picks: Fame Game, Sertorius
Leigh Terry, CEO of Omnicom Group
“Good odds, great run in Caulfield Cup as well as back at Ascot in UM summertime. Ed Dunlop deserves it and am not sure red cadeaux will finally pull it off for him, so going for his other one!”
Picks: 1. Trip to Paris 2. Kingfisher 3. Fields of Athenry
Seb Rennie, chief investment officer at GroupM
“I’d take these tips with a pinch of salt as I haven’t backed a winner since Brew in 2001. I’m backing Criterion to win and my top three are: Criterion, Fame Game and Preferment”
Picks: Criterion, Fame Game and Preferment
Barry O’Brien, chairman of Atomic212
Picks: 1. Fame Game 2. Preferment 3. Bondi Beach 4. The United States
Kieran Moore, CEO of Ogilvy Public Relations
“Who wouldn’t want a Trip To Paris? The five-year-old won the best staying racing in Britain, the Ascot Gold Cup, back in June and at his last start finished brilliantly at his first Australian run for second in the Caulfield Cup. And he’s owned by La Grange Partnership, in recognition of what we’ll be drinking after he wins.”
Picks: Trip To Paris for 1st, Preferment 2nd and Sky Hunter 3rd. Gust of Wind is also a chance.
Kat Thomas, founder and executive creative director of One Green Bean
“To be honest I haven’t thought past the One Green Bean 8th annual fascinator-inspired-by-your-
“For that I tip the form favouring a Reggie Watts-style afro for Virgin Mobile or something beefy for MLA. As for the runners, Who Shot The Barman and Trip To Paris are neck and neck for for best name, followed by Snow Sky for the meta on-trend fuchsia and aquamarine colour scheme. Always judge a horse by its colours.”
Picks: Who Short the Barman, Trip to Paris, Snow Sky.
Fame game and trip to Paris
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Fame Game… Trip to Paris… Big Orange
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No one picked the winner then 🙂
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