A$8 million is up for grabs once again on Tuesday as some of the world’s finest thoroughbreds battle it out for the 2022 Melbourne Cup.
Heading the market for the “race that stops a nation” is Deauville Legend, the clear favourite since German stayer Loft was ruled out through injury.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: October 31st, 12:00 P.M. (GMT)
Now at 3.50 with William Hill, the 3-year-old son of Sea The Stars has made a first trip over to Australia for the big race at Flemington and will be ridden for the first time by local jockey Kerrin MacEvoy.
The James Ferguson-trained runner won the Great Voltigeur Stakes, York and the Bahrain Stakes at Newmarket, but is yet to be tested over 2 miles.
Top British jockey William Buick rides Without A Fight who at 10.00 shouldn’t live up to his name. Simon & Ed Crisford’s 5-year-old also tasted success at York over the UK summer in the Silver Cup Stakes.
Joint-second favourite with him is 5-year-old mare Montefilia, the most-fancied of the local runners. A promising fourth at the Caulfield Cup a fortnight ago would have given trainer David Payne confidence ahead of this race, especially with Good to Soft ground expected again.
Second that day at Caulfield was Gold Trip, who is 12.00 to take gold rather than silver this time. Nine times in the first three from 15 races, he has only tasted victory once and will have to find form again quickly after a poor run in the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley a week on from the Caulfield.
Knight’s Order was third in the Caulfield Cup and will be Gold Trip’s bridesmaid again if the market is to be believed – currently at 13.00. Jockey Timothy Clark will be praying for more rain as the 7-year-old has recently fared better on heavier ground, including in the Chelmsford Stakes at Randwick.
Blake Shinn rides 2019 champion Vow And Declare (15.00) looking to become the first multiple winner since Makybe Diva’s hat-trick from 2003-2005. It’s almost 18 months since Realm of Flowers’ (13.00) last win but that was at Flemington and she has placed in her last two outings.
Lunar Flare (15.00) backed up a win at Flemington in the Group 3 Bart Cummings with a second place finish in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup while Emissary (17.00) comes into this as Geelong Cup champion. Smokin’ Romans (17.00) needs to bounce back after a disappointing Caulfield Cup.
The rest of the 23-horse field are between 19.00 and 67.00.
