The question on everyone’s lips this Melbourne Cup Day is of course which horse will be the Melbourne Cup winner in 2013 and whether it will be the race favourite Fiorente.

The Gai Waterhouse-trained import is one of two in the race for Sydney’s leading lady of racing who is after her maiden win in the $6.2 million Group 1 Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m).

Waterhouse has come close in a number of previous editions of the ‘race that stops a nation’ having prepared three Melbourne Cup runners-up with Te Akau Nick (1993) behind Irish raider Vintage Crop, Nothin’ Leica Dane (1995) beaten by the Lee Freedman-trained Doriemus and Fiorente last year who was second to Green Moon.

A Monsun stallion formerly prepared in England by Sir Michael Stoute, Fiorente attempted to defy the poor record of internationals racing in a Melbourne Cup without a previous start down under when debuting in the famous handicap last Cup Carnival

They went out as a 30-1 chance and surprised many when only a length separated them and the Lloyd Williams-owned winner.

Now after a year’s worth of racing in Australia, including their brave last start third to Shamus Award in the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m), Fiorente is back for another shot at the title.

While they are the only runner currently under double figures in the Melbourne Cup betting markets, Fiorente has a number of hoodoos to overcome.

Melbourne Cup Hoodoos Against The Favourite

• Only two horses since 1989 have run in a previous year’s Melbourne Cup to return and win 12 months later with: Tawriffic (12^th in 1998, won in 1989) and Brew (10^th in 1999, won in 2000)
• Jumping the punters’ pick has been an historical disadvantage in the Melbourne Cup with the last to win being Makybe Diva (2004 and 2005), the only to do so in the past 15 years
• While the Cox Plate has produced three Melbourne Cup winners since 2005 when Makybe Diva completed the double, no horse since Gurners Lane (1982) ran top three (without winning) in the weight-for-age classic

The bookies are not deterred by the historical facts and stats working against Fiorente however and still have her as the firm $7 favourite to win.

The next best in betting is Mount Athos, Luca Cumani’s international raider who ran fifth last year out to $10 in the latest Melbourne Cup odds.

Still think Fiorente can get the job done and win the Melbourne Cup for the punters this spring?

Head to Ladbrokes.com.au and back her at the best price down under to back the favourite at double their fixed win price meaning you’ll lock her in now at $14, guaranteed best price this Melbourne Cup!