The Joseph O’Brien trained Twilight Payment continues to firm in Melbourne Cup betting as punters have backed the Irish international from $91.00 into $41.00 ahead of the $8 million race through Ladbrokes.com.au.

The seven-year-old will step out at Flemington for the first time today after an eye-catching run in the Group 1 Irish St Leger (2816m) at The Curragh back in September.

Jockey Hugh Bowman will take his first ride aboard O’Brien’s horse hoping to claim his first Melbourne Cup win, but the champion hoop can’t work out why his ride is going around at such long odds.

Jockey Hugh Bowman finished second in last year’s Melbourne Cup aboard Marmelo. Photo Credit: Steve Hart.

“His form is all around the European horses that are in the market so why he is as long as he is I can’t quite understand,” Bowman told Racenet.

Twilight Payment won back-to-back starts last prep in Ireland’s Listed Levmoss Stakes at Leopardstown and the Group 2 Curragh Cup. The veteran warhorse has also raced over the 3200m three times in the past placing twice and winning once in 2016.

“I haven’t spoke much to the connections and am expecting a call from the main owner, Mr Lloyd Williams, this afternoon and I am sure he will be very informative on how he thinks the horse will go” Bowman went on to say.

“I am sure he will be more confident. I see no reason why he can’t finish in the first five or six.”

O’Brien has a host of chances in the Cup including Latrobe, Downdraft and Master Of Reality.

Of the four though, Twilight Payment looks the one to go forward and sit up on the pace, even if barrier 19 poses a few challenges.

“He is a go forward horse. I am not too concerned about the draw. In fact I think it is a good draw,” Bowman said.

Latrobe is a $21.00 chance in the Melbourne Cup betting market at Ladbrokes.com.au. Downdraft can be had on the third line of betting at $21.00 alongside Master Of Realtiy at $26.00.

Complete 2019 Melbourne Cup odds  courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au can be viewed by clicking here.