Maluckyday is set to resume racing in the 2011 Futurity Stakes

Pre-post favourite in the 2011 Melbourne Cup betting odds, Maluckyday is expected to resume racing this Saturday at Caulfield’s Blue Diamond Stakes Day in the $500,000 Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m).

The Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes-trained Zabeel four-year-old Maluckyday is at the top of the futures odds for the 2011 Melbourne Cup, the Victorian Spring Carnival showpiece set to run at Flemington on Tuesday, November 1.

Last season Maluckyday scored a tidy 1 ¾ length victory over Linton in the Group 3 The Lexus Stakes (2500m) at Flemington on Derby Day earning a spot in the $6 million Melbourne Cup field.

Going out as second favourite in the Melbourne Cup betting markets behind short-priced favourite So You Think, Maluckyday lived up to the hype and went on to place a gallant second behind Melbourne Cup winner Americain on a bog Flemington track.

Spelled after their Melbourne Cup start, Maluckyday is now tipped to return to the track in the 2011 Futurity Stakes on Saturday.

Maluckyday was one of 14 horses nominated for the Futurity Stakes this year, other notable entries including weight-for-age champion and Cox Plate placegetter Whobegotyou and Gai Waterhouse’s glamour mare More Joyous.

After extending her impressive career record to 11 wins from 15 starts last Saturday with an emphatic victory in the Group 2 Breeders Classic (1200m) at Randwick, More Joyous is likely to start the favourite in the Futurity Stakes odds at Luxbet.

Maluckyday is sure to have his supporters as well with his smart first-up record.

Although the shortened 1400m distance of the Futurity this year, cut from 1600m, may not suit genuine stayer Maluckyday.

The four-year-old did, however, win first-up over the distance at Hawkesbury last August which was Maluckyday’s sole 1400m run from his nine career starts.

Connections have a light autumn campaign planned for Melbourne Cup favourite Maluckyday with the main goal being the $2.5 million Group 1 The BMW (2400m) at Rosehill on Golden Slipper Day, April 2.

Leading online bookmaker Luxbet currently has Maluckyday as the $6.50 favourite in their 2011 The BMW odds.

Early markets for the Melbourne Cup 2011 have Maluckyday as the shortest-priced entry also.

It’s not too early to prepare for this year’s Melbourne Cup Carnival so join Luxbet now and when futures Melbourne Cup betting opens you have an account open and ready to go!

Photo courtesy (c) Taron Clarke Photography