On Tuesday afternoon at 3:00pm (AEST) one of the greatest three minutes in sport lights up Flemington Racecourse and race favourite in 2015 Melbourne Cup betting Fame Game could start at an historical price in the two mile classic.

A full field of 24 stayers face off in Flemington Race 7 for this year’s edition of the $6.2 million Group 1 Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) including 11 internationally-trained raiders out to become the third visitor since 2010 to take out the ‘race that stops the nation’.

Last year the then German-trained Protectionist (2014) saluted at 7/1 going back-to-back for single figure hopes.

The Melbourne Cup results however haven’t been super kind to the punters’ picks over the past decade with just two saluting – Makybe Diva (7/2 in 2005) and Fiorente (6/1 in 2013).

In the past 10 years a host of double-figure outsiders have scored the upset including Viewed at $40 to hand the late great Bart Cummings his 12^th ‘Loving Trophy’.

Since then the longest-priced Melbourne Cup winner was Green Moon (20/1 in 2012) who handed owner Lloyd Williams his fifth win.

The hype surrounding this year’s Melbourne Cup favourite is huge, the Yoshitada Munakata-trained Heart’s Cry stallion out to emulate the only other Japanese-trained Melbourne Cup winner in history – Delta Blues (2006).

A winner up to 3400m back home, the six-year-old was second past the post behind a very good horse in Gold Ship when runner-up in the Group 1 Tenno Sho (3200m) before his trip down under.

On debut in Oz he ran in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) and, despite not getting clear galloping room until inside the final 150m, he smashed the late sectionals and crossed a brave sixth behind Mongolian Khan.

He is now one of just two single figure hopes in the Melbourne Cup odds at Ladbrokes.com.au, who are giving away over $75,000 in prizes with their ‘The Melbourne Cup Prize Draw’ with a first prize of a Ford 4X4 Ranger!

Fame Game was as short as $3.70 over the weekend after coming up with gate 12 in Saturday afternoon’s Melbourne Cup barrier draw, a gate that hasn’t produced a winner in over 30 years.

He has since eased out to $4, which remains a quote that could see Fame Game start as one of the shortest-priced Melbourne Cup favourites in recent history.

Back in 1975 Suleiman ran fourth to Think Big, who also won in 1974, as the beaten $3.75 (11/4) favourite.

Since then only four Melbourne Cup favourites have started under $4 in betting with:  Veandercross (9/4 – $3.25 – 1992) who ran second to Subzero, Makybe Diva ($3.60, 2004) who won her second of a record three Melbourne Cup victories, Master O’Reilly ($3.80, 2007) who was eighth to Efficient and So You Think ($3, 2010) who crossed third to the French-trained Americain.

In 2005 Makybe Diva was favourite again for her third win in the world’s richest handicap, saluting at $4.40 when she joined just four other favourites since 1993 to salute for the punters.

The others were Might And Power ($4.50 in 1997), Jezabeel ($7 in 1998) and most recently the Gai Waterhouse-trained Fiorente (2013) two years ago.

Fame Game has the Melbourne Cup betting history against him, but still ticks plenty of boxes so if you want to back him at the right price head to Ladbrokes.com.au where every unique Melbourne Cup bet you place puts in you the draw to win the Ranger, Boat and Bike!