Last start Caulfield winning stayer Our Century is hot favourite in Bendigo Cup 2016 betting to score another mile and a half victory in Wednesday’s lucrative Victorian feature.

Due to run as Race 8 at 4:00pm (AEDT), this year’s $300,000 Group 3 Jayco Bendigo Cup (2400m) features a final field of just nine hopefuls.

Four of those sit under $10 in the latest Bendigo Cup odds at Ladbrokes.com.au including firming favourite Our Century ($2.40) for Robert Hickmott and Team Williams.

The imported Montjeu six-year-old has had two runs in Australia following over two years on the sidelines.

His last run overseas saw him run second to Hartnell in the Listed Queen’s Vase (3219m) over the two miles during England’s Royal Ascot Carnival back in 2014.

Hartnell is raced by Godolphin, now trained in Australia by John O’Shea, and after a Cox Plate second to world No. 1 Winx in the Cox Plate last Saturday is early favourite to win the 2016 Melbourne Cup Tuesday week.

Our Century meanwhile was last seen winning a Benchmark 64 over 2400m at Caulfield on October 12 at just his second run down under.

He carted 59.5kg to victory that day from barrier 10 of 11 and will relish the drop back to 55kg in the Bendigo Cup with jockey Katelyn Mallyon retaining the ride.

Second favourite in the Bendigo Cup odds at $4 is the 58kg top weight Howard Be Thy Name jumping from barrier three with John Allen coming aboard the Darren Weir-trained Group 1 winner.

As a three-year-old in Adelaide in mid-May the son of Redoute’s Choice won the Group 1 SA Derby (2500m).

Howard Be Thy Name hasn’t won again since, the four-year-old stallion looking to improve on a last start fifth behind Assign in the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) on October 8.

Rounding out the single-figure hopes to take out this year’s Bendigo Cup are Second Bullet ($5.50) and Francis Of Assisi ($7) jumping from barriers seven and six respectively.

Danny O’Brien prepares Encosta De Lago six-year-old Second Bullet who is out to break a notable winning drought going back to January.

He was out of the money well-beaten in his two latest starts including finishing last (12^th) to Hartnell in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 2.

The extra meters and easier class of this race sees him finish closer.

Francis Of Assisi lines-up in Australia for the first time, the Charlie Appleby-trained English raider to be ridden by Kerrin McEvoy on the 55kg minimum.

The Danehill Dancer seven-year-old is more than capable of beating this field if he can return to his best form.

His latest start was a credible sixth at Goodwood back in late July in the Summer Stakes (2816m) carrying 61kg.

He is better weighted on Wednesday and goes well fresh with a strong first-up record (9-3-1-0).

The rails-run meanwhile belongs to Ferro Nero ($12) who shapes up as the value in this year’s Bendigo Cup betting markets.

Flemington’s Nigel Blackiston trains the Savabeel five-year-old who comes off a 2000m win at Caulfield carrying more weight, and just needs to see out the extra meters to be competitive here.

See below for the latest Bendigo Cup 2016 odds, betting open now at Ladbrokes.com.au – home of Enhanced Odds (T&Cs applhy).

2016 Bendigo Cup Odds