The opening leg of the coveted Spring Cups double takes place today in Victoria, but what horses in the Caulfield Cup 2017 field are livewire chances to get behind in the Melbourne Cup odds for the first Tuesday of November?

Amelie’s Star is well-supported to do the Caulfield Cup – Melbourne Cup 2017 double. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

Caulfield Race 8 this afternoon features 17 stayers doing battle in the Group 1 $3.15 million BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m), the key traditional lead-up into the ‘race that stops a nation’.

Flemington Race 7 on November 7 pits the world’s best two milers against each other in the Group 1 $6.2 million Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m).

The Caulfield Cup winner also earns an automatic entry and ballot exemption in the capacity 24-starter Melbourne Cup field.

Tipping a galloper to complete the Caulfield Cup – Melbourne Cup double is a popular betting option for spring punters, so can a horse do the double in 2017?

To date 11 star horses have won the Cups double saluting in both the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup results in the same year:

• Poseidon (1906)
• The Trump (1937)
• Rivette (1939)
• Rising Fast (1954)
• Even Stevens (1962)
• Galilee (1966)
• Gurner’s Lane (1982)
• Let’s Elope (1991)
• Doriemus (1995)
• Might and Power (1997)
• Ethereal (2001)

The latest Cups Double winner was the Kiwi mare Ethereal (2001) and this year there are four mares in the Caulfield Cup field that could look to emulate her feat:

• Single Gaze
• Bonneval
• Abbey Marie
• Amelie’s Star

Amelie’s Star is already assured of a Melbourne Cup run sitting top of the ballot after the Darren Weir-trained daughter of Testa Rossa won the Group 3 The Bart Cummings (2500m) at Flemington on October 7.

She is at easing Caulfield Cup odds of $10 to win this afternoon from barrier 13 with Craig Williams aboard and is also the shortest priced Caulfield Cup horse in futures Melbourne Cup betting paying $11 for the latter.

One-time Caulfield Cup favourite Bonneval meanwhile is the shortest-priced mare in the mix this afternoon back into $7 after the New Zealander was cleared to run throughout the week.

The Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman-trained Makfi four-year-old is out to atone for the luckless Group 1 Ladbrokes Classic (2000m) run last Saturday and is rated a $17 chance in Melbourne Cup markets.

Following Amelie’s Star the other best Caulfield Cup horses tipped to win the Melbourne Cup are international raiders Marmelo ($13) and Johannes Vermeer ($13).

The Hughie Morrison-trained Marmelo is one of the Races.com.au team’s Caulfield Cup 2017 Tipping Best Roughies to back at $16 to salute first-up in Australia today.

Hugh Bowman of Winx fame rides the Hughie Morrison-trained Duke Of Marmalade stallion who was last seen winning the Group 2 Prix Kergorlay (3000m) in France.

The Aidan O’Brien-trained Johannes Vermeer meanwhile is favourite in Caulfield Cup 2017 betting on the drift at $4.80 to salute second-up after flashing home late to finish runner-up to Gailo Chop in the Ladbrokes Stakes seven days ago.

The Caulfield Cup has also produced a number of recent Melbourne Cup placegetters including Alcopop (2012) who was runner-up behind French raider Dunaden in the former before his third in that season’s Melbourne Cup trifecta led by Green Moon.

The Lloyd Williams-owned Green Moon had run second in the previous year’s Caulfield Cup behind the winning mare from Adelaide Southern Speed (2011).

Check out the latest Caulfield Cup 2017 odds for this afternoon at Ladbrokes.com.au as well as the top Melbourne Cup futures markets on the possible Spring Cups double winner!