He’s risen through the staying ranks like no other and on Tuesday Incentivise will line-up as the shortest-priced Melbourne Cup favourite since the heart-of-gold Phar Lap way back in 1930.

Incentivise is the clear cut favourite in 2021 Melbourne Cup betting this spring. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

The whole of Queensland, the horse being Toowoomba-bred and owned, will be behind the Sunshine State expat who is now with Peter Moody of Black Caviar fame in this year’s Group 1 $8 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m).

After putting his hand up for a shot at the 161^st edition of the ‘race that stops a nation’ during the winter winning Brisbane’s Group 3 Tatt’s Cup by 12 lengths, this son of Shamus Award has been nothing but brilliant since.

He’s had one of the smoothest Melbourne Cup lead-ups of any horse and took his winning streak to eight on the trot winning the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) in bullish fashion last time out.

So, can he continue the fairy-tale and become the 12^th horse in history to win the Caulfield Cup – Melbourne Cup double?

2021 Melbourne Cup Horse Form: #2 Incentivise

Barrier: 16

Weight: 57kg

Jockey: Brett Prebble

Trainer: Peter Moody

Owner/s: Windemere Stud Pty Ltd, Yes Bloodstock, Mr A Kheir, Mr P J Lawrence, Mr S B McEwan, Mr K Knight, Mr V G Corry, Mr J A O’neill, Mr V Kheir, Splinter Syndicate

Age: 5yo

Gender: Gelding

Breeding: by SHAMUS AWARD from MISS ARGYLE

Career: 12-9:0-0

Win: 75%

Place: 75%

Last 10: 111111×111

Prize Money: $4,643,300

Track: 2:2-0-0

Distance: 0:0-0-0

Current 2021 Melbourne Cup Odds*: $2.50

Why Incentivise Can Salute as the 2021 Melbourne Cup Favourite

• His lead-up has been flawless with this race always on his spring agenda
• Comes off eight straight wins including three Group 1s in Melbourne this campaign
• Was a 12-length winner over 2400m in the winter and dominated the Caulfield Cup results by 3.5 lengths suggesting he will easily see out the two-miles on Tuesday
• Jockey Brett Prebble is absolutely airborne in Victoria this season and knows the horse so well
• Has amassed over $4.6 million in prize money and looks to still have improvement
• Proven at HQ with a perfect two-from-two Flemington record having won the Makybe Diva – Turnbull Stakes double this campaign
• Versatile on all going having won four-from-seven on Good tracks and five-from-five on Soft courses
• Is the right age with five-year-olds having won 44 editions of the Cup second only to four-year-olds (46)
• Barrier 16 on paper may seem wide, but it looks ideal for the horse according to the stable after he won the Caulfield Cup from gate 18
• His win/place record of 75% is outstanding

Why Incentivise Will Be Another Beaten Melbourne Cup Favourite in 2021

• He carries 57kg having been penalised 1.5kg for his Caulfield Cup win and no Melbourne Cup winner has carried more than 56.5kg to victory since Makybe Diva (58kg) for her third in 2005
• The “picket fence” has to break sometime, could he feel the pressure here and end the winning streak?
• Just 11 horses have done the Spring Cups double in the same year and none since Ethereal (2001)
• Since Makybe Diva (2005) just one Melbourne Cup favourite (Fiorente, $7 in 2013) has won the Melbourne Cup

Happy to take the short Melbourne Cup odds on offer for Incentivise and think he’s the horse to beat? Head to Ladbrokes.com.au now and lock in your Cup selections at the right price!

*Note: 2021 Melbourne Cup odds are correct at time of publish, provided by Ladbrokes.com.au and subject to change without notice.