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We are hours away from crowning the 164th champion in a wide-open edition of the Group 1 $8.56 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m), and below we take a look at the race day market movers ahead of Flemington Race 7 at 3:00pm (AEDT).
For some the 2024 Melbourne Cup field is lacking depth and it’s true, there has been a high attrition rate with some key early fancies ruled out.
No. 10 Athabascan (John O’Shea & Tom Charlton) was scratched from the 2024 Melbourne Cup field on Monday afternoon after being found to be suffering from cardiac arrhythmia in his mandatory final check by RV vets. Click here for the full story.
But what that means punters, is we have an open betting race!
This is a Melbourne Cup that literally any of the 24 horses in the mix could win without surprise.
Are we looking at an international champion with Vauban out to atone?
Can Buckaroo go the distance?
Is The Map ready to score an upset and send South Australia into absolute scenes?
Will we see another 100/1 roughie get up like Prince Of Penzance did in 2015?
There are storylines galore, and the punters are coming for a range of contenders.
So, let’s have a look where the money is at in Melbourne Cup betting today.
2024 Melbourne Cup Favourite
- No. 1 Vauban ($6.50 at time of publish) – BET NOW
It is a super tight betting battle between Vauban and Buckaroo with the former narrowly winning into $6.50 now to atone after jumping favourite only to run 14th when failing to fire in last year’s race.
Melbourne Cup Day 2023 was a blistering hot one and this horse didn’t handle the heat.
Cooler weather, a different and impressive lead-up campaign back in Europe, the confidence of Willie Mullins to bring him back, William Buick on, and into barrier 10?
Lots to like for those backing the favourite in the Melbourne Cup this year!
But be warned, the last Melbourne Cup favourite to salute for the punters was Fiorente ($7 in 2013) so it’s been some time!
2024 Melbourne Cup Market Mover
- No. 14 Zardozi ($12 at time of publish) – BET NOW
There’s been a big late move on the talented James Cummings-trained Zardozi to become the latest Melbourne Cup winning mare joining an elite list of female stayers.
Verry Elleegant (2021), rest her soul, was the latest and this four-year-old ticks a few boxes.
She has been backed in from $17 to $12 to salute for the Royal Blue and gets a dream run from barrier three (in from four).
A VRC Oaks winner as a filly at this track, she is one of the better untested hopes to see out the two miles.
Carries 51kg and has Italian hoop Andrea Atzeni in the saddle.
It has been a while between drinks with her latest win being a Group 2 back in March but the lead-up runs are strong including a The Metrop second, Caulfield Cup fourth, and fifth in last weekend’s Empire Rose when dropped back to 1600m.
Big ask to go from a mile to two miles but she’s Cummings-trained and had a traditional Cummings’ prep.
2024 Melbourne Cup Best Backed
- No. 6 Sharp ‘N’ Smart ($41 at time of publish) – BET NOW
Still at a big price but this Kiwi galloper has been one of the best backed Melbourne Cup horses in 2024.
Graeme & Deborah Rogerson’s Redwood five-year-old is drawn midfield for Michael Dee with 53.5kg. He’s a Group 1 winner, VRC Derby placegetter, NZ Derby champ, and caught the eye with a Moonee Valley Gold Cup third at weight-for-age last time out.
Top six wouldn’t surprise.
2024 Melbourne Cup Triple-Figure Roughies
- No. 11 Knight’s Choice ($151 at time of publish) – BET NOW
- No. 16 Valiant King ($101 at time of publish) – BET NOW
- No. 19 Manzoice ($151 at time of publish) – BET NOW
There’s always interest in the longest priced horses in Melbourne Cup betting each year with punters hoping to clean up like those who backed Prince Of Penzance did at 100/1 in 2015!
Money is For
- No. 3 Circle Of Fire ($34 into $23)
- No. 12 Okita Soushi ($21 into $14)
- No. 20 Mostly Cloudy ($101 into $71)
- No. 21 Positivity ($101 into $61)
- No. 22 Saint George ($31 into $23)
- No. 24 Trust In You ($101 into $71)
Money is Against
- No. 2 Buckaroo ($5.50 out to $7)
- No. 4 Warp Speed ($26 out to $31)
- No. 7 Just Fine ($34 out to $51)
- No. 15 Sea King ($9 out to $14)
- No. 18 Interpretation ($15 out to $18)
- No. 23 The Map ($41 out to $61)
| 11. Knight's Choice (5) J: Robbie Dolan51.5kg x9005T: J G Symons & S Laxon | ||
| 4. Warp Speed (2) J: Akira Sugawara54.5kg 325x0T: N Takagi | ||
| 12. Okita Soushi (9) J: Jamie Kah51kg x8021T: Ciaron Maher | ||
| 14. Zardozi (3) J: Andrea Atzeni51kg 65245T: James Cummings | ||
| 9. Absurde (6) J: Kerrin McEvoy52.5kg 1x41xT: Willie Mullins | ||
| 3. Circle Of Fire (23) J: Mark Zahra54.5kg 1x890T: Ciaron Maher | ||
| 17. Fancy Man (18) J: Ron Stewart50kg 0x536T: Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald | ||
| 8. Land Legend (17) J: Zac Purton53kg x0613T: Chris Waller | ||
| 2. Buckaroo (20) J: Joao Moreira54.5kg 81122T: Chris Waller | ||
| 5. Kovalica (16) J: Damian Lane53.5kg x3426T: Chris Waller | ||
| 1. Vauban (10) J: William Buick55.5kg 24312T: Willie Mullins | ||
| 13. Onesmoothoperator (11) J: Craig Williams51kg 21741T: Brian Ellison | ||
| 16. Valiant King (21) J: Craig Newitt50.5kg 6x009T: Chris Waller | ||
| 15. Sea King (1) J: Hollie Doyle50.5kg 136x1T: Harry Eustace | ||
| 18. Interpretation (13) J: Teodore Nugent50kg 00862T: Ciaron Maher | ||
| 6. Sharp 'N' Smart (14) J: Michael Dee53.5kg x0203T: Graeme & Debbie Rogerson | ||
| 24. Trust In You (4) J: Mark Du Plessis50kg 63044T: Bruce Wallace & Grant Cooksley | ||
| 20. Mostly Cloudy (15) J: Karis Teetan50kg 2x440T: Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | ||
| 19. Manzoice (7) J: Declan Bates50kg x2307T: Chris Waller | ||
| 21. Positivity (19) J: Winona Costin50kg x2178T: Andrew Forsman | ||
| 23. The Map (22) J: Rachel King50kg x9056T: Dan Clarken & Oopy MacGillivray | ||
| 22. Saint George (8) J: Tyler Schiller50kg x8495T: Ciaron Maher | ||
| 7. Just Fine (12) J: Jye McNeil53kg 05010T: G Waterhouse & A Bott |
WHAT ARE YOU REALLY GAMBLING WITH?
For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.
