Without the strong international contingent of recent years making a raid on Tuesday’s Group 1 $8 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m), the chances of the reigning champion Twilight Payment from the Irish stables of recent Cox Plate winning horseman Joseph O’Brien look strong.

Twilight Payment defends his title in the ‘race that stops a nation’ looking to be the oldest Melbourne Cup winner in history. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

The evergreen veteran was unplaced in the famous two-mile classic back in 2019 before returning in 2020 to catch out the bookies, the Teofilo gelding defeating fellow raiders Tiger Moth (2^nd) and Prince Of Arran (3^rd) at 25/1.

He is being kept much shorter in Melbourne Cup odds at Ladbrokes.com.au this year into third favouritism behind Incentivise and Spanish Mission but will cart this year’s 58kg top weight.

So, can Twilight Payment score back-to-back Melbourne Cup wins or will three-time hero Makybe Diva (2003-05) remain the latest multiple champion in recent history?

2021 Melbourne Cup Horse Form: #1 Twilight Payment  

Barrier: 2

Weight: 58kg

Jockey: Jye McNeil

Trainer: Jospeh O’Brien

Owner/s: Mr N C Williams, Mr L J Williams, Mrs S J Williams, Mr A L Green, Mrs B A Green, Mr B N Singer, Jacobsen Bloodstock Pty Ltd, Rockingham Thoroughbreds, Mr P Mehrten, Mr M E Ruff, Mr G T Ryan, Mr C L Marks, Mr M D Wizel, Mr M S Gudinski, Mr V J Sammartino, Mr J S Bolger

Age: 5yo

Gender: Gelding

Breeding: by TEOFILO (IRE) from DREAM ON BUDDY (IRE)

Career: 36:9-11-8

Win: 25%

Place: 77.78%

Last 10: 1131×33912

Prize Money: $5,682,805

Track: 2:1-0-0

Distance: 5:2-1-1

Current 2021 Melbourne Cup Odds*: $12

Why Twilight Payment Can Go Back-to-Back in the Melbourne Cup 2021

• There is not the same strong international presence this year making him a huge chance if you like the European form-lines
• His two most recent lead-up runs have been good at The Curragh winning the Irish St Leger trial with 62kg before a close second with the big weight behind Sonnyboyliston in the Group 1 Irish St Leger (2816m)
• He races in a Melbourne Cup field for the third time so is knows what Flemington is all about
• Jye McNeil retains the ride and has a good association with the horse having ridden him to victory last year
• Is one of the more genuine two-mile horses in the field
• His trainer Joseph O’Brien has won two Melbourne Cups having also prepared Rekindling (2017) as well as this year’s Cox Plate with State Of Rest
• Owned by Lloyd Williams who boasts an incredible seven Melbourne Cup trophies to date

Why Twilight Payment Won’t Become a Two-Time Melbourne Cup Winner

• Makybe Diva (2003-05) was the last multiple Melbourne Cup winner
• Barrier 2 may look good on paper but history shows you want to be drawn a little wider out in such a big field at Flemington
• He carries the 58kg top-weight; no Melbourne Cup winner has carried more than 56.5kg to victory since Makybe Diva (58kg) for her third
• He dons the No. 1 saddlecloth and only one horse in the last 66 years (Makybe Diva, 2005) has carried that to victory in a Melbourne Cup
• As a European eight-year-old Twilight Payment races in Australia as a nine-year-old; no nine-year-old has won the Melbourne Cup
• His win rate is only 25% but could place (77.78%) with a consistent record finishing in the money

Think Twilight Payment can make history with an upset win over Incentivise in the Melbourne Cup 2021 results? Head to Ladbrokes.com.au now for all the to odds on the famous race.

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