The highly anticipated 2010 Caulfield Cup will take place as the headline event at Caulfield this Saturday and the current betting markets are dominated by Shocking following yesterday’s 2010 Caulfield Cup Barrier Draw.

The Mark Kavanagh-trained Shocking is the $6 favourite to win the $2.5 million Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) at [sportsbet].

The reining Melbourne Cup winner is attempting the coveted Caulfield Cup – Melbourne Cup double this spring carnival, but can he win the first leg on Saturday against a top class field of stayers?

Last year the Bart Cummings-trained Viewed won the Caulfield Cup after taking out the Melbourne Cup in 2008, the first horse since Rising Fast in 1955 to do so.

Before Viewed, Melbourne Cup champions had a very poor record of coming back the next spring and performing in the Caulfield Cup.

But Viewed showed it can be done and Street Cry five-year-old Shocking is out to repeat it.

Why Shocking Can Win the 2010 Caulfield Cup

• Has been consistently good this spring improving on his first-up seventh in the JJ Liston Stakes by winning the Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington before an unlucky fifth to So You Think in the Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield
• Returned to form with a close second to Zipping in the Turnbull Stakes (2000m) a fortnight ago, his only defeat at Flemington
• In recent years three Caulfield Cup winners has come via the JJ Liston – Makybe Diva – Underwood – Turnbull Stakes path as Shocking has most recently Mummify (2003)
• Last year Viewed ran in the Underwood – Turnbull and then won the Caulfield Cup
• Has been allocated the top-weight of 57kg for the Caulfield Cup, which has some punters sceptical in the Slow/Heavy track conditions expected for Saturday, but Shocking carried 59kg to victory in the Makybe Diva on a Heavy track without worry
• In the past 11 years three Caulfield Cup top-weights have claimed victory with Sky Heights (1999), Northerly (2002) and Viewed (2009)
• Shocking drew barrier 12 but moves into 9 if the emergencies don’t gain a start, which will be ideal as he is not too wide and will also avoid the choppy conditions closer to the rail
• His biggest danger, Metal Bender, is yet to win over a distance greater than 2020m

There are a number of other horses with claims in the Caulfield Cup field this year including the Gai Waterhouse-trained Herculian Prince.

Paying $7.50 at [sportsbet], Herculian Prince has drawn ideally with barrier six and is set to carry just 53.5kg making him a great light-weight chance.

Five-year-old Herculian Prince is coming off a last start win in the Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m) at Randwick and punters will find it interesting to note that eight of the past 12 Caulfield Cup winners won the The Metropolitan Handicap last-start before their Caulfield Cup victories.

Likely to be at the front and setting the pace, Herculian Prince is an ideal Each Way chance at good odds through [sportsbet].

To get behind Shocking in the 2010 Caulfield Cup, or to check out the full markets for the other runners, sign up with [sportsbet] today and ensure you have access to the best prices on offer!