Admire Rakti is currently available at 2014 Melbourne Cup odds of $4.80 and he remains a clear favourite to become the first horse since Ethereal in 2001 to complete the Caulfield Cup/Melbourne Cup double.
Admire Rakti has been well-backed in 2014 Melbourne Cup betting markets. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Admire Rakti was backed into Melbourne Cup favouritism following his impressive victory in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 18 and the Heart’s Cry entire has remained steady at a quote just under $5 in the last week.
The six-year-old has not done any testing work since his Caulfield Cup victory, but completed a light canter at Werribee this morning and onlookers reported that the Japanese stayer looks in fantastic order.
Lucia Valentina is currently on the second line of 2014 Melbourne Cup betting markets after she finished an unlucky third behind Admire Rakti in the Caulfield Cup and she is now available at a quote of $7 to take out the Melbourne Cup.
Trainer Kris Lees took Lucia Valentina to Sandown for a testing trackwork gallop on Tuesday morning and the Newcastle-based trainer said that he was delighted with the condition of the Savabeel mare heading into the Melbourne Cup next Tuesday.
“She is a pretty good track worker when we let her and she is pretty much up to the mark,” Lees told Racing Ahead yesterday.
“She seems to be coping with all the racing and the extra workload.
“All the indications are that she has come through it well, you never know until you send them back to the races, but she ate well in the stable, she is the same weight as what she raced at and all the indications are there.
“It all comes down to whether she can run two miles.”
German stayer Protectionist had his Melbourne Cup odds slashed when he worked home strongly to finish fourth behind Big Memory in the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) at Caulfield on October 11 and he is now available at $7.50 to record a maiden win at Group 1 level.
Protectionist completed a strong piece of work at Werribee this morning and connections believe that the Prix Kergorlay winner could not be in any better shape ahead of the Melbourne Cup.
Fawkner worked home strongly to finish sixth in the Melbourne Cup last year and he is available at a quote of $8.50 to deliver Lloyd Williams his fifth win in the race after previously being successful with Just A Dash (1981), What A Nuisance (1985), Efficient (2007) and Green Moon (2012).
The Reset gelding was narrowly denied victory by Adelaide in the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday and he is set to be the only horse coming out of the Australasian Weight-For-Age Championship to back-up in the Melbourne Cup.
Mutual Regard has remained steady in Melbourne Cup betting at a quote of $10, while the odds of Darren Weir-trained Signoff ($17), imported stayer Araldo ($19) and two-time Melbourne Cup runner-up Red Cadeaux ($19) have all shortened in the past 48 hours.
