The 2014 Melbourne Cup odds of Amralah have shortened dramatically in the past 24 hours, but the imported galloper still needs to finish in the placings in the Mackinnon Stakes at Flemington this afternoon to earn a place in the Melbourne Cup field.
Chad Schofield has been booked to ride Amralah in the 2014 Mackinnon Stakes. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Amralah has been allocated 54 and a half kilograms by Racing Victoria Chief Handicapper Greg Carpenter, but the Teofilo entire has not passed all the entry conditions for the Melbourne Cup and needs to finish in the placings in the Mackinnon Stakes in order to satisfy the entry requirements.
The Lloyd Williams-owned galloper will be making his Australian racing debut in the Mackinnon Stakes, but the four-year-old is taking strong form into the race after performing strongly in his five starts in Europe during the 2014 Northern Hemisphere racing season.
Amralah returned to racing with a third place finish behind Mighty Yar and Miss Marjurie in the QIPCO Supporting British Racing Stakes (2414m) at Newmarket on May 4 and failed to fire in the Jorvik Handicap (2414m) at York on May 16 before he returned to a semblance of his best form with a second place finish in the Listed Ambant Gala Stakes (2018m) at Sandown Park on July 4.
The talented entire defeated a strong field, which included three-time Group 1 winner Al Kazeem, in the Listed Doom Bar Stakes (2017m) at Newbury on July 19 and he made it two wins on the tort with an impressive performance in the Group 3 Lancaster Stakes (2098m) at Haydock Park on August 9.
Amralah relegated the talented Hillstar into second place in the Lancaster Stakes and the four-year-old has gone on to win the Group 3 Dubai Duty Free Legacy Cup (2217m) at Newbury on September 20 and the Group 1 Canadian International Stakes (2413m) at Woodbine on October 19.
While Amralah is still far from assured of a start in the Melbourne Cup, he has been the best backed runner in the past 24 hours and is now into a quote of $26 after being available at $61 earlier in the week.
The Mackinnon Stakes odds of Amralah have also been slashed and he is into a quote of $8.50 after opening at $13 when the Mackinnon Stakes field was released earlier in the week.
Amralah ($26) is rated the best of the Lloyd Williams-owned chances in the Melbourne Cup betting market with Ladbrokes Australia; with Sea Moon available at the lengthy Melbourne Cup odds of $101.
