Ibicenco’s 2013 Melbourne Cup odds shortened dramatically at the annual Call Of The Card today as the countdown continues towards the world’s most famous handicap at Flemington on Tuesday.
Ibicenco, white sleeves, white cap, gets the better of Verdant, blue, in winning the Geelong Cup. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
The Peter Moody trained Ibicenco was the focus of a string a bets that saw his price tumble from $101 in to $61 for the Group 1 $6m Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) while several other runners also came in for some solid support.
Ibiceno scraped into the final field of twenty-four runners but has been given some hope by loyal followers after winning the Group 3 $300,000 Sportingbet Geelong Cup (2400m) at Geelong on October 23.
The Geelong Cup has become a fairly good guide leading up to the Melbourne Cup with past winners Media Puzzle, 2002, Americain, 2010 and Dunaden, 2011, all going on to win the Geelong Cup – Melbourne Cup double.
Moody is confident Ibicenco will be competitive in the Melbourne Cup with the 3200m not an issue with the imported stallion who won the Listed $150,000 Sportingbet Sandown Cup over 3200m at Sandown at the end of the Spring Carnival last year.
“One thing about him is you know he’ll run two miles so that puts him in the first ten because you know fourteen of them won’t stay,” Moody said.
Ladbrokes.com.au Bookmaker Operations Director Jason Scott said that as well as winding in Ibicenco’s odds from $101 to $61, there was also some money for one of the other roughies as a result of the Call Of The Card with Ruscello also coming in for some support.
“We had a $10,00o bet on Ruscello at $61, but I am happy to leave him at that price and we also took a bet of $8,000 on Hawkspur at $21 pushing his price into $16 before it rolled out a point to $17,” Scott said.
Melbourne Cup favourite Fiorente also came in for some solid support at the Call Of The Card with his price fluctuating between $7 and $7.50 but still remaining on the top of the market order.
“Fiorente’s price has moved in and out over the course of the day and after sitting on $7.50 early is in again to $7,” Scott added.
While Hawkspur is the shortest of Chris Waller’s two Melbourne Cup runners, the leading Sydney trainer said that Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes winner Foreteller was his pick of the two with several punters following his advice and snapping up the $31 on offer.
