Touted as a year Australia’s headline Thoroughbred horse race will be dominated by the overseas contingent, several leading international chances have surprisingly drifted in Melbourne Cup betting markets for success at Flemington on Tuesday afternoon.
Admire Rakti has drifted in 2014 Melbourne Cup betting markets. Photo: Race Horse Photos Australia
Storming into favouritism after comfortably carrying the top weight of 58kgs to victory in the featured Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) last time out on October 18th, Japanese raider Admire Rakti is interestingly yet to receive much more than a sprinkling of wagers in final Melbourne Cup betting markets and has drifted from opening odds of $4.80 to currently rest at a quote of $5.50.
Claiming seven wins and eleven minor places over his 27 start career so far, Admire Rakti more than stamped his claims as a serious Melbourne Cup contender when finishing second to leading stayer Gold Ship in the Group 2 Hanshin Daishoten Stakes (3000m) first-up this year.
Confirmed to be partnered by Caulfield Cup jockey Zac Purton, the Heart’s Cry entire will leave from the ideal barrier 8 and will be required to carry a race-high 58.kgs in the Melbourne Cup.
Failing to fire when fifteenth in the Caufield Cup in his Australian racing debut, German stayer Seismos continues to drift noticeably in Melbourne Cup betting markets; cutting out from odds of $34 to a quote of $41 before finally resting at a particularly generous sum of $51 for success.
A proven performer on tracks of all integrities in all corner of the globe, the Dalakhani gelding finished fifth in the Group 3 Henry VII Stakes (3270m) in Britain on May 29th and fourth in the Group 2 Prix Nieuil (2800m) at Longchamp on July 13th before returning to the winner’s circle ahead of a classy field that included the likes of two-time Melbourne Cup runner up Red Cadeaux in the Group 3 Geoffrey Freer Stakes (2700m) in his only other start prior to the Caulfield Cup.
While far-less severe than that of his German counterpart, punters seem to believe the a maiden Melbourne Cup crown will not materialise for Godolphin in 2014 as veteran runner Cavalryman has slipped from a quote of $21 to currently register at $26 Melbourne Cup odds.
No stranger to the Victoria way of going having finished 12th in the 2012 edition of the Race That Stops a Nation, Cavalryman has returned to racing in exceptional form this year, peaking with back-to-back victories in the Group 2 Princess Of Wales’s Stakes (2400m) and Group 2 Goodwood Cup (3200m) before running fourth in the Group 2 Lonsdale Cup (3300m) last time out.
Trainer Saeed Bin Suroor has been understandably thrilled with the form and class displayed by the Halling stallion this year and is confident Godolphin is offered their best chance to date of breaking the Melbourne Cup hoodoo.
Classy British mare My Ambivalent has also drifted to odds of $51 in Melbourne Cup betting markets, while Royal Diamond has blown out to particularly generous odds of $61 with Ladbrokes Australia.
