Melbourne Cup favourite Fiorente has held onto top spot in the market order after putting in a tremendous run to finish third in the Group 1 $3m Sportingbet Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley today.
Fiorente holds onto favouritism for the Melbourne Cup. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
The Gai Waterhouse trained import has firmed slightly to be the $5 top pick after having a horrid run to go down by a length and a quarter behind three year old Shamus Award who lead all of the way to take out the Weight-For-Age Championship of Australasia.
Fiorente was brave in defeat after jockey Blake Shinn was caught three wide and was unable to get in any closer after jumping well from the outside gate of the fourteen horse field.
Waterhouse is looking for her first Melbourne Cup victory and Fiorente is on track after finishing second to Green Moon last year.
In other Melbourne Cup betting moves, one time favourite Puissance De Lune is out the gate after pulling up lame and as much as $26 is on offer after the grey was a beaten force today in finishing twelfth in the Cox Plate.
While Moonee Valley Cup winner Precedence is now a $51 chance after as much as $501 was on offer in early Melbourne Cup betting.
Precedence, currently number forty-five in the order of entry, could be Cups King Bart Cummings eighty-eighth runner in the Melbourne Cup if he receives a sufficient enough penalty for winning the Group 2 $250,000 Drake International Cup (2500m) (formerly the Moonee Valley Cup) at Moonee Valley today.
English stayers Dandino ($8) and Mount Athos ($10) are still high up in the market order while the Chris Waller trained Hawkpsur is still in the mix at $12 after a solid run when seventh to Fawkner in the Group 1 $2.5m BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m) at Caulfield on October 19.
Dandino showed that he is on track for the Melbourne Cup with a slashing Caulfield Cup second while all the reports have been positive for Mount Athos since the seven year old arrived in Australia.
