Confirmed to line up for his fourth tilt at the country’s headline race this afternoon, the 2014 Melbourne Cup odds of Precedence have firmed noticeably overnight as punters rally around legendary trainer Bart Cummings’ attempt at a baker’s dozen of wins in the Race That Stops a Nation.
Precedence will contest his fourth Melbourne Cup at Flemington this afternoon. Photo: Race Horse Photos Australia
Debuting to racing for fifth in a minor event over 1250m in September 2008, Precedence has secured notable results in each of his results race campaigns but is yet to finish much better than mid-field over his three Melbourne Cup attempts so far.
Announcing his racing rival over a strong and consistent run through the 2009 Autumn Carnival, Precedence steadily built to the task in finishing fourth in a minor over 1900m, fifth amongst classy competition in the Heroic Handicap (2000m) and breaking through for a maiden race win in the Galilee Series Final (2390m) before running a close second in the Listed V.R.C St Leger (2800m) in April.
Undoubtedly finding peak racing form for the first time over the 2010 autumn, the Zabeel gelding won minor events over 1600m and 2000 on his way to an impressive performance and win in the Listed NE Manion Cup (2400m) most notably.
Set for his first Melbourne Cup tilt over the Spring Carnival of the same year, Precedence won the Group 3 JRA Cup (2040m), finished third in the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) and won the Group 2 Moonee Valley Cup (2500m) before placing eighth in the Flemington feature; a result that remains his best effort in the Melbourne Cup so-far.
Continuing to deliver Cummings solid results through a 2011 campaign highlighted by a fifth in the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) and ending with a luckless run for 11th in the Melbourne Cup, the gelding out of Kowtow returned in the spring of 2012 for first in the Adaptra Handicap (1600m) and fourth in the Moonee Valley Cup most notably before running ninth in the Melbourne Cup; unable to match the late pace of runaway champion Green Moon.
Appearing in line for his most successful Melbourne Cup appearance in 2013 when running second in the Benalla Cup (2046m) and returning to the winner’s circle in the Moonee Valley Cup, Precedence was unlucky to miss qualification for his major target by one position; balloted out of contention in position 25.
Returning to racing in typically competitive form this year, Precedence ran a credible third to champion mare Streama in the Group 2 Hollindale Stakes (1800m) first-up before placing a close second in the Group 3 Premier’s Cup (2200m) most notably ion May 24th.
Given a brief freshen-up over July, the nine-year-old has steadily built to the task over three starts this time in; overcoming a run for twelfth in the Listed Sofitel first-up with credible fifth placings in each of the JRA Cup and Moonee Valley Cup most recently; each firming his Melbourne Cup odds slightly.
Opening at particularly generous Melbourne Cup odds of $101 for success, Precedence has experienced notable attention over the last 24 hours and now registers as an $81 chance to become the first nine-year-old to taste victory in the Melbourne Cup at Ladbrokes Australia.
