Australia’s top flat race, the Melbourne Cup is on the horizon and since it is the richest two-mile race in the world with £4 million up for grabs (£2.5m for the winner), it is no surprise that some of the top horses from all four corners of the globe will head to Flemington Racecourse for the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival in early November in a bid to land a victory in the mammoth Group 1 Handicap.
With just a couple of weeks to go until the race takes place on November 2nd, the racecard is beginning to take shape. So, let’s take a look at some of the favorites for the Melbourne Cup. Read on to find out more!
Incentivise
The favorite for the Melbourne Cup, according to the Betdaq horse racing tips, Incentivise has had a fantastic season Down Under. He won four races under the guidance of Steve Tregea, including the Group 3 Tattersall’s Cup at Eagle Farm by some 12 lengths, and he has looked just as impressive since moving to Peter Moody’s yard. He beat Mo’unga to win the Group 1 Diva Stakes at Flemington and made it back-to-back top-grade victories at the Melbourne Cup with a victory in the Turnball Stakes. Winner last time out in the Caulfield Cup, Incentivise will have his work cut out if he is to win the Melbourne Cup as he is to carry a 1.5 kg weight penalty.
Spanish Mission
Andrew Balding will perhaps be disappointed with how Spanish Mission’s season has gone this year. Starting the year in the Middle East, the five-year-old was second to Gifts Of Gold in the Group 1 Red Sea Turf Handicap at Riyadh before finishing fifth in the Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan. A victory on his return to British soil, winning the Group 2 Yorkshire Cup Stakes, could have been a turning point to his campaign, but he has since gone third in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot and second in the Group 2 Lonsdale Cup Stakes. A muscle spasm forced Spanish Mission to miss his flight to Australia and subsequently pull out of the Caulfield Cup, so his preparation has been marred. But it must be said that he always seems to be there or there abouts and he definitely has the ability to win the Melbourne Cup.
Grand Promenade
Some way behind Incentivise and Spanish Mission in the Melbourne Cup betting market is the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Grand Promenade. A winner in four of his last 10 races, there is little to suggest that the five-year-old is going to spring a surprise on the more favoured horses. He was impressive in the Group 3 Bart Cummings Handicap at Flemington earlier this month, beating Tralee Rose to secure his place in the Melbourne Cup, but he doesn’t have any experience at this level and that could prove to be Grand Prominade’s downfall against two rivals who are more accustomed to competing in races of this magnitude.
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Joseph O’Brien’s Twilight Prominade, who is the defending champion after winning the Melbourne Cup from 25/1 last year, is a 14/1 shot to retain his crowd, followed by Away He Goes (16/1) and Verry Elleegant (20/1).
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