Features

Melbourne Cup edges closer

Author: John Harris
Date: 28/10/2009
Horse Racing betting

With the Melbourne Cup rapidly approaching, it remains to be seen whether an English trained race horse may have a realistic opportunity of winning the event for the first time.

The horse race is the biggest in Australia and made its debut in 1861.

English trainer Luca Cumani's two main hopes have faltered in the races leading up to the big event on November 3.

A win in the Geelong Cup would have seen Basaltico claim a place amongst the 22 runners but he flopped over the weekend contest and finished a disappointing seventh behind locally trained Leica Ding.

Who will win this year's Melbourne Cup? - Latest Horse Racing Betting

Speaking after the race, the Italian said: "Basaltico missed the break slightly and got shuffled back to last, meaning he was 20 lengths behind coming to the straight."

Basaltico is a horse who Cumani has rated highly and, earlier in the year, he said that the horse which 'cut his teeth racing in Italy - could have what it takes to win a race as big as the Melbourne Cup'.

Another prospect comes in the form of Cima De Triomphe, touted as Cumani's chief hope, who only needed to finish in the top eight to guarantee a place in next month's showpiece but, after a poor 13th placing in the Caulfield Cup, he will now have to improve significantly and grab a victory in the coming week to be assured of a start at Flemington.

Cumani has suffered terribly in the past few years and will be hoping two second-place finishes will turn into a third-time lucky scenario following Purple Moon's runner-up slot in 2007 and Bauer finishing in the same position last year.

The race is historically held on the first Thursday in November at 3pm and is billed as the race 'that stops a nation' and is a handicap for horses three years old and over.

It is run over a distance of 3,200 metres and there is a massive prize pot of AUD$5.5 million to be claimed with the winners taking AUD$3.3million.

The race is so revered that the whole of Australia is said to tune in whether it be by TV, telephone or radio and it is so highly thought of that it is a public holiday in the city of Melbourne.

Efficient, Alcopop, Speed Gifted and Viewed are the early sportsbook ante-post bet favourites to land the much sought after trophy.

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