Although there will be no spectators in attendance, the Melbourne Cup is still the race that will stop a nation, just in a different way to the norm! The biggest horse race hosted in Australia, it’s a Group 1 Handicap raced over the two-mile distance.
Twenty-four runners will contest for the £2,328,042 and as always, it looks devilishly competitive. With so many runners, most firms paying five places, and all of the field at each-way prices, it’s a highly attractive betting spectacle.
With so many runners at huge prices, I’ve taken a deep dive into the bottom half of the market. I’ve found two horses who I believe to be awfully over-priced and can present them to you below.
Looking through the runners, I was highly surprised to see Master Of Reality at such a backable each-way price. After all, Joseph O’Brien’s five-year-old passed the post second twelve months ago, beaten a head. He was posted in the “death seat” throughout, sitting one off the fence with no cover. Perhaps sent for home too soon, he looked the likely winner 300 metres out before being collared late and veering right.
He was disqualified and place fourth after causing interference, but regardless, it was still a mighty run given all that conspired against him. He arrives twelve months on in superb form, last seen winning a Listed race at Down Royal.
Carrying just a kilo more for this renewal and sat in the barrier that has the equal best record in the Melbourne Cup, it would certainly be disappointing if he was unable to land a blow under Ben Helham.
Formely trained in Ireland by Ger Lyons, Mustajeer won the Ebor off a big weight on his final start for those connections in August 2019. Although he’s won just once in Australia, there has been plenty of promising efforts.
He ran in last year’s renewal, where he beat just one home. That doesn’t tell half of the story, however. Racing towards the rear, he made a very early move down the side, coming extremely wide into the straight. Those exertions told and he weakened at the two-furlong pole.
It was a far more promising run than the finishing figure suggests and it’s highly doubtful he’ll be ridden like that again.
Shaping well on two recent starts, he made plenty of late ground in the Caulfield Cup on his latest outing. He’ll relish a return to this distance and he’s been drawn well in a barrier two, even if he’s likely to settle back early.
If ridden with more restraint on this occasion by Michael Rodd, a big run can be anticipated at tempting odds.