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Japanese topweight Admire Rakti remains the favourite for the 2014 Melbourne Cup as of 10am on Tuesday, but he has lengthened from as little as $4.00 since his victory in the Caulfield Cup.
The raider has had a successful trip down under so far in his time here, winning the Caulfield Cup in good style, carrying 58kg over the 2400m journey to storm home, clearly the strongest horse in the race.
In the Melbounrne Cup he is expected to be strong over the journey again, and having only been penalised 0.5kg after his win at Caulfield, the stallion has been widely backed to take the double.
More 2014 Melbourne Cup:
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The later money means that he has lengthened slightly to $6, but is still the firm favourite to take the race ahead of fellow import Protectionist at $8, and Australian chances Fawkner and Signoff.
It would seem that much of the money coming for Australian chances is more based on patriotism than punting prowess.
“Since Derby Day it has been all one-way traffic on the Australian horses. It looked a long shot that the Aussies would be a chance, but our punters are a patriotic lot,” said the director of one of Australia’s major betting agencies.
Admire Rakti would be the first horse since 1975 to carry over 58kg to a Melbourne Cup victory, after Think Big won back-to-back Cups for Bart Cummings.
It’s a monumental task, with Andrew Hawkins pointing out exactly just how difficult his task is going to be.
“Since then, 19 have carried 58.5kg or more and only two have placed – Kingston Town when second in 1982, when he arguably should have won, and Vintage Crop when third in 1995.”
The last topweight to win the great race was the equally great Makybe Diva, who carried 58kg to win back in 2005.
Roar expert Justin Cinque says that history is against the favourite, but there’s no doubting that the stayer has the quality and run to become the second Japanese winner of Australia’s richest race after Delta Blues.
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