We are hours away from crowning the 164th champion in a wide-open edition of the Group 1 $8.56 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m), and below we take a look at the race day market movers ahead of Flemington Race 7 at 3:00pm (AEDT).

For some the 2024 Melbourne Cup field is lacking depth and it’s true, there has been a high attrition rate with some key early fancies ruled out.

No. 10 Athabascan (John O’Shea & Tom Charlton) was scratched from the 2024 Melbourne Cup field on Monday afternoon after being found to be suffering from cardiac arrhythmia in his mandatory final check by RV vets. Click here for the full story. 

But what that means punters, is we have an open betting race!

This is a Melbourne Cup that literally any of the 24 horses in the mix could win without surprise.

Are we looking at an international champion with Vauban out to atone?

Can Buckaroo go the distance?

Is The Map ready to score an upset and send South Australia into absolute scenes?

Will we see another 100/1 roughie get up like Prince Of Penzance did in 2015?

There are storylines galore, and the punters are coming for a range of contenders.

So, let’s have a look where the money is at in Melbourne Cup betting today.

2024 Melbourne Cup Favourite

• No. 1 Vauban ($6.50 at time of publish) – BET NOW

It is a super tight betting battle between Vauban and Buckaroo with the former narrowly winning into $6.50 now to atone after jumping favourite only to run 14th when failing to fire in last year’s race.

Melbourne Cup Day 2023 was a blistering hot one and this horse didn’t handle the heat.

Cooler weather, a different and impressive lead-up campaign back in Europe, the confidence of Willie Mullins to bring him back, William Buick on, and into barrier 10?

Lots to like for those backing the favourite in the Melbourne Cup this year!

But be warned, the last Melbourne Cup favourite to salute for the punters was Fiorente ($7 in 2013) so it’s been some time!

2024 Melbourne Cup Market Mover

• No. 14 Zardozi ($12 at time of publish) – BET NOW

There’s been a big late move on the talented James Cummings-trained Zardozi to become the latest Melbourne Cup winning mare joining an elite list of female stayers.

Verry Elleegant (2021), rest her soul, was the latest and this four-year-old ticks a few boxes.

She has been backed in from $17 to $12 to salute for the Royal Blue and gets a dream run from barrier three (in from four).

A VRC Oaks winner as a filly at this track, she is one of the better untested hopes to see out the two miles.

Carries 51kg and has Italian hoop Andrea Atzeni in the saddle.

It has been a while between drinks with her latest win being a Group 2 back in March but the lead-up runs are strong including a The Metrop second, Caulfield Cup fourth, and fifth in last weekend’s Empire Rose when dropped back to 1600m.

Big ask to go from a mile to two miles but she’s Cummings-trained and had a traditional Cummings’ prep.

2024 Melbourne Cup Best Backed

• No. 6 Sharp ‘N’ Smart ($41 at time of publish) – BET NOW

Still at a big price but this Kiwi galloper has been one of the best backed Melbourne Cup horses in 2024.

Graeme & Deborah Rogerson’s Redwood five-year-old is drawn midfield for Michael Dee with 53.5kg. He’s a Group 1 winner, VRC Derby placegetter, NZ Derby champ, and caught the eye with a Moonee Valley Gold Cup third at weight-for-age last time out.

Top six wouldn’t surprise.

2024 Melbourne Cup Triple-Figure Roughies

• No. 11 Knight’s Choice ($151 at time of publish) – BET NOW
• No. 16 Valiant King ($101 at time of publish) – BET NOW
• No. 19 Manzoice ($151 at time of publish) – BET NOW

There’s always interest in the longest priced horses in Melbourne Cup betting each year with punters hoping to clean up like those who backed Prince Of Penzance did at 100/1 in 2015!

Money is For

• No. 3 Circle Of Fire ($34 into $23)
• No. 12 Okita Soushi ($21 into $14)
• No. 20 Mostly Cloudy ($101 into $71)
• No. 21 Positivity ($101 into $61)
• No. 22 Saint George ($31 into $23)
• No. 24 Trust In You ($101 into $71)

Money is Against

• No. 2 Buckaroo ($5.50 out to $7)
• No. 4 Warp Speed ($26 out to $31)
• No. 7 Just Fine ($34 out to $51)
• No. 15 Sea King ($9 out to $14)
• No. 18 Interpretation ($15 out to $18)
• No. 23 The Map ($41 out to $61)

Melbourne Cup 2024 Odds & Results

Lexus Melbourne Cup (G1)

FinalRace time: 1730779472

Runner Details	Win	Place
1st 11. Knight's Choice (5) J: Robbie Dolan 51.5kg T: J G Symons & S Laxon	81.00	18.00
2nd 4. Warp Speed (2) J: Akira Sugawara 54.5kg T: N Takagi	26.00	7.00
3rd 12. Okita Soushi (9) J: Jamie Kah 51kg T: Ciaron Maher	19.00	6.50
4th 14. Zardozi (3) J: Andrea Atzeni 51kg T: James Cummings	14.00	4.50
5th 9. Absurde (6) J: Kerrin McEvoy 52.5kg T: Willie Mullins	10.00	3.50
6th 3. Circle Of Fire (23) J: Mark Zahra 54.5kg T: Ciaron Maher	23.00	6.50
7th 17. Fancy Man (18) J: Ron Stewart 50kg T: Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald	81.00	17.00
8th 8. Land Legend (17) J: Zac Purton 53kg T: Chris Waller	14.00	4.80
9th 2. Buckaroo (20) J: Joao Moreira 54.5kg T: Chris Waller	6.50	2.50
10th 5. Kovalica (16) J: Damian Lane 53.5kg T: Chris Waller	26.00	7.00
11th 1. Vauban (10) J: William Buick 55.5kg T: Willie Mullins	8.00	2.90
12th 13. Onesmoothoperator (11) J: Craig Williams 51kg T: Brian Ellison	7.00	2.70
13th 16. Valiant King (21) J: Craig Newitt 50.5kg T: Chris Waller	91.00	18.00
14th 15. Sea King (1) J: Hollie Doyle 50.5kg T: Harry Eustace	12.00	4.00
15th 18. Interpretation (13) J: Teodore Nugent 50kg T: Ciaron Maher	21.00	6.00
16th 6. Sharp 'N' Smart (14) J: Michael Dee 53.5kg T: Graeme & Debbie Rogerson	51.00	12.00
17th 24. Trust In You (4) J: Mark Du Plessis 50kg T: Bruce Wallace & Grant Cooksley	71.00	17.00
18th 20. Mostly Cloudy (15) J: Karis Teetan 50kg T: Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	101.00	19.00
19th 19. Manzoice (7) J: Declan Bates 50kg T: Chris Waller	126.00	23.00
20th 21. Positivity (19) J: Winona Costin 50kg T: Andrew Forsman	101.00	20.00
21st 23. The Map (22) J: Rachel King 50kg T: Dan Clarken & Oopy MacGillivray	71.00	15.00
22nd 22. Saint George (8) J: Tyler Schiller 50kg T: Ciaron Maher	23.00	6.50
23rd 7. Just Fine (12) J: Jye McNeil 53kg T: G Waterhouse & A Bott	35.00	10.00

Odds are subject to fluctuation. For current odds on all of our live racing markets, please visit ladbrokes.com.au/racing.
Data retrieved: 05/11/2024 07:28:12 PM (Australia/Brisbane)

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Race comments

The Melbourne Cup. Plenty of betting angles as usual, with one being whether BUCKAROO (2) will run 3200m strongly. Gelded this campaign, he's been outstanding in defeat at his past two starts, nosed out by Via Sistina in the G1 Turnbull Stakes before charging into second in the G1 Caulfield Cup. That looked a perfect Cup trial, the gamble is whether that translates to two miles. VAUBAN (1) returns to Flemington having started favourite in this race last year and failing. He's coming off a tough second to a superstar in Kyprios and if he handles the occasion, he'll just about win. INTERPRETATION (18) has a sense of timing. He's flown home at his past two and was excellent from a long way back here last year. KOVALICA (5) is very interesting out to a trip, which we haven't seen since his G1 Queensland Derby win. He's got the ability. ONESMOOTHOPERATOR (13) and SEA KING (15) were both excellent at their local debuts and come here with genuine chances.

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