The punters are coming hard and fast for James Ferguson’s UK raider Deauville Legend in Melbourne Cup 2022 betting ahead of Tuesday, but can the favourite get the job done in the 162nd edition of the ‘race that stops a nation’?
Three-time Melbourne Cup winning jockey Kerrin McEvoy rides the favourite Deauville Legend in the 2022 Melbourne Cup field on Tuesday. Photo: Steve Hart.
The Sea The Stars gelding races as a four-year-old down under and comes into the Group 1 $7.75 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) without a previous Group 1 win on his record.
Still, his international form has been strong and subsequently franked by Cox Plate third place-getter El Bodegon, a horse Deauville Legend beat by three lengths in a Group 2 in York last start back in August.
Three of the past five Melbourne Cup winners were internationally-trained.
Throughout Melbourne Cup history favourites only have around a 24% winning strike rate.
So, can Deauville Legend add to the strong recent record of internationally-trained horses in the Melbourne Cup or is there an upset pending in the famous Flemington Race 7 at 3:00pm (AEDT) on Tuesday?
Click here to bet on Deauville Legend through Ladbrokes.com.au.
2022 Melbourne Cup Horse Form: #8 Deauville Legend
Barrier: 9
Weight: 55kg
Jockey: Kerrin McEvoy
Trainer: James Ferguson (Newmarket, GB)
Owner: Mr K K Ho
Age: 4YO
Gender: Gelding
Breeding: by SEA THE STARS (IRE) from SOHO ROSE (IRE)
Career: 7-3:3:0
Win: 42.86%
Place: 85.71%
Last 6: 12121x
Prize Money: $528,249
Track: 0 0-0-0
Distance: 0 0-0-0
Current 2022 Melbourne Cup Odds: $3.60 (at time of publish)
Why Deauville Legend Can Salute for The Punters as the 2022 Melbourne Cup Favourite
- Has drawn favourably in barrier nine, which last produced a Melbourne Cup winner with Efficient (2007).
- The internationally-trained horses have a dominant recent record with three wins in the past five years: Twilight Payment (2020), Cross Counter (2018) and Rekindling (2017).
- Kerrin McEvoy is a three-time Melbourne Cup winning jockey looking for a record-equalling fourth win.
- Looks a genuine staying type with winning form up to 2615m.
- Impressive Win (42.86%) and Place (85.71%) rates.
- Excellent winning the Group 2 Great Voltiguer back home last start defeating subsequent Cox Plate third place-getter El Bodegon.
- Carried 58kg to a tough 2.8 length victory last time out and is in on 55kg in the Melbourne Cup.
- Won as first-up favourite last time in by 1.3 lengths at Windsor in April over 2012m.
- Profiles perfectly for a Melbourne Cup.
- Lovely staying pedigree by a strong sire, former champion Sea The Stars.
Why Deauville Legend Won’t Win The Melbourne Cup in 2022
- Only lightly-raced having just his eighth career start in the Melbourne Cup.
- Yet to win a Group 1 race.
- Untested on a wet track and we’re looking at a Soft – Heavy for the Cup.
- His 55.5kg may be a drop from what he carried last time out, but the northern hemisphere three-year-olds usually get in on 51 – 52kgs so he’s not that well-weighted historically.
*All 2022 Melbourne Cup odds are provided by Ladbrokes.com.au and subject to change.
