Melbourne Cup Betting Odds and Tips
The Melbourne Cup is this Tuesday and can Purple Moon win for Europe. This year’s Ebor winner Purple Moon, from the Luca Cumani yard, is a leading fancy for the Melbourne Cup
Melbourne Cup Odds
Things are hardly in Purple Moon’s favour as he bids to become only the third European-trained winner of the Emirates Melbourne Cup, but it will still take a smart one to stop him.
Irish handler Dermot Weld has twice managed to win ‘the race that stops a nation’ but some of Europe’s best stayers have come unstuck Down Under.
Even Yeats, one of the best stayers of recent years, came up short last year in the Flemington prize and the overseas raiders are often weighted up to their best in the two-mile contest.
As a result, Purple Moon’s trainer Luca Cumani, along with Aidan O’Brien, has realised the time to strike is before the handicapper catches them.
Mahler ran a blinder in the St Leger at Doncaster and is very favourably treated at the bottom of the weights but O’Brien’s challenger may just lack the necessary experience for what is usually a demanding test.
On the other hand, Purple Moon boasts ideal credentials having won Europe’s richest handicap, the Ebor at York, in August.
Cumani stated his intention to go to Melbourne straight after that event and Purple Moon enjoyed the perfect prep when a fast-finishing sixth in the Caulfield Cup.
Kerrin McEvoy came in for some unjust criticism for his ride that day, but connections always stated they were not expecting the four-year-old to win over a trip short of his best.
Nevertheless, Australian legend Damian Oliver takes over this time so Purple Moon will certainly not want for anything in the saddle.
The recent rain has not been welcomed by Cumani and the draw in stall 15 is far from ideal, but Purple Moon is a class act and can overcome these minor inconveniences.
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