Racing: Bookies counting down to cups fever

By MIKE DILLON

Australian bookmakers are shoring up for huge Caulfield Cup-Melbourne Cup betting when weights are declared on Monday.

Already, DoubleBet in Melbourne has fielded a stack of money on leading chances from Australia, New Zealand, Dubai and Europe.

"Probably the most money we've taken is for our own horse Clangalang in the Caulfield Cup after his huge placing behind Lonhro in the Warwick Stakes in Sydney last week," said DoubleBet spokesman Brian Taylor.

Clangalang, winner of the AJC Derby, is the $11 Caulfield Cup favourite after $21 was offered several weeks ago. The biggest Caulfield Cup shortener has been Converge, a Zabeel emerging stayer who won very easily in Melbourne last week. He has come in from $81 to $21.

Sound Action has been another dramatic mover up the Caulfield Cup chart.

Which horses arrive from Europe for the cups double has a huge impact on betting. Taylor said it was DoubleBet's guess that Europe would have only two Caulfield Cup runners, Far Lane and Jardine's Lookout.

The Melbourne Cup will be different and there is much speculation which horses will be sent by trainer Dermot Weld, who won the Melbourne Cup last year with Media Puzzle.

"We believe Vinnie Roe will be given something like 59.5kg and invited to come down again and Media Puzzle, who won with 52.5kg last year, will have around 56.5kg.

"But he has yet to re-appear and Dermot Weld appears as if he could be running out of time with him."

Media Puzzle is quoted at $11, but Vinnie Roe has been the better backed, coming in from $34 to $17.

Of the New Zealanders, Taylor said there had been more money for Distinctly Secret in the Caulfield Cup than for the Melbourne Cup, in which he was sixth last year.

"We've got him at $26 for the Caulfield Cup and some bookies have him shorter and there is plenty of $41 around for him in the Melbourne Cup.

"The word is that punters were unimpressed by his last 100m of the Melbourne Cup last year."

Sydney Cup winner Honor Babe has shortened from $41 to $26, as has Wellington Cup winner Oarsman.

The value among the Kiwis appears to be the $41 - down from $67 - about Auckland Cup winner Bodie and the $67 for Hail.

Taylor said the world champion Godolphin stable, desperate to win the Melbourne Cup, might not have its best representation this year.

"They appear to be scraping the bottom of the barrel.

"There is Millstreet and Mamool.

"Mamool came in from $41 to $16 equal second favourite, but on his European form at the moment we've eased him out to $26."