As much as $81 was being offered about Simenon in the Melbourne Cup with some bookies only a week ago but the gelding is now into $18 and firming for the big race. Picture: Mark Evans Source: Mark Evans / News Limited
AN Irish gelding who was racing over hurdles less than 12 months ago has emerged as the "best bolter" in the $6.2 million Melbourne Cup at Flemington tomorrow.
In shades of the triumphant Melbourne Cup coups engineered by Ireland's Dermot Weld with ex-hurdlers Vintage Crop (1993) and Media Puzzle (2002), Simenon is ready to thwart some of the world's best stayers in Australia's greatest race.
As much as $81 was being offered about Simenon in the Melbourne Cup with some bookies only a week ago but the gelding is now into $18 and firming for the big race.
There is certainly no tougher horse in the Melbourne Cup field than Simenon. He raced twice in five days at Royal Ascot last year over 4023m in the Ascot Stakes and then 4369m for the Queen Alexandra Stakes - and won them both by an aggregate margin of 13 lengths.
YOUR MELBOURNE CUP SWEEP GENERATOR
But by the end of last year, Simenon was getting beaten in lowly hurdle races in Punchestown but trainer Willie Mullins was already planning for the 2013 Melbourne Cup.
PROFILES OF THE MELBOURNE CUP PLAYERS
Vintage Crop and Media Puzzle also raced over hurdles before their Melbourne Cup triumphs which ushered in the internationalisation of Australia's most prestigious and richest race.
There are a record eight northern hemisphere-trained stayers in the Melbourne Cup field tomorrow but Simenon has created the least fanfare - until now.
"This is a very underrated horse,'' said respected British racing expert Jim McGrath.
"He is trained by one of Europe's top trainer of jumpers, Willie Mullins, who is a superb horseman.
"Simenon should have nearly won the Herbert Power Stakes and this horse has got a good turn of foot.
"If you ask me, Simenon is without question the best value in the Melbourne Cup.''
Justine Hale works Chris Waller runner Hawkspur at Flemington. Picture: Jay Town Source: News Limited
Fiorente remains the $7 favourite to win the Melbourne Cup ahead of foreign raiders Mount Athos ($9), Dandino ($10) and Verema ($13).
Hawkspur, unluckily beaten as favourite in the Caulfield Cup last start, is out to $13 after drawing barrier 18 - the only starting position which hasn't produced a Melbourne Cup winner.
But Sydney's premier trainer Chris Waller is unconcerned by the draw, adding he has trained five Group 1 winners this year and only one has started from inside gate 10.
Waller did concede Hawkspur and his other Cup runner, Foreteller, are risks at 3200m but felt both horses were so fit and in such good form, they were worthy of Melbourne Cup starts.
Dear Demi's owner John Singleton backed his mare to win $6 million in the Melbourne Cup after her close third in the Caulfield Cup last month. She only enhanced her claims for the Flemington two-miler with her fast finishing second in the Mackinnon Stakes on Derby Day.
Dear Demi makes ground late on winner Side Glance (centre) in the Mackinnon Stakes on Derby Day. Picture: Getty Images Source: Getty Images
Trainer Clarry Conners was naturally disappointed when Dear Demi drew barrier 16 but said the mare could not be going any better ahead of tomorrow's race.
"I thought she ran a mighty race in the Mackinnon Stakes, I'm happy with where the horse is, she is going 'beautiful','' Conners said.
Meanwhile, Tabcorp expects to hold $100 million in bets on the Melbourne Cup.
"Research commissioned by Tabcorp shows that 74% of people who bet on the Melbourne Cup in NSW and Victoria, bet with TAB,'' said Tabcorp's managing director David Attenborough.
"We expect to process in excess of 50 million transactions on the day.''
During peak periods tomorrow, TAB expects to process up to 2000 bets per second. In excess of $180 million was wagered through NSW and Victorian TABs on Melbourne Cup Day last year with $90 million bet on the Melbourne Cup itself.
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