Hartnell Still Favourite For The Melbourne Cup

Hartnell was no match for Winx in the Cox Plate, but he is still available at 2016 Melbourne Cup odds of $4.60 and remains on top of the market for ‘the race that stops a nation’ at Flemington on November 1.

James McDonald put down the challenge to Winx at the 600 metre mark and the two horses were neck and neck for a couple of strides, but Winx quickly put paid to her rival and raced away to record a dominant victory.

Hartnell was far from disgraced behind the champion mare and the Cox Plate has proved to be a vital form reference to the Melbourne Cup in recent years – Green Moon and Fiorente both had very tough runs in the Australasian Weight-For-Age Championship and won the Melbourne Cup just over a week later.

Jameka is on the second line of betting and she is currently available at a quote of $6.50 to become the first horse since Ethereal in 2001 to complete the Caulfield Cup/Melbourne Cup double.

The daughter of Myboycharlie was no match for Hartnell in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m), but she relished the step-up to 2400 metres in the Caulfield Cup and is clearly racing in career best form.

The Macedon Lodge team of Lloyd Williams will multiple runners in the 2016 Melbourne Cup field and he has both Almandin and Bondi Beach on the third line of betting at a quote of $10.

Almandin confirmed his place in the Melbourne Cup field with his victory in the Group 3 The Bart Cummings (2500m) at Flemington on October 2, while Bondi Beach has not been seen at the races since he finished third in the Group 3 Enterprise Stakes (2414m) at Leopardstown on September 10.

Heartbreak City is one of the most interesting races in the 2016 Melbourne Cup and he is currently priced at $11.

The Lando gelding has recorded two wins over the hurdles this season and he heads into the Melbourne Cup on the back of an excellent victory in the Ebor Handicap (2816m) at York on August 20.

Another English-based galloper set to contest the 2016 Melbourne Cup is Big Orange and he is available at 2016 Melbourne Cup odds of $15.

Big Orange finished a more than credible fifth in the Melbourne Cup last year, but he has gone to another level this preparation and he goes into the race on the back of wins in the Group 2 Princess Of Wales’s Stakes (2414m) at Newmarket on July 7 and the Group 2 Goodwood Cup (3218m) on July 28.

– horseracing.com.au

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