The performance of former Irish stayer Green Moon to finish second to Southern Speed in the Caulfield Cup has now made the horse a $9 second favourite for the Melbourne Cup behind last year's winner, Americain, who is now the outright $8 favourite, reports The Age. It says: Yesterday morning bookmakers bet as much as $41 about Green Moon but after his brave performance in the Caulfield Cup leading bookmaker Alan Eskander slashed the horse's price to $9. And while Green Moon was targeted by punte
The performance of former Irish stayer Green Moon to finish second to Southern Speed in the Caulfield Cup has now made the horse a $9 second favourite for the Melbourne Cup behind last year's winner, Americain, who is now the outright $8 favourite, reports The Age.
It says: Yesterday morning bookmakers bet as much as $41 about Green Moon but after his brave performance in the Caulfield Cup leading bookmaker Alan Eskander slashed the horse's price to $9.
And while Green Moon was targeted by punters around Australia to win the Melbourne Cup, the import is yet to be guaranteed a start in the race; a victory in the Lexus on Saturday week may make the difference. The winner of the Lexus is exempt from any ballot on the Melbourne Cup but it will be just another obstacle the horse will have to overcome.
An exuberant Nick Hall said moments after the Caulfield Cup: ''It was a fantastic run. He didn't have the tactical speed to go forward early and he had to recover a lot of extra ground but held on well. I was very happy with the performance.''
However, Green Moon, who is fully qualified for the Melbourne Cup, has only 50.5 kilograms in the race and is well down in the order of entry with a Lexus win now a priority.
By contrast, the stocks of beaten Caulfield Cup favourite December Draw have seen the former English stayer blow from $11 out to $33 for the Melbourne Cup.