LUCIA Valentina has retained favoritism for Saturday's Grp 1 $3m Caulfield Cupfollowing the barrier draw at Crown Casino. The Kris Lees trained NZ mare drew gate 12, but will start from 10 if the emergencies - Renew (gate 2) and Brambles (11) - come out.
TAB betting has LV at $4.40 favourite after taking a $10,000 bet on the Turnbull Stakes winner at $4.60 earlier in the day.
Sportingbet tightened Lucia Valentina's odds from $4.50 to $4.40.
Interestingly, Fawkner, winner of last year's Caulfield Cup, jumped from barrier 10, which also provided the winner of the 2001 Cup - Ethereal.
UK stayer Dandino wasn't lucky in the barrier raffle, drawing the outside gate -18. Craig Williams, who will ride the Marco Botti trained horse, was philosophical. He noted it was a similar draw to last year when the horse ran a fighting 2nd behind Fawkner.
Bookies immediately took a set against the eight-year-old. He quickly eased from $9.50 to $13 with TAB and went from $10 to $14 with Sportingbet.
The two Japanese horses - Admire Rakti and Bande - fared favorably with gates 8 and 10 respectively and will each move in one spot with the withdrawal of Renew.
Sportingbet tightened the odds of Bande from $9 to $8 and Bande also came in from $9 to $8.50 with TAB.
Peter Moody's Lidari, who0 nabbed a start when UK mare My Ambivalent was withdrawn with a stone bruise, has attracted plenty of interest, especially after drawing gate four - and will start from three.
Lidari attracted one bet of $3,000 at $19 with Sportingbet and then another $2000 at $17.