Taking a punt on the Melbourne Cup

COME 3pm on Tuesday, flowing champagne will ebb, sizzling barbecues will fall silent and the din of raucous parties will subside. For a little over three minutes, Australians will be utterly gripped as 24 horses run a 3200 metre gauntlet for a spot in the annals of horseracing history. The empty streets and collective breath- holding can mean only one thing: The Race That Stops a Nation, the Melbourne Cup, is upon us for another year.

There are very few sporting events in the world that have an impact on a country, or its economy, like the Melbourne Cup. Last year, NSW and Victorian punters plunged $95.6 million on the Cup, and this year that amount is set to increase.

While you might be tempted to bet on Holberg, which is currently paying $101-1 and simply sounds like one of your relatives, according to Jewish jockey manager and Melbourne racing personality Ralph Horowitz, if you’re thinking of having a punt, then back 2009 winner Shocking to go back-to-back.

“He won it last year and I think he’s a bigger, better and stronger horse now,” Horowitz said.

“The one to beat is So You Think because he’s one of the best horses we have ever seen and Bart Cummings has only won 12, so you’d think he knows what he’s doing,” he said with a smirk.

According to Horowitz, the 150th running of the Cup next week could be one of the best we have ever seen.

He said as long as So You Think is fit he expects to see the horse line up in the gates, but questions remain about whether the horse can run out the distance.

“He’s won over 2000 metres but can he stay the 3200 metres?”

Horowitz said the Melbourne Cup is one of the easiest, and hardest, races to pick a winner for, because usually form holds up and the best horse wins, but the international horses are a complete mystery.

“I do the form for every single city meeting in Melbourne and I have no idea about the international horses, so how anyone that looks at the form guide once a year would know I have no idea!

“If you look at a horse’s name, number or colours from overseas and you like it, then put some dollars on it because often the overseas outsiders run better than the overseas more fancied horses.”

Horowitz manages 26-year-old jockey James Winks who will ride Bart Cummings’ Faint Perfume in the big race.

“I think when it comes down to Faint Perfume, we just have to trust that Bart has a good record and knows what he’s doing.

“For him to give Winks the ride is a pretty big thing for the young jockey with a big future.‚

JOSHUA LEVI