With all the great opportunities on the Betfair Exchange comes incredible data. The team at Betfair provides a Washup of all the key racing results across the day including biggest Betfair Starting Price winners, Bad Beats, In-play Longshots and more.
VAUBAN winning the Copper Horse Handicap at Royal Ascot in England. Photo by Pat Healy Photography
MELBOURNE CUP CALL OF THE CARD
The Iconic Call of the Card has been run and done at Crown with Betfair making a successful debut as the event's major sponsor.
On the evidence of the betting activity in the room the Cup might be heading on a plane to Ireland!
Absurde was a very popular runner when it came his turn with some healthy activity for the Willie Mullins horse, however it was the stablemate and race favourite Vauban who was the day's best backed horse with a staggering volume bet on the import.
Vauban took bets of $350,000 and $200,000 individually, with a total backed volume in excess of a million dollars at around the $5 price. (Some spread over multiple bookies).
Vauban (pictured) has continued to ease slightly on the Exchange out to $4.80 from as low as $3.90, as he looks to become the first favourite to win the race since Fiorente in 2013
Last year's winner Gold Trip took separate bets of $37,500, $20,000 and $15,000 at the $8.50 price as he looks to be the second back to back winner since 1975 (The other was the immortal Makybe Diva).
Early in the card, the runners who attracted interest were #20 More Felons and in particular #15 Lastotchka.
The Price/Kent runner took combined bets of $48,000 from one single punter as well as $10,000 and $8,000 outlays at $26.
#24 True Marvel was also backed for $4000 at $251 in the first activity of the day.
At the opposite end of the scale, three runners had no activity on the day with #16 Magical Lagoon and #14 Sheraz untouched, as well as #2 Alenquer who is under an injury cloud.
Alenquer is set to be retiring champion Damien Oliver's final Melbourne Cup ride if he can pass a fitness test for a stone bruise tomorrow morning.
Other notable points were Caulfield Cup winner Without A Fight taking bets of $28,000, $21,400, and two separate bets of $15,000.
Soulcombe has also been very popular late on the Exchange and that was reflected in the room, with outlays of $27,000 and $21,000 on the runner.
Overall his volume for the day ranked fifth overall behind Vauban, Gold Trip, Without a Fight and Absurde.
An interesting watch was 2019 champion Vow and Declare.
No horse has won the Melbourne Cup four years apart, but the 8YO is in terrific form and was a popular pick in the room, with several bets hovering between $4000 and $7000.
Japanese import Breakup took a bet of $14,300 as he seeks to emulate Delta Blues from 2006.
Right You Are and Cleveland were popular with "smaller" bets, with a lot of cash activity around the $300, $500 and $1000 mark.
NOTABLE BETS:
#5 Vauban – $320,000 at $5 across the 4 bookies
#15 Lastotchka – $25,000 at $21 with Warren Woodcock
$20,000 at $21 with James Filgate
#1 Gold Trip – $35,000 at $8.50 with Lyndon Cleary
#7 Absurde – $45,000 at $12 with James Filgate
$20,000 Each Way at $12/$3 with James Filgate
#3 Without A Fight – $30,000 at $7.50 with James Filgate
$22,000 at $7.50 with James Filgate
#17 Military Mission – $6,000 at $36 with James Filgate
#24 True Marvel – $4,000 at $250 with Robbie Waterhouse
$4,000 at $250 with Warren Woodcock
For a full preview of the race check out Andrew Hawkins' runner by runner analysis here.
