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The Anthony Freedman-trained imports Lucas Cranach and Mawingo will be posted as joint favourites when the first TAB Sportsbet market on this year's Melbourne Cup is released today.
Photo by Racing and Sports
The market reflects Feedman's emergence as a training force with Lucas Cranach and Mawingo, both proven Group OIne performers since their arrival in Australia, share the top line of the Melbourne Cup m,arket at $17.
The TAB Sportsbet market on the Melbourne Cup opens at 9am on Thursday.
Lucas Cranach opened his Australian career last spring, running fifth in the G1 Caulfield Cup and third in the G1 Melbourne Cup.
His autumn campaign was cut short when he was sidelined by injury after a slashing first-up win in the G2 Peter Young Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on February 25.
Mawingo, owned in similar interests to Lucas Cranach, made it two wins from just three Australian runs when he survived a protest in the G1 Doomben Cup (2000m) on May 19.
Not surprisingly imported stayers or internationally-trained horses dominate the Melbourne Cup betting by occupying the top five spots in the market and nine of the top 10.
The one exception is Mark Kavanagh's awesome filly Atlantic Jewel, who is at $35 despite the likelihood that she will be set for the Cox Plate rather than the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups.
The 2010 Melbourne Cup winner, Americain, shares the second line of betting with last year's winner Dunaden and Kavanagh's talented import December Draw, who has not been seen since going amiss in last year's Caulfield Cup when favourite but has now resumed training.
“It's very open at the top of the market, but Lucas Cranach ticks all the right boxes and the form line is outstanding through his one autumn run before being injured. He beat Manighar who went onto great heights,” said TAB Sportsbet's Adam Hamilton.
“Americain was a difficult horse to assess, but we're keeping him very safe now he's returning to France and the Alain de Royer Dupre stable.”
Punters who back a horse which is not nominated when entries close for the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday September 4 are entitled to a refund.
TAB SPORTSBET 2012 MELBOURNE CUP MARKET
LUCAS CRANACH $17
MAWINGO $17
AMERICAIN $21
DECEMBER DRAW $21
DUNADEN $21
GREEN MOON $26
MANIGHAR $26
RED CADEAUX $26
ATLANTIC JEWEL $35
JAKKALBERRY $35
BUXTED $51
EFFICIENT $51
ETHIOPIA $51
GALIANDO $51
GALILEOS CHOICE $51
JUKEBOX JURY $51
JULIENAS $51
LINTON $51
LOST IN THE MOMENT$51
MALUCKYDAY $51
ORFEVRE $51
PEAL OF BELLS $51
SABRAGE $51
SCARLETT LADY $51
TULLAMORE $51
UNUSUAL SUSPECT $51
VAL MONDO $51
WESTERN SYMBOL $51
WIN VARIATION $51
ZABEELIONAIRE $51
