Buckaroo the Melbourne Cup favourite as Onesmoothoperator, Vauban, Sea King and Absurde look to challenge

Hayden King

The Nightly

4 Min Read

01 Nov 2024

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Buckaroo, Vauban, Onesmoothoperator, Sea King and Absurde are the top five horses punters are backing to win the Melbourne Cup. Credit: The Nightly

1 JUST FINE (53kg)

Golden Ticket winner who claimed The Bart Cummings, but did not beat a runner home in the Moonee Valley Cup.

2 THE MAP (50kg)

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Second Golden Ticket winner who scored the Andrew Ramsden Stakes.. Got clear running late in the Geelong Cup and finished sixth place.

3 VAUBAN (55.5kg)

Last year’s favourite who didn’t produce anywhere close to a peak performance, finishing 14th. Finished second to Kyprios in the Irish St Leger, which was an elite performance.

4 CIRCLE OF FIRE (54.5kg)

Landed the Sydney Cup in the autumn, but three runs since haven’t quite been to the same standard.

5 BUCKAROO (54.5kg)

Continues to defy any doubts over stamina with a pearler of a run in the Caulfield Cup behind Duke De Sessa. Before that pushed Via Sistina in the Turnbull.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 29: Steven Arnold riding Buckaroo during a trackwork session at Flemington Racecourse, on October 29, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images) — Buckaroo is the Melbourne Cup favourite. Credit: Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images

6 WARP SPEED (54.5kg)

Stamina will be no object with the Japanese raider having produced his best form beyond 3000m. Forget the Caulfield Cup run on a soft track.

7 ZARDOZI (51kg)

Engaged to run in the Group 1 Empire Rose against Amelia’s Jewel and Alsephina on Saturday. Won the 2023 VRC Oaks, so can stay.

8 SHARP ‘N’ SMART (53.5kg)

Came home with purpose in the Moonee Valley Cup. Has shown stamina by being runner-up in the 2022 Victoria Derby.

9 KOVALICA (53.5kg)

Won the 2023 Queensland Derby over distance and then his sixth-placed finish in the Cox Plate was strong with his best work coming late.

10 LAND LEGEND (53kg)

Got fizzed up and made a long run in the Caulfield Cup but stuck on dourly to run third. Firmer track should be a help.

11 ABSURDE (52.5kg)

Ran seventh in the Cup last year and comes into this year’s race as a last-start Chester Stakes winner. Took up the running at the 500m last year and just emptied late.

12 ATHABASCAN (52kg)

ATC St Leger winner who showed guts to secure the prize. Earlier in the year was second in the Sydney Cup.

13 MAHRAJAAN (52kg)

Finished last in the Sydney Cup and 13th in the Herbert Power, which were uninspiring efforts. Did win the NZ Cup over 3200m in 2023.

14 KNIGHT’S CHOICE (51.5kg)

14th in the Caulfield Cup leaves plenty to be desired. Winter form good but the Cup will be harder.

15 OKITA SOUSHI (51kg)

Eleventh in last year’s Cup when trained by Joseph O’Brien, but Ciaron Maher has got him pumping with a Moonee Valley Gold Cup win last start.

16 ONESMOOTHOPERATOR (51kg)

Geelong Cup winner who roared away with magisterial dominance. Looked every bit as good as Media Puzzle, Americain and Dunaden. Was the second favourite until a vet flagged a cut in his heel on Friday resulting in it drifting out to the third most-lied horse by punters. Will be re-examined on Saturday.

Onesmoothoperator (USA) ridden by Craig Williams wins the Ladbrokes Geelong Cup at Geelong Racecourse on October 23, 2024 in Geelong, Australia. (Reg Ryan/Racing Photos via Getty Images) — Onesmoothoperator failed a vet test on Friday putting him in doubt for Tuesday’s race. Credit: Reg Ryan/Racing Photos via Getty Images

17 SEA KING (50.5kg)

Bendigo Cup bomb-job stamped him as a genuine big race contender. Beat home Onesmoothoperator in the Ebor before coming over.

18 VALIANT KING (50.5kg)

Ninth in the Caulfield Cup which was slightly worse than his sixth the year before with Chris Waller taking this one over from J O’Brien. Has only won once but don’t discard Valiant Kings chances. After displaying a changed gait on inspection on Thursday, was re-examined on Friday and passed as fit.

19 INTERPRETATION (50kg)

Last year’s Bendigo Cup winner who finished sixth in this race last year. Distant but honourable second in the Geelong Cup. Will be re-examined tomorrow.

20 FANCY MAN (50kg)

Sixth in the Caulfield Cup, but does need to rise to a new level.

21 MOSTLY CLOUDY (50kg)

Didn’t have things go according to plan in The Bart Cummings who has shown his staying power in the past, though this is tougher.

22 POSITIVITY (50kg)

Scratched from the Caulfield Cup and was soundly held by finishing eighth in the Moonee Valley Cup.

23 MISSION OF LOVE (50kg)

Eleventh in the Geelong Cup after leading and folding up. Must elevate. Racing Victoria stewards also Mission of Love will not be progressing, though the mare was given bolter’s claims at best.

24 TRUST IN YOU (50kg)

Fourth in the ATC St Leger behind Land Legend and Athabascan. Thirty starts under his belt but still must prove himself at the class and distance.

25 SAINT GEORGE (50kg)

Finished a close fifth in the Moonee Valley Cup with the fastest last furlong of the event.

26 MANZOICE (50kg)

2022 Victoria Derby winner who hasn’t revisited those heights and hasn’t been back to Flemington since.

27 KINESIOLOGY (50kg)

Only had seven starts for a win but has plenty of promise if this horse can get a run in Tuesday’s race.

28 FRANCESCO GUARDI (52kg)

Won the 2023 Moonee Valley Gold Cup in such style that he was the big race favourite but didn’t start. Finished sixth in this year’s Moonee Valley Gold Cup.

29 WALTHAM (50kg)

Another with only seven starts but two wins and his run in the ATC St Leger was nice.