Fancy a last-minute flutter on Tuesday's Melbourne Cup, but not really sure where to turn?
Australia and New Zealand will grind to a standstill at 5pm NZT, when the big race is timed to start at Flemington.
With the late scratching of Kiwi-trained Who Shot Thebarman, which finished third three years ago, 23 horses will face the starter, but TAB spokesman Mark Stafford suggests you look no further than last year's winner.
Leading contender - Almandin.
"He comes from the Melbourne Cup's most successful stable, which has won three of the last 10 years," says Stafford.
"He has a big weight, but rode to an impressive win at Flemington two starts ago. I think the connections were all surprised and worried he had peaked too early, so they've backed off him in recent weeks."
Only five horses have ever repeated as Melbourne Cup winners, including NZ-bred Think Big in 1974 and 1975, so the German-bread Almandin has a chance to join select company.
On Tuesday morning, he was paying about $8.50 on the NZ TAB, settling in as second favourite, behind Marmelo ($7.50).
- The Melbourne Cup: Nine things you need to know about Australia's greatest horse race
- Melbourne Cup another chance to stick it to Big Brother
Kiwi hope - Humidor
Part-owned by former All Black Mark Carter, Humidor showed his class last week, pushing Winx - the highest money earner in Australian history - to her third straight Cox Plate victory.
He is trained by Darren Weir, who guided Prince of Penzance to the 2015 Melbourne Cup.
"At half a length back, he probably came as close as anyone to beating Winx, who is a real rock star of Australian horse racing," says Stafford.
"This distance may be a little bit too far and he's had quite a few runs leading up to this, but he's the best of the Kiwis."
In fact, with NZ-trained Jon Snow also pulling up lame and forced out of the field, Humidor is the only Kiwi horse in contention, paying $10 for the win earlier on Tuesday.
Jockeys Michael Dee (Gallante), Cory Parish (Boom Time) and Michael Walker (Bondi Beach) will also wave the NZ flag, while ex-pat trainer Chris Waller, now based in Sydney, has prepared Libran.
Roughie - Rekindling
The youngest horse in the field hails from the northern hemisphere and is one of six entries for owner Lloyd Williams, who also has Almandin and is striving for his sixth Melbourne Cup win.
Rekindling has trained eight months for this event and won his last start at Doncaster in September, carrying 57.5kg, but will have only 51.5kg on his back on Tuesday and a favourable barrier draw at four.
Stafford suggests Rekindling might be a stronger candidate in 12 months, but looms as one of the stronger overseas contenders this time round.
Rekindling was paying $13 on the NZ TAB this morning, ranking as sixth favourite.
"If the almighty could tell me this horse has got over the fact that he's been in training for eight months, he'd be my top pick," says Williams.
High recommendation indeed.
Newshub.
