Dunaden and Red Cadeaux threaten another Melbourne Cup thriller

Dunaden is one of three former winners in the initial 151 entries for this year’s Melbourne Cup, but it is one of the British charge that currently heads the betting.

Luca Cumani has twice finished second in the 1m6f contest with Bauer and Purple Moon and he is hoping for a change of luck this year with Mount Athos, who is the ante-post favourite at 12/1.

The horse has won on all three starts this season, with the latest in a Group Three at Newbury after a pair of handicap successes.

Although overall entries are down from the 163 last year, the depth of quality appears far greater and chief handicapper Greg Carpenter insists that gaining a start will be an achievement in itself.

Dunaden will be bidding to become just the second horse to win back-to-back Melbourne Cups since 1975 after winning by the smallest possible margin last year from Red Cadeaux.

Both are included on the opening entry list, with Dunaden 16/1 to triumph and Red Cadeaux 20/1 to go one better than last year.

Two other former winners are also hoping to return for a second Melbourne Cup success, with 2010 victor Americain 16/1, while 2007 hero Efficient is bidding to become the oldest winner in modern times as a nine-year-old.

Elsewhere, Aidan O’Brien is primed to have his first runner since 2008 through I Have A Dream, with Godolphin currently four-handed with Ebor winner Willing Foe, regular Group One entrant Cavalryman, Colour Vision and Lost In The Moment.

However, perhaps the most interesting entry for the Flemington race, which takes place on November 6th and is worth over £2m to the winner, is John Gosden’s Gatewood.

Stepping up in trip, Gatewood finished second in a Group Two in France by a short neck on his latest start, but the winner was receiving weight and is considered a horse that could tackle the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in the future.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.