Melbourne Cup Racing Odds: Royal Engagement Cancelled
September 16th, 2014 by Pom de TurfThere will be journos all over the world shaking their heads today, and saying to themselves that it always sounded too good to be true: there won’t be a right Royal story for them to write up for the 2014 Melbourne Cup – and they’re going to be missing out on lots of leading-lady-of-Racing comparisons between Gai Waterhouse and Queen Elizabeth II, too. The Queen’s stayer Estimate has been ruled out of a potential trip to Australia for The Race That Stops A Nation, it was confirmed this week. But how will that affect the look of the Racing odds for November 4th?
The Offer is still the favourite for the big race, but Estimate was being touted as a real chance – though in all honesty, it’s likely that the ground in Australia wouldn’t have suited her. It was a tough decision for the Queen and for Estimate’s trainer Sir Michael Stoute, though – this is most likely Estimate’s final season of racing, and it must have been tempting to entertain hopes of a raid on the Melbourne Spring. In the end it’s not to be, according to John Warren, the Queen’s Racing advisor: ‘Estimate is not going to Melbourne and we will be looking at the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup and possibly the Prix du Cadran before that. Ascot is the preferred option at this point. The decision came down to a number of factors. On analysis we felt it was probably in the best interests of the filly herself not to have her go all the way to Australia. She has done the Queen very proud.’
So the 2014 edition of the Melbourne Cup won’t feature a Royal runner, but it will still be a race that’s full of classy prospects, from Australia and abroad. We’ve got all the Racing odds you’re going to need between now and the race, of course…
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