Aussies seek Melbourne Cup lift

Melbourne Cup commentary, Radio 5 Live, 0400 GMT, Tuesday

Australian racing officials are banking on a successful 147th Melbourne Cup on Tuesday as they attempt to reverse the fortunes of an industry in trouble.

Heavy losses have devastated the sport since an outbreak of equine flu in Sydney two months ago.

Race officials are hopeful of a massive betting plunge on "the race that stops a nation" to start recouping some of the A$300 million (�132m) already lost.

A crowd of 120,000 is expected at Flemington for the two-mile contest.

The A$5.1m (�2.25m) Melbourne Cup is Australia's richest and most popular race, traditionally bringing the country to a halt on the first Tuesday of each November.

But there were fears this year's running would be cancelled because of the outbreak, with the detection of equine influenza forcing a complete shutdown of all horse movement and races in two of Australia's biggest states.

Officials were only given the go-ahead to proceed after the highly-contagious disease was partially contained, but major concessions still had to be made.

Only three overseas stayers - less than half the normal number - will line up, with some of the biggest stables from Europe, Asia and North America opting to keep their horses at home.

Widely backed as 9-2 favourite is home hope Master O'Reilly, who won last month's Caulfield Cup, a traditional pointer to the big race at Melbourne.

Zipping, rated a 7-1 chance, could threaten after finishing fourth last year then storming to an eyecatching third in Saturday's Mackinnon Stakes.

Despite traditionally coming unstuck Down Under, and a shortage of numbers, there is still support for what would be only a third European-trained winner.

At 9-1 Purple Moon, trained by Newmarket-based Luca Cumani, boasts pedigree and form.

The four-year-old landed Europe's richest handicap, the Ebor at York, and will have Australian Damian Oliver in the saddle.

Irish runner Mahler (also listed at 9-1) is trained by Aidan O'Brien, who had also hoped to race Scorpion before the top-weight was forced into retirement after pulling up lame following trackwork.

Local trainer David Hayes has five runners in the race while Bart Cummings, who has won a record 11 Melbourne Cups, sneaked into the field at the last moment when Sirmione won the Mackinnon Stakes at odds of 80-1.

The four-year-old is now rated an 11-1 chance.

Princess Coup, Maybe Better, and Efficient come next in the betting at 12-1.

Bookmakers expect to take bets totalling more than A$160m (�71m), breaking the previous record of A$145m (�64m).

Source: BBC Sport