Racing: Past winners on course for further glory

There were two fabulous runs at Flemington on Saturday and they came from Melbourne Cup winners.

The only problem for punters, it's caused that age-old issue of short odds just under four weeks out from this year's Flemington feature.

Efficient and last year's winner Viewed looked fantastic on Saturday in the Turnbull Stakes, but as a result have shortened into $5 favourite and $9 third favourite with our TAB.

Taking short odds on horses a month out from a race like a Melbourne Cup is flirting with danger.

Imagine how much TABs on both sides of the Tasman and Australian bookmakers have already dragged in from dead money with the announcement overnight that Profound Beauty will not be arriving from Britain.

She had attracted some big bets and if you've backed her then take the $5 about Efficient to try and get out - it's almost a no-win situation.

Current form is good, but it's not always the absolute best form going into a Melbourne Cup, unless it's a Makybe Diva-type bet.

Saturday's Metropolitan winner in Sydney, Speed Gifted is now into $7 second favourite, crowding the top of the market on our TAB.

Daffodil, off the back of perhaps a slightly under-par fourth in the Kelt Capital, is only $18, even shorter at $12 in the Caulfield Cup.

If you fancy one of the favourites at single-figure odds, you simply have to save on one at longer odds.

C'est La Guerre looks nicely placed in the market at $15. His effort in last year's Cup was superb for a horse that, for all the world, looked a year away from such a task.

Everything about his preparation this spring smacks of being aimed at just one specific target.

Another New Zealander, Capecover, is being kept safe at $21.

It would be nice to think New Zealand could win on November 3. We are due - Ethereal in 2001 was the last New Zealand-trained winner.

The TAB's market for the top 10 fixed odds in the Melbourne Cup are Efficient (2007 Melbourne Cup winner) $5, Speed Gifted $7, Viewed (2008 Melbourne Cup winner) $9, C'est La Guerre (NZ bred) $15, Daffodil (NZ trained) $18, Alcopop $21, Capecover (NZ trained) $21, Mourilyan $21, Vigor, Master O'Reilly (NZ bred), Precedence, Cima De Triomphe $26.