KEY POINTS:
Horse of the Year Weekend Hussler has been the subject of a massive plunge in Saturday's Caulfield Cup.
After losing favouritism for the first leg of Melbourne's major spring treble when he ran the worst race of his career last time out, Weekend Hussler has regained it under a flood of money.
Australia's glamour galloper has firmed from $6.50 to $5.50 equal favouritism with Melbourne-based TAB Sportsbet after receiving the mid-field barrier draw of 11.
Rival firm Betstar had trimmed the gelding into outright favouritism at $5 after being swamped by punters at yesterday's Caulfield race meeting.
Betstar's Alan Eskander said the money for Weekend Hussler had flowed in all day.
"We haven't stopped taking bets on him, plenty of six-figure bets."
Earlier at the barrier draw, trainer Ross McDonald promised a new approach to Saturday's group one feature after Weekend Hussler was dictated to by rival jockeys in his defeat in the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington earlier this month.
The trainer said jockey Brad Rawiller would go into Saturday's race with a new mindset and more positive tactics.
Weekend Hussler had to race deep in the Turnbull when other jockeys held their ground and refused to allow him into the two-wide lane.
But McDonald said a more ruthless attitude would be shown in the Cup.
"We just made a blue at Flemington, Brad was a bit nice to the others," he said. "On Saturday, he won't be nice to anyone."
Equal favourite with TAB Sportsbet is Littorio, who drew alongside Weekend Hussler in 10.
John Sargent's Red Ruler drew the inside gate which means the Matamata stayer will need luck if he is to avoid crowding in the early stages.
"It's not great, drawing between four and 10 would have been perfect for my horse but we're not in the carpark so that's something," race jockey Corey Brown said.
"I'll definitely be looking to get out on him at the 1000 metres or when we get down the back straight because he seems to a little bit one-paced.
"But I know that if he gets clear running at the 600 metres he'll tough it out from what I've seen of his videos."
Boundless, who travelled to Melbourne yesterday with Red Ruler, looks ideally placed in barrier eight.
This year's AJC Derby winner Nom Du Jeu received a wide gate (20) but jockey Jeff Lloyd believes it's not as bad as it looks.
"For a horse like him who can go a bit hard, it could be a good draw," Lloyd said.
"When he's stuck in the middle of things he's inclined to do things too quickly. He's going to get a long way back and we'll need a bit of luck, but the main thing is that he switches off and if he does that he'll run a big race."
Lloyd will ride Nom Du Jeu in a gallop at Caulfield today and said the horse had settled in well after some initial concerns.
"He didn't travel all that well and was on and off his food but he looks good now and it's just taken him a few days to get right."
TAB Sportsbet has Nom Du Jeu at $21 for the Cup, while Red Ruler is at $16.
For trainer Mark Kavanagh, the draw provided him with his second barrier disaster in as many years.
Kavanagh's runner Maldivian drew barrier 18 having last year suffered an injury in the inside barrier when a short-priced favourite.
"You can't do anything about it," Kavanagh said last night. "The horse is as good as he has been this time in."
The luck of the draw was also mixed for trainer David Hayes who will have three runners.
The best chance on paper, Guillotine, drew worst in 21 with Kibbutz in five and Zagreb in seven.
Hayes said he was now inclined to lean towards Zagreb, although Guillotine has been well backed.
- AAP
