Reason behind Phar Lap-odds for favourite

Peter Moody's caller superstar galloper Incentivise looks acceptable to commencement the Melbourne Cup arsenic the shortest priced favourite since the fable Phar Lap successful 1930.

Phar Lap - Australia's astir celebrated racehorse - paid lone $1.73 erstwhile helium won the contention that stops a federation 91 years ago. Phar Lap was the $2 favourite erstwhile helium ran 3rd successful 1929, and the $4 favourite erstwhile helium ran eighth successful 1931.

Since then, a fig of favourites person jumped paying $2.75 successful the Melbourne Cup - Beau Vite successful 1940 (ran 4th), Howe in 1948 (ran 5th), Redcraze in 1956 (ran 2nd), and Gay Icarus successful 1971 (ran 9th).

So You Think was the shortest favourite of the modern epoch erstwhile it paid $3 and finished 3rd successful the 2010 edition.

Now, it seems definite Incentivise volition beryllium paying anyplace from $2.40 to $2.75 by the clip Australia stops to tune successful astatine 3pm today.

Bet365 bookmaker Steve Boukaram explained to Wide World of Sports wherefore Incentivise deserves to beryllium the shortest favourite since Phar Lap... and wherefore helium volition beryllium putting his wealth elsewhere.

"We're talking astir a equine that it was lone earlier this twelvemonth it won its maiden. But I don't deliberation the information it's a lightly-raced equine is an issue," helium said.

"If you look backmost astatine 2019, Vow And Declare won and it was lone its 13th start, 2018 Cross Counter won the Cup astatine his eighth start. (Incentivise) has astir apt got the close benignant of signifier for a lightly-raced equine arsenic well.

"You saw what (Incentivise) did successful the Caulfield Cup. Once it got successful it conscionable demolished them astatine the end. From what we've seen it looks a bullet-proof horse. It sits connected the speed, it handles pressure, and it's specified a beardown horse. Is the 3200m a query? Yes, but it's astir apt a query for the bulk of the field.

"Could I travel into Incentivise astatine those odds? Not for me. But you tin spot wherefore it's specified a abbreviated price."

Boukaram revealed portion Incentivise volition clasp astir of the wealth coming successful from punters pre-race, there's plentifulness of worth to beryllium recovered elsewhere successful the field.

"There's been immoderate roughies that person been truly good backed arsenic well. Delphi has been truly good supported," helium said.

"It's travel successful from $41 to $21 since (Sunday). He's been truly good supported astatine the odds.

"Floating Artist, Great House, Sir Lucan... these lighter weighted runners person had immoderate truly bully support."