The Melbourne Cup is considered one of the toughest races of the year to find the winner, but the size of the field and popularity of Australia’s greatest presents some opportunities outside the traditional bet types.
Many operators will offer markets on horses to finish Top 5, Top 8 or Top 10 and one horse who shapes as a good play in the latter of those is Fancy Man.
A $101 chance, it is hard to see him challenging some of those at the head of the market for top honours but he can beat home more than half the field.
Fancy Man started $61 in the Caulfield Cup but, Buckaroo aside, was one of the strongest finishers in that race with his last 600m of 38.27secs was the fourth-fastest of the race and only 0.01secs slower than Land Legend.
A son of Pride Of Dubai and the Galileo mare Fancy, he was 0.03secs faster than fourth placegetter Zardozi, who is a $12 chance in the Melbourne Cup.
The Caulfield Cup was only Fancy Man's third run since last spring and after a third placing in the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) following a first-up fifth in the Group 3 Naturalism Stakes (2000m) he should be even fitter for his first go at 3200m.
Around $4 is available for Fancy Man to run in the Top 10.
