Melbourne Cup 2106: Bookmakers at odds over chances of heavily backed Jameka

TWO of Australia’s biggest bookmakers have taken polar opposite views on the chances of one heavily backed horse in today’s Melbourne Cup.

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TWO of Australia’s biggest bookmakers took polar opposite views on the chances of heavily backed Jameka at a lively call of the card in Melbourne on Monday.

Rob Waterhouse and CrownBet’s chief executive Matt Tripp were two of the four bookmakers who fielded at the call.

Jameka was the subject of several huge bets ranging from $80,000 to $30,000, with a string of $10,000 wagers, and she firmed from $9 to $8 when betting had finished.

There was hardly a wager of note for the $5.50 favourite Hartnell.

Melbourne Cup fancy Jameka at the beach on Monday. Picture: Ian Currie

Waterhouse said he was surprised at the support for Ciaron Maher’s mare, while Tripp purposely steered clear of laying her.

“I was keen to avoid Jameka. She is my top pick,” Tripp said. “I know she has got to lump a bit of weight but she is in great form. I think Nick Hall will ride her brilliantly and nurse her for as long as he can.”

Waterhouse said he did not expect the polar opposite levels of support for Hartnell and Jameka.

“I was surprised there was so little support for Hartnell,” Waterhouse said. “On form he has an outstanding chance. I was not prepared to wind him out any further than the $5.50 we offered.

“On my ratings, he’s a 7-4 chance if he gets the distance. My gut feel is that he will race very well. He’s been set for the race.

“By comparison, I think the punters took a short enough price about Jameka. Hartnell went straight past her in the Turnbull and she’s poorly handicapped by comparison.”

Other horses to attract attention yesterday included Grand Marshal, who was backed to win $1.25 million with Waterhouse in a single bet.

Another punter wanted to back Sir John Hawkwood to win the same amount, but was trimmed back to $500,000.

Of the four runners for Lloyd Williams, last start Bart Cummings Quality winner Almandin was the best backed, firming from $15 to $13.

“The money for Almandin really surprised me,” Tripp said after laying the horse to lose $1 million in several bets. “I went top odds on my own at $15 and got knocked off my stand.

“The money for Almoonqith was also much stronger than I thought. I am not sure that it’s a Flemington horse though.”

UBET’s Gerard Daffy said Hartnell and Oceanographer have been friendless in the past 48 hours.

“We are out to $6 Hartnell now and Oceanographer is $9, but no one wants a bar of them,’’ Daffy said.

“Almandin has been the big mover with us, while Big Orange has also been well backed.”

Originally published as Melbourne Cup 2106: Bookmakers at odds over chances of heavily backed Jameka