Tom Waterhouse backs Fiorente to win $100,000 and give Gai her first Melbourne Cup

TOM Waterhouse has backed his mum's horse, Fiorente, to win $100,000 in the Melbourne Cup, but wants to get set to win $1 million.

Part-owner Simon O'Donnell congratulates Ibicenco after he won the Geelong Cup. Picture: Getty Images

TOM Waterhouse wants a $1 million slice of his mother's Melbourne Cup dream.

The bookmaker tried to back Gai Waterhouse's favourite Fiorente to win the seven-figure sum in one bet yesterday, but was knocked back.

Waterhouse was let on at the Call of the Card to win $100,000 in the race in which his mother has trained the runner-up three times.

He tried to claim fellow bookie Betstar's Alan Eskander to win $1 million at odds of $7.50 - an outlay of just over $130,000.

He settled for a bet to win $100,000, but told the Herald Sun he intends to keep backing the six-year-old import.

"I think she has a great chance. I have Fiorente clearly on top in my calculations," he said of last year's runner-up.

"This was a personal bet, nothing to do with my bookmaking business.

"I have backed favourites before to balance books, but this is personal.

"I'd just love to see Mum win the Cup and I want to be part of that with a (couple of) winning tickets."

Fiorente attracted a constant flow of bets at the Call Of The Card, with one punter unloading $50,000 with Eskander at $7.50. A Fiorente win would return a $325,000 profit.

Another punter was knocked down to a $100,000 collect after trying to win $400,000.

More bets to win $100,000 and $50,000 topped an incessant push for the favourite, who was rock solid at $7.50.

Eskander declared Fiorente the horse to beat.

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"Gai is now well versed in the Cup and with this horse,'' he said. "I think there will be money for him on race day, and I think he will start the obvious favourite at $7.50."

THE MONEY TRAIN

Fiorente is the only horse in the 24-horse field under double figures in what Eskander described as the "most open Cup anyone can remember".

Sportingbet took the gamble on Fiorente and put up $9 on Sunday night.

"And we were smashed. In 12 hours we took bets for $600k. He is now $7.50 favourite," said Sportingbet chief executive Michael Sullivan.

Part-owner Simon O'Donnell congratulates Ibicenco after he won the Geelong Cup. Picture: Getty Images

The Peter Moody-trained Ibicenco was backed from $101 to $61, leaving Eskander with a $1 million payout if Luke Nolen gets the Geelong Cup winner past the post first.

One punter jumped in to win $500,000 and prominent Sydney punter Sean Bartholomew stands to win $200,000. Another bet to win $500,000 was reduced to $100,000 as the money forced the price to tumble in the biggest surprise of the session.

In all, Ibicenco was backed to win almost $2 million.

"I was staggered by the push for Ibicenco,'' Eskander said. "I don't give it a chance, but some sharp punters have backed him and it will be a costly result if he wins."

In contrast, 2011 Cup winner Dunaden was greeted by deathly silence before a couple of minor bets left him unwanted at $41.

Dear Demi attracted a bet of $5000 each-way at $21 and Verema also attracted attention. One bet was for $7500 each-way at $15, and another to win $100,000 at the same odds.

Chris Waller surprised by suggesting Foreteller was a better chance than Hawkspur and punters jumped in at the $31, with one bet of $4000 to win $120,000.

Dandino, runner-up in the Caulfield Cup, was popular among punters, with the biggest wager to win $25,000 at $14.

Those who fancied the long odds of $91 on Ethiopia stand to win $100,000 and $150,000 in two separate bets, while the biggest bet on Caulfield Cup winner Fawkner was a cash outlay at $17 to win $100,000.

Mount Athos also was popular, with Bartholomew backing him to win $200,000 at $11, while Seville drifted from $17 to $18 before a punter had $3000 on him at that price.

CALL OF THE CARD

Horse-price-biggest bet

1. Dandino ($41), $400 to win

2. Green Moon ($41), 10 bets of $200 each-way

‎3. Red Cadeaux ($71 to $81), to win $100,000

4. Sea Moon ($15), $500 to win

‎5. Brown Panther ($19), $1100 to win

6. Fiorente ($7.5), $50,000 to win

7. Foreteller ($31), to win $120,000

8. Dandino ($14), $1000 to win

9. Ethiopia ($81 to $91), to win $150,000

10. Fawkner ($17), to win $100,000

11. Mourayan ($151), $100 to win

12. ‎Seville ($17-$18), $3000 to win

13. Super Cool ($61), to win $100,000

14. Masked Marvel ($31-$36), $500 to win

15. Mount Athos ($11), to win $200,000

16. Royal Empire ($21), $500 each way

17. Voleuse De Coeurs ($17), $2000 to win

18. Hawkspur ($16), $1000 to win

19. Simenon ($18), to win $100,000

20. Ibicenco ($61-$10w), to win $500,000, to win $200,000

21. Verema ($15), $7500 each-way

22. Dear Demi ($21), $5000 each-way

23. Tres Blue ($24), $400 each-way

24. Ruscello ($71), $500 each-way