Last year's winner Almandin has rocketed to the top of Melbourne Cup betting but punters are better off waiting for 24 hours before having a bet on November's great race.
Almandin made a solid start to his campaign towards the defence of his Melbourne Cup crown with his second to the hard-fit Pacodali with 61kg at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
Almandin joined the Japanese performer, who has been syndicated by Australian interests, Admire Deus as $15 equal favourites in Ladbrokes's latest Melbourne Cup betting.
However, the current Melbourne Cup markets are pre-nomination markets with the entries for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cup closing on Tuesday.
Sportsbet posted Almandin as an outright $15 Melbourne Cup favourite ahead of his Macedon Lodge stablemate Crocodile Rock at $20 while another Australian-owned international galloper Tiberian is a $21 chance after his win in the Group II Grand Prix de Deauville on the weekend.
Tiberian shares the third line of Sportsbet's market with Admire Deus and Red Cardinal.
Bet365 has Almandin shorter than its two competitors with the son of Monsun at $13 to win the Melbourne Cup ahead of Admire Deus at $17 while Red Cardinal, Francis Of Assisi, Thomas Hobson, Frontiersman and Tiberian at $21.
Almandin is the $15 top pick with Luxbet with Admire Deus and Red Cardinal at $17.
Racenet will provide the Caulfield and Melbourne Cup nominations as soon as they are released on Tuesday with revised markets available soon after.
