Published: 7:39AM Friday November 02, 2012 Source: ONE Sport
French-trained Americain is the favourite on the New Zealand TAB to win Tuesday's A$6 million Melbourne Cup at Flemington.
The 2010 Melbourne Cup winner will be ridden by two-time Melbourne Cup winning jockey Damien Oliver who rode the horse for the first time in trackwork at Werribee on Wednesday morning and was most impressed.
"He really is a brilliant horse. He is far more imposing when you are on him than watching him from afar," Oliver said.
"He has such athleticism and is light on his feet.
"He is in great form and this is a great opportunity for me."
In recent days Americain has been subject to a wave of support from punters which has seen him shorten to $5.50 on the TAB's fixed odds market.
Last year's Melbourne Cup winner Dunaden is second favourite at $6.50 while other most favoured runners are Mount Athos ($9) and Red Cadeaux ($10).
Americain is aiming to join record three-time winner Makybe Diva and dual winners Think Big, Rain Lover, Peter Pan and Archer as the only horses to win more than one Melbourne Cup.
And if he could win this year, Americain would join Peter Pan (1932 and 1934) as the only horse to win the Melbourne Cup twice but not in successive years.
Americain will also meet Dunaden one kilogram better for his defeat in the Caulfield Cup.
Dunaden will now carry 59kg in this year's Melbourne Cup while Americain will carry 58kg after carrying 54.5kg to victory in the 2010 Cup.
Dunaden also carried 54.5kg to victory in last year's Melbourne Cup.
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