gold trip odds 2022

Gold Trip is the 2022 Melbourne Cup Winner

The decision to line up in Tuesday’s $7.75 million Melbourne Cup has paid off for Ciaron Maher and David Eustace following Gold Trip’s win in Australia’s great race.

Gold Trip was huge carrying the 57.5kg top-weight to victory in the 2022 Lexus Melbourne Cup. Photo: Steve Hart.

The 21-1 shot set the grandstand alight in front of a packed house at Flemington, drawing clear down the middle of the straight to win just his second race start.

The European import hadn’t featured in the winner’s circle since taking out the Group 2 PR Greffulhe at Lyon two years ago, but he did bring some strong form into his fifth assignment of the spring.

The six-year-old kicked off his campaign running third in the Naturalism at Caulfield before running on well in the Turnbull Stakes out to 2000m at Flemington.

He took plenty of improvement into his next start in the Caulfield Cup finishing a narrow second to Durston – the previous Cup favourite before being scratched – while he was always worth forgiving on his run in the Cox Plate a fortnight ago after struggling on the heavy ground.

Barrier 14 tasked Mark Zahra with a difficult job against a strong field of 21 rivals, but his patience to settle midfield paid huge dividends once he found daylight at the top of the straight.

Emissary, trained by Michael Moroney, laid down a late threat and appeared to be the one going better with a furlong to spare, only to hit a flat spot and hold on for second.

“We were confident he’d get it, he didn’t get a shot last year, I suppose it was redemption or the horse more than anything,” co-trainer David Eustace told racing.com when asked on Gold Trip seeing out 3200m.

“He showed he was a top liner. We were very nervous over the last 200m when Emissary was coming, we thought it’d be a repeat of the Caulfield Cup. The horse kicked at the right time and thank god he did.”

Last start Bendigo Cup winner High Emocean – also trained by Maher and Eustace – flew home late for third in what was arguably the run of the race.

“We set a plan for her and we knew one of those races, being the Bendigo Cup, would be a little bit wet,” Ciaron Maher said afterward.

“She ended up winning and sneaking her way in. Fantastic result.”

Maher and Eustace are renowned for making winning decisions with their stayers, but Tuesday’s win was as much about the trainers as it was Mark Zahra – who won his first Melbourne Cup.

“Early I thought was a little too far back and I didn’t want to push early because I thought he might die late,” Zahra told Racing.com.

“I was just in a three-wide lane that kept improving, a few came around and me I was following Young Werther. Got to the top of the straight and thought its time go now, and he just let rip when I asked him”

Short-priced $4.00 favourite Deauville Legend failed to see out the trip and only managed fourth, while Montefilia also finished towards the tail, struggling over 3200m for the first time.

Realm of Flowers was the best-backed runner in this year’s field and was far from disgraced getting up late for fifth.

The complete 2022 Melbourne Cup finishing order can be viewed here .

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Gold Trip wins 2022 Melbourne Cup as jockey Mark Zahra gains redemption

• Zahra makes up for Cup devastation 12 months ago
• Emissary comes in second with High Emocean third

Often the bridesmaid in big races this spring, jockey Mark Zahra was able to turn around his fortunes when triumphant aboard Gold Trip in the 2022 Melbourne Cup . Desperately unlucky when finishing second in the Caulfield Cup, the top-weight for the 162nd running of the famous race dashed clear in the straight for a decisive victory.

The French-bred six-year-old, who started at 18-1, seized the lead 300 metres from the finish and was able to hold off Emissary, with stablemate High Emocean finishing third. Race favourite Deauville Legend looked the winner for a fleeting moment in the home straight but weakened to finish fourth behind Gold Trip, which carried 57.5kg to victory.

The triumph makes up for the devastation Zahra, 40, felt 12 months ago as he watched Verry Elleegant triumph while sidelined and also for the disappointment he experienced with a string of near misses over the past month. After finishing second in the Caulfield Cup on the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Gold Trip, he also finished runner-up on I’m Thunderstruck in the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley.

Riding in Kalgoorlie at the turn of the century, the WA-raised jockey never imagined he would have a chance to ride in the Melbourne Cup. But having established himself a top flight horseman, he was booked to ride Verry Elleegant at the start of the mare’s campaign for the 2021 Melbourne Cup campaign.

But the 40-year-old missed Verry Elleegant’s triumph when among the jockeys banned for attending a house party in breach of Covid-19 guidelines which led to a three-month suspension. He watched in a drunken despair from Byron Bay as the champion mare produced a brilliant run.

“This time last year I was in Byron Bay and I was getting told off for drinking too much, [because] it could have been my ride. [It is] redemption day today. It is a miracle,” he said.

“Twelve months I felt terrible and I was drinking my way out of it and [my wife Elyse] was saying, ‘Don’t drink too much’. I said, ‘What do you want me to do? My horse just won the Melbourne Cup.’ For today to come, and I’ve got good mates in [Gold Trip], it is just unbelievable.”

Showing great confidence in the staying capabilities of Gold Trip, Zahra rode a heady race to claim the Melbourne Cup for the first time. But as he returned to scale, he conceded that never had a straight felt as long as the punishing finish at Flemington, as he feared Gold Trip may have hit the front too early.

“I got to the front a bit soon but he is a horse that, when you go for it, you have to go. You don’t want to give him time to think about it,” he said. “I can’t put this triumph into words. It is unbelievable.”

Maher praised Gold Trip, which finished an unlucky ninth in the Cox Plate before rebounding strongly at Flemington to record its second win from 16 starts.

The triumph makes up for a controversy a year ago when Gold Trip was scratched on the eve of the Cox Plate when stood down by stewards, a decision Maher described as “pretty embarrassing” given the stable believed the horse was fit to compete.

“To run in three of the big ones and then present in the cup like that was fantastic,” he said. “Mark was very good on him in the Caulfield Cup. We knew he had that good turn of foot and he was fantastic today. It is unbelievable. It is a dream come true. I am just thrilled.”

Maher’s first memory of the Melbourne Cup was when watching the race as a schoolboy at the Mailors Flat Primary School in western Victoria. At that stage, his family was into motorbikes. But he was hooked.

He pursued a career as a jumps jockey about the time Zahra moved east to Victoria. The pair became friends. After the triumph, Zahra said he could remember the beer cans lying around Maher’s place after parties in their youth. He suspected the Gold Trip team might celebrate in grander style on Tuesday night.

Eustace was raised in England but has formed a formidable training partnership with Maher since moving to Victoria.

“Obviously I am a bit overcome,” he said. “It is a dream to win it. It is a pinnacle for our sport. I am so grateful to be training with him. This horse, who was so unlucky in the Caulfield Cup … it is quite incredible.”

Interpretation, another stablemate of the winner, did not finish, though the Maher and Eustace camp said it appeared the stallion had suffered a wind issue. Three horses were officially listed as finishing distanced – Numerian at 73 lengths behind the winner, and Camorra and Serpentine 99 lengths adrift.

A field of 22 jumped after the late scratchings of Point Nepean with an elevated blood count on Monday and Lunar Flare due to lameness on Tuesday morning. Leading contenders Loft and Durston, the Caulfield Cup winner, were withdrawn prior to acceptances after stewards found soundness issues.

Torrential rain that fell on Melbourne earlier on Tuesday cleared for the marquee event, but come the 3pm start time the track was hardly dry.

A section near the 1,500m mark has also sustained damage in the early hours of Tuesday morning when protesters poured an unknown fluid onto the surface. The track was cleaned and repaired before being deemed fit to race on. Police say they are investigating the incident.

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Stunning $400k splash on favourite flops as lucky punters cash in on winner

Punters have cashed in after Caulfield Cup runner-up Gold Trip took out the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday afternoon .

TAB had two bets placed ($4100/$7750 at $17/$5) on Gold Trip to win, with the two lucky punters pocketing a cool total of $69,700 and $38,750 respectively.

Meanwhile, one Futures punter is now almost $110,000 richer after placing a bet on Gold Trip on October 25. They outlaid $4,100 x $7,750 e/w @ $17/$5 to collect $108,450. Elsewhere, another TAB punter successfully predicted the First4 for an impressive 166% - seeing them take home a staggering $171,301 after boxing the first four horses across the line.

Ladbrokes also took a late $10,000 bet on Gold Trip to finish in the placings at $6.50, with that punter taking home $65,000.

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It was not all good news though, with one $400,000 bet on favourite Deauville Legend failing to pay off.

The biggest bets typically come on the Call of the Card, held on the Monday night before Tuesday’s race, and this year delivered some of the strongest betting action in years.

The standout was a $20,000 bet on Numerian at $91 placed with bookie Woodcock Racing to win $1.8 million. It was laid by a syndicate of cashed-up Sydney punters including Kingsley Bartholomew, Daniel O’Sullivan and Adam Sparrow, Richie Irvine and Scott Fitzsimmons, who operate under the name Wolfden.

“We’ll see tomorrow if I’m paying them, or they’re paying me,” bookmaker Warren Woodcock said.

It was not the only big bet placed by the syndicate, who also backed Duais to the tune of $20,000 across three bookies at odds of $31. That would win Wolfden $620,000.

Wolfden also reportedly splurged $20,000 at $18 on Smokin’ Romans, $16,444 on Without A Fight ($12), $15,000 on High Emocean ($61, to win $915,000), $10,000 on Grand Promenade ($101), $8,000 on Stockman ($31), $8,000 on Realm Of Flowers ($11), $6000 on Emissary ($51), and $4000 on Young Werther ($41)

But the biggest wager came from Steven Bradley, knows as ‘Fractions’, who revealed: “I had nearly $400,000 on the favourite at $3.70.” It would pocket over $1.4m.

Most of his betting on Deauville Legend was placed through bookmaker Robbie Waterhouse, with Mark Sampieri also accepting part of the action.

We’ll update this story with the biggest successful bets of Cup Day as they come!

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Deauville Legend (No. 8) – $20,000 @ $8

Deauville Legend (No. 8) – $4,500 @ $8

Deauville Legend (No. 8) – $4,000 @ $6

Realm Of Flowers (No. 24) – $8,000 @ $10

Smokin’ Romans (No. 19) – $5,000 @ $16

Deauville Legend (No. 8) – $3500 @ $3.90

Vow and Declare (No. 10) – $1500 @ $21

Knights Order (No. 3) – $1000 @ $23

Camorra (No. 7) – $1000 @ $61

10 Vow And Declare $4,000 place at $6.50

14 Daqiansweet Junior $2,000 place at $8.50

4 Montefilia $2,000 at $11

1 Gold Trip $10,000 place at $6.50

8 Deauville Legend $4,000 at $3.40

4 Montefilia $4,000 at $11

24 Realm Of Flowers $1,500 at $11

3 Knights Order $1,500 at $23

Swiftbet (Bookmaker Natalie Hinkley)

23 Interpretation $15,000 at $61

23 Interpretation $5,000 at $51

22 High Emocean $15,000 at $61

17 Emissary $15,000 at $61

16 Arapaho $2,000 at $101

15 Grand Promenade $7,000 at $101

8 Deauville Legend $50,000 at $3.70 (likely part of the Wolfden bet)

2 Duais $5,000 at $31

$2,500 at $21

$4,100 x $7,750 e/w at $17/$5 (taken on October 25)

$3,000 at $15

OTHER BETS OF NOTE:

Deauville Legend: $10,000 at $4.60, $7,016 at $4.60, $5,000 x $7,400 e/w at $4.60/$2.30, $5,000 at $4.60 MULTIPLE TIMES, $5,000 at $4.40, $8,000 at $3.50 TWICE, $6,000 at $3.50, $5,000 at $3.50

Stockman (No. 9) – $10,000 each-way at $41/$8.50

Without A Fight (No. 6) – $5000 at $11

Montefilia (No. 4) – $5000 at $11

Vow And Declare (No. 10) – $4000 at $20

2022 Melbourne Cup at Flemington: Gold Trip wins thriller

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Mark Zahra riding Gold Trip wins the Melbourne Cup. Photo / Getty

Gold Trip has won the 2022 Melbourne Cup.

The 162nd running of the great race delivered plenty of drama as the miserable weather did its best to ruin the day for the 80,000 spectators that braved the stormy conditions.

But nothing could overshadow the $8 million, 3200m handicap classic.

The connections of six-year-old horse Gold Trip are celebrating a payday of more than $4 million.

Emissary finished second and High Emocean was third.

Favourite Deauville Legend was fourth, while highly fancied runner Realm of Flowers was fifth.

Gold Trip did it the hard way, taking the lead with more than 300m to run before Emissary looked to be making a challenge of it with 150m to go.

But the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained horse showed its class by finding one final effort at the finish line.

Winning jockey Mark Zahra said the final moments of the race were nerve-wracking.

“(I was thinking) just piss off, no one come near me,” he said.

“I can’t. I feel like crying. It’s unbelievable. What a day. He’s a horse that when you go, you don’t give him a chance to think about it.

“It’s just elation when I crossed the line. What an amazing feeling.”

He added: “The last 50m I was thinking I’m going to win this. It just went forever the last bit. And I still can’t believe it. Melbourne Cup, it’s unbelievable.”

Maher revealed post-race the plan perfectly executed by Zahra.

“We had a plan going out with Mark. He was very good on him in the Caulfield Cup,” he said. “We just wanted to wait, wait, wait and we know he got that good turn of foot. He was fantastic.”

Co-trainer Eustace was in disbelief over the win.

“I can’t believe it. Obviously a bit overcome. Yeah, it’s obviously a dream that we all want to achieve,” he said.

“It’s the pinnacle for our sport. To do it with Ciaron, I’m so grateful to be training with him. And it’s just a great honour to be doing that with all these good horses and an amazing team of staff that we have.

“It’s a full credit to them to get five here and to, this horse who was so unlucky in the Caulfield Cup and so gutted when he got beat. And I thought he would get beat again. It’s just quite incredible.”

Gold Trip’s run also created some incredible history.

It is the first time a horse has won the Melbourne Cup at a top weight of 57.5kg since Makybe Diva. The French horse is also the first horse in 99 years to win the Melbourne Cup with just one previous race win.

Camorra, Numerian and Serpentine failed to finish.

Earlier, the racing world was shocked when police were called after an activist was filmed dumping 1000 litres of “oily sludge” onto the track at Flemington. There was also some huge drama on the morning of the Cup with another fancied runner, Lunar Flare, being scratched by Racing Victoria’s vets.

From drowning sorrows to top of the racing world

One year after missing out on the ride on Verry Ellegant after being implicated in the Air BnB jockey controversy, Zahra claimed his first Melbourne Cup aboard Gold Trip.

Zahra revealed he was drinking to numb the pain of missing out on a Melbourne Cup when he was suspended for three months after attending a house party with four other jockeys during Victoria’s Covid lockdown.

“This time last year in Byron Bay and I was getting told off for drinking too much and it could have been my ride. Redemption day today. Just a miracle,” Zahra told Channel 10.

“12 months ago I felt terrible and probably drinking my way out of it and [my wife] was saying, ‘Don’t drink too much’. I said, ‘What do you want me to do? My horse just won the Melbourne Cup’.”

Zahra said he was confident Gold Trip could be a winner after a gallant performance in the recent Cox Plate.

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Melbourne Cup 2022: Gold Trip wins the race that stops the nation as jockey says 'he never thought about winning'

He was touted as one of the classiest horses in the race that stops the nation and he came through to give jockey Mark Zahra his first win and a slice of the $4.4 million prize money.

Gold Trip has beat 22 other horses to win the Melbourne Cup.

The six-year-old stallion, ridden by jockey Mark Zahra, came through in the final 500 metres for a convincing win over Emissary and High Emocean in second and third.

The win is the first for Zahra who was emotional after crossing the line.

"I can't," he said when asked by a presenter to sum up the race seconds after finishing the event. "I feel like crying. It's unbelievable. What a day."

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Zahra felt the final 50m of the race "went forever" and it was only at that moment he realised he was about to win the biggest event of his career.

The 40-year-old was concerned about "spending fuel" early in the Melbourne Cup and was travelling well before he decided in his head "you've got to go".

Co-trainer David Eustace was also left speechless as he replied "absolutely not" when a presenter asked if he ever imagined standing next to the winner of the Melbourne Cup. 

"I can't believe it... it's the pinnacle for our sport," he said. 

British import Deauville Legend, who was one of the firm favourites heading into the event on Tuesday, stormed home late to finish in fourth.

Gold Trip has claimed the $4.4 million cheque, with 85 per cent going to the owners, 10 per cent to trainers and five per cent to the jockey.

• High Emocean
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• Realm of Flowers
• Daqiansweet Junior
• Smokin' Romans
• Knights Order
• Vow and Declare
• Without A Fight
• Grand Promenade
• Young Werther
• Tralee Rose

The outstanding win for Zahra comes one year after being suspended from the 2021 Spring Carnival, following a house party incident in Byron Bay. 

The 40-year-old was banned for three months after he attended a house party with four other jockey's during Victoria's COVID-19 lockdown. 

“This time last year in Byron Bay and I was getting told off for drinking too much and it could have been my ride. Redemption day today. Just a miracle,” Zahra told Channel 10 on Tuesday. 

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Maher completes spring slam with Gold Trip's Cup heroics

Melbourne Cup champion Ciaron Maher will return next year to defend the crown with Gold Trip.

Topweight Gold Trip's triumph over Emissary and stablemate High Emocean sealed the spring slam for Maher after his Caulfield Cup (Jameka, 2016) and Cox Plate (Sir Dragonet, 2020) wins.

"Nothing wrong with trying to win it again I would imagine," triumphant Maher beamed on Tuesday.

"He really enjoyed the conditions of this spring, he'll have a break now and target some races in the autumn, I can't see why he wouldn't (be back next year)."

The past five years Maher and co-trainer David Eustace, the gold standard in Victorian training ranks, have built a formidable squad of stayers, along with their bloodstock manager Will Bourne.

Gold Trip flies down the stretch to win the Lexus Melbourne Cup! pic.twitter.com/Bx9dtmO7GB — 10 Sport (@10SportAU) November 1, 2022

The only ingredient missing was the most iconic trophy in Australian sport – the 18 carat gold three-handled "Loving Cup".

"We won a Caulfield Cup and a Cox Plate … the three big ones," Maher said.

"It was definitely something we were looking to tick off (the Cup), it was fitting with this horse."

Gold Trip capped a rollercoaster 12 months for connections after the talented import was denied a start in the Cox Plate last year on veterinary grounds.

"After the debacle we went through last year and the scratching of the horse in a big race (Cox Plate), which is pretty embarrassing, it's great the owners were vindicated," Maher said.

"The horse is fine, it's run three of its biggest races all on a back-up and produced his best on the last day, it's great and phenomenal."

Gold Trip races away to win the Melbourne Cup. Picture: AFP

Gold Trip made his long-awaited Australian debut in Sydney last July.

The six-year-old horse returned to Victoria and passed two rounds of standing CT scans to finally be cleared to race in the state.

Gold Trip placed third first-up in the Group 3 Naturalism Stakes then ran fifth in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes. He loomed ominously in the Caulfield Cup and hit the front, only to be nabbed on the post.

Maher and Eustace elected to back-up Gold Trip in the Cox Plate but it ended up being a barrier trial as he had no luck in the run.

It sealed the savvy decision to press on to the Melbourne Cup.

Gold Trip on Tuesday became the third horse since Rising Fast (1954) and Makybe Diva (2005) to triumph with the No.1 saddlecloth.

"I was toying whether to go to the Caulfield Cup or the Cox Plate and when the rain came the horse was fit and well and had the grounding for the Caulfield Cup and we went there," Maher said.

"The weather has been very kind to him and the team has done a great job with him."

Gold Trip is equal favourite with TAB for the 2023 Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup.

A shot at Cox Plate redemption could also be on the cards.

The Melbourne Cup panned out sweetly for Gold Trip, given an economical ride from Mark Zahra.

Ciaron Maher gets a hug from Gold Trip's strapper. Picture: David Caird

Zahra timed the run to perfection, sliding forward as the field bunched at the top of the straight.

As favourite Deauville Legend cruised up to tiring leaders Knights Order and Smokin' Romans, Zahra pounced aboard the Australian Bloodstock-owned Gold Trip.

Geelong Cup winner Emissary mounted a challenge the last 200m but peaked on the impressive run.

Bendigo Cup winner High Emocean powered through the rain-affected ground to grab third ahead of Deauville Legend.

Realm Of Flowers rounded out the top five.

"It opened up beautifully and we had a plan going out with Mark," Maher said.

"He was very good on him in the Caulfield Cup and we just wanted to wait, wait, wait and we knew he's got that good turn-of-foot and he was fantastic."

Gold Trip defeated Emissary and High Emocean in front of a huge Flemington crowd. Picture: Jason Edwards

Three-time Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Kerrin McEvoy said the ground dulled Deauville Legend.

"He didn't step great, but I was able to tuck him in towards the inside, got a nice trip around and he travelled really well," McEvoy said.

"He might not stay past a ‘mile and six' (2800m) but he ran a good race."

Interpretation, the last of five Maher-Eustace trained Cup runners, failed to finish after jockey Craig Newitt pulled up the stayer at the 500m mark.

Interpretation displayed no veterinary abnormalities when inspected after the race.

"Obviously he dropped out very quickly," Maher said.

"We'll monitor him closely."

The Maher-Eustace combo has won five Group 1s this season – 20 overall – across all different distances – 1000m, 1200, 1400m, 2000m and 3200m.

"It's a dream come true," Maher said.

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Emotional jockey Mark Zahra reacts after Gold Trip wins the 2022 Melbourne Cup

Sport Emotional jockey Mark Zahra reacts after Gold Trip wins the 2022 Melbourne Cup

Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Mark Zahra says it is "unbelievable" that he guided Gold Trip to victory.

Zahra rode brilliantly to guide the French stayer to victory, less than three weeks after it finished second in the Caulfield Cup.

"I can't [put this into words]. I feel like crying. It's unbelievable. What a day," he said.

"He's a horse that when you go, you don't give him a chance to think about it. I was hoping no-one would come near me."

Emissary finished second and High Emocean came third.

Favourite Deauville Legend finished strongly, but could only manage fourth.

An emotional Zahra spoke of the difference between 2022 and last year, when he was suspended and lost the ride on eventual winner Verry Elleegant.

"This time last year [I was] in Byron Bay and I was getting told off [by my wife] for drinking too much and it could have been my ride," he told Channel 10.

"I said, 'What do you want me to do? My horse [Verry Elleegant] just won the Melbourne Cup?'

"For today, to come today and I've got good mates in the horse and it's unbelievable.

"Redemption day today. Just a miracle."

Gold Trip runs them down 

Gold Trip ran from barrier 13 in a 22-horse field after the scratchings of Point Nepean and Lunar Flare.

The race was held on a soft 7 surface after the track was downgraded following some showers late-morning.

There was a scramble for the lead at the start, with horses racing up to seven wide as Zahra kept Gold Trip midfield, drifting back to the second half of the field.

Frontrunner Serpentine took control at halfway, with Tralee Rose and Smokin' Romans second and third.

Internationals Deauville Legend and Without A Fight found the fence, with Knights Order out wide.

Locals Duais and 2019 winner Vow and Declare were up with the field.

The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Knights Order hit the front after the 1,000m with Smokin' Romans, then began to go clear on his own.

Knights Order pinched a break on the turn, with Without A Fight and Deauville Legend moving into position.

In the straight, Smokin' Romans hit the front at the 450m, but Deauville Legend and Gold Trip came down the outside.

Zahra and Gold Trip grabbed the lead before the 250m, and the pair went clear, as Emissary finished strongly to take second and Bendigo Cup-winner High Emocean finished third ahead of the favourite.

"I've got the Cup with me and I can't stop looking at it knowing it's something that can never be taken away," Zahra told ABC Radio Melbourne.

After making a late surge in the final moments of the race, Zahra said the final stretch after taking the lead was agonising.

"I looked up and thought 'oh jeez, there's still a fair way to go here', the last 100 [metres] felt like it went forever, I couldn't wait for that post," he said.

Gold Trip, a French-bred horse, came fourth in French classic Prix de L'Arc de Triomphe in 2020, before coming to Australia last year to join trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace.

Zahra said he hadn't been confident that Gold Trip would last the 3,200m cup distance.

Gold Trip had run second in the Caulfield Cup, then backed up for an eighth-place finish in the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley 10 days ago.

The six-year-old went on to make history, becoming only the third topweight in nearly seven decades to win the Cup, joining three-time winner Makybe Diva (2005) and Rising Fast (1954).

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Gold Trip leaves Melbourne Cup experts and pundits red-faced

Melbourne Cup pundits have been left with egg on their faces after writing off Gold Trip’s hopes of winning the big race.

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Gold Trip has defied the odds to win the 2022 Melbourne Cup, leaving plenty of punters red-faced.

The six-year-old horse did it the hard way , taking the lead with more than 300m to run before Emissary threatened to mount a comeback with 150m to go.

But the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained horse showed its class by finding one final effort at the finish line to win by 1.5 lengths.

The connections of Gold Trip are celebrating a payday of more than $4 million.

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The result left plenty of expert pundits with egg on their faces as the mighty horse saluted first across the post.

James Lamb from punters.com.au made a similar prediction ahead of the Melbourne Cup, citing Gold Trip’s weight as cause for concern.

“He’s unproven beyond 2400m and has had a taxing preparation off a very long break,” Lamb wrote.

“Very few horses win the Cup with more than 57kg, with Makybe Diva the last to do it with 58kg in 2005.”

Meanwhile, Andrew Hawkins on Betfair predicted that Gold Trip would finish seventh.

“The big query with him is the two miles, but if he sees out the trip, he’s going to be a major player even with plenty of weight,” Hawkins wrote.

“While he might be on empty over the final 200m, class will carry him a long way. He is unlikely to be too far away and he may be worth a bet in the Top 10 market, depending on what price he comes up.”

However, there were a handful of punters who nailed their predictions, including David Hocking from Punters.com.au who claimed Gold Trip would emerge the victor.

“Think his class is going to carry him a long way here – and it’ll need to given he’s out to 3200m for the first time and has been lumped with a hefty 57.5kg impost,” he wrote.

“But one thing we do know is that he’s found form after a runner-up finish in the Caulfield Cup and then a complete forgive run in the Cox Plate where nothing went right. He’s had a good grounding for his first crack at two miles and doesn’t mind it soft underfoot. Just needs slot in and relax in the run.”

And hats off to Andrew Wu and Michael Manley from The Age , who both predicted that Gold Trip would cross the finish line first on Tuesday afternoon.

“In a Cup lacking depth, Gold Trip’s class, as seen in 2020 Arc de Triomphe fourth, will go a long way,” Manley wrote.

“In form and gets preferred wet ground. Deauville Legend has form around Cox Plate placegetter.”

Winning jockey Mark Zahra said the final moments of the race were nerve-wracking.

“(I was thinking) just piss off, no one come near me,” he said.

“I can’t. I feel like crying. It’s unbelievable. What a day. He’s a horse that when you go, you don’t give him a chance to think about it.

“It’s just elation when I crossed the line. What an amazing feeling.”

He continued: “The last 50m I was thinking I’m going to win this. It just went forever the last bit. And I still can’t believe it. Melbourne Cup, it’s unbelievable.”

Eustace was visibly shaking when interviewed after the race.

“I can’t believe it, obviously a bit overcome,” he said.

Yeah, it’s obviously a dream that we all want to achieve.”

A popular 11-time Group 1 winner has tragically died with figures in Australian racing struggling to come to terms with the loss.

Chris Waller’s stable star Soulcombe found to have swelling in his off-front leg, ruling out a shot at the Group 1 Australian Cup at Flemington.

Racing Victoria was generally happy after completing it annual review into the spring carnival but there was one note of caution.

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How Gold Trip Won The Melbourne Cup

How Gold Trip Won the 2022 Melbourne Cup

Gold Trips life in racing began when he was sold for just €60,000 at the 2018 Arqana August Yearling Sale in Deauville, France. Gold Trip was purchased by Jean-Louis Bouchard who took up ownership of the Grandson of none other than Exceed and Excel.

Bouchard would stable Gold Trip with prominent French trainer Fabrice Chappet who would oversee the development of the horse up until 2021.

Gold Trip - An Emerging French Racing Talent

Gold Trip made his racing debut on the 24th October 2019 when he lined up against 12 other runners at Deauville racecourse and went on to finish second, narrowly missing out on a debut win when going down by a head. 

On that performance Gold Trip was being touted as an emerging talent and would return to the track just three weeks later when a $2.90 favourite in a 2yo race. A sub par performance would see him finish 5th over 4 lengths off the eventual winner which would lead Chappet to spelling the 2 year old. 

Believing that a line could be drawn through that performance Chappet would send Gold Trip back to the track and at odds of $22 he would finish an impressive 2nd behind Port Guillaume.

It would be this return to form that would see the French trainer step his runner up in trip slightly to 1600m and it would be his very next start where he would salute for Chappet and his owner Jean-Louis Bouchard in the Group 2 Prix Greffulhe in the June of 2020.

His debut win would begin Gold Trips trajectory towards the highest level with a number of Group One contests soon to be lined up including a crack at the biggest French race of all, the Group One Prix De L’Arc De Triomphe.

French Group Ones and The Arc 

Having now registered a strong win at Group 2 level Chappet and Bouchard were looking at testing there 60k purchase at the highest level. 

Two subsequent starts at Group One level would see Gold Trip finish 11 of 16 at Chantilly and 3rd of 10 at Longchamp however it would be his third start at the top grade in the Prix De L’Arc De Triomphe that would be the focus. 

It would be Gold Trips biggest test to date with some of the biggest talent from the UK, US and Germany competing in Frances most prestigious race. With the likes of super horses Enable and Stradivarius in the field it would be a true test of where Gold Trip was in terms of his racing talent. 

Despite finishing fourth Gold Trip would show an impressive turn of foot when entering the home straight which would see him challenge for the lead at one stage. Peaking in the run meant that the he would drop back in to fourth but he would beat home race favourite Enable and Stradivarius with ease. 

Gold Trip would go on to race two more times for Chappet and Bouchard where he placed in the Prix Ganay and the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud at Group One level. This would peak the interest of a number of parties which included Australian Bloodstock. 

Australian Bloodstock Purchase and a trip Down Under

Having challenged at the highest level in France Australian Bloodstock came knocking on the door of owner Jean Bouchard and tabled an offer in the region of a reported $2.3m AUD. Having purchased Gold Trip as a yearling for just €60,000 and winning over 10 times that in prize money Bouchard decided to sell to the syndicating group.

At this point Gold Trip had only won one in his first ten starts and placed in 5 of them. The price tag looked a significant one for the horse however Australian Bloodstock believed he had all the makings of a solid distance horse who could compete for the riches Australian Racing had to offer.

Gold Trip would soon be moved to the control of Victorian based trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace with the now 4 year old arriving at Werribee Quarantine centre at the start of the 2021 Melbourne Spring Carnival. 

After purchasing Gold Trip at a hefty price, Australian Bloodstock straight away made plans to tackle Australia’s biggest Group Ones. The immediate goal was a tilt at Melbourne’s premier weight for age contest. The $5m W.S Cox Plate at Moonee Valley .

Lame decisions and Cox Plate Controversy

Having arrived in Australia as a 2021 Cox Plate favourite and also being touted as a strong Melbourne Cup contender there was a lot of interest around Gold Trip and was backed into a strong market position in nearly all the big spring races. So what happened next was a complete surprise to everybody.

Having competed on a regular basis in France up until he was imported to Australia it was expected that given the seamless transition between stables that Gold trip would be ready to roll. However Racing Victoria stewards and vets flagged their concerns around an unnatural running style created by lameness. 

This led to the shock decision to scratch Gold Trip on the eve of the Cox Plate after a number of veterinary reviews. 

The issue stemmed from the unnatural running style. Maher, Eustace and connections argued that this was the way he normally ran with co-founder of Australian Bloodstock Luke Murell believing the stallion was being penalised for being born with how he walks. 

Racing Victoria Vets had Gold Trip assessed by six different Vets all of which found that the running style was created by lameness and he was therefore banned from competing in Melbourne until he could prove that the lameness was no longer present.

Maher and Eustace argued that their recent stable acquisition was fit and ready to race however the RV decision stood. Without changing the way Gold Trip actually walked the co-trainers would have to look elsewhere to race the import. 

How to prove fitness and racing abroad

The decision to ban Gold Trip from racing in Melbourne and subsequently stop his owners from recouping any of their $2.3m investment incensed Murrell who instantly began talking up opportunities to race in Sydney as well as upping sticks all together and head overseas with Hong Kong and Dubai touted. 

Gold Trip wasn’t an isolated case of Racing Victoria vets being overly cautious however with Peter Moody trained import Nickajack Cave being banned from racing in the state in the Autumn before relocating to Sydney and going on to race in Sydney where he would finish well behind Sir Dragonet in the Tancred Stakes . 

Having seen the blueprint laid by Nickajack Cave and Moody, rather than head overseas they decided to focus on a Sydney campaign that could prove Gold Trips fitness and demonstrate his fitness in the Harbour City.

A number of complications would stop Gold Trip from joining the Autumn Carnival action and it wouldn’t be until July of 2022 where the French import would face the starter in the Listed Winter Challenge Stakes at  Randwick .

So on 30 July 2022, a total of 391 days after last seeing any competitive racing action, Gold Trip would step back out onto the track in Sydney and finish third in the Listed Winter Challenge Stakes.

Under the ride of Jason Collett, Gold Trip went round without drama proving he was able to compete in Australia and after he was cleared by Vets to race in Victoria it was all systems go to get the French import back down to Melbourne with a plan to make up for lost time.

Spring Carnival Round 2 In 2022

Making up for lost time Maher and Eustace would chuck Gold Trip straight into the Spring action where he was nominated for the MRC Foundations Cup at Caulfield . Having only one race in 391 days it was a great tune up to go on and contest 4 Group ones including the big three from the Spring Carnival Calendar. 

Next step on the way to Melbourne Cup triumph would be his biggest rise in grade to date where the French import would tackle the Group One Turnbull Stakes . In a tight affair won by Smokin Romans, Gold Trip would be able to showcase that impressive turn of foot and finish within two lengths of the leader.

With fitness building with every start Gold Trip kept stepping up in grade and over 2400m tackled the Caulfield Cup . He was all be named the winner in the final straight before Durston came flying from the pack to pip Gold Trip by 0.2l. 

This was his biggest result to date in Australia. The extra distance looked to be suited and he looked to be improving physically with each run. 

His next challenge would be the time honoured W.S. Cox Plate at Moonee Valley. Godolphin trained Anamoe was having a Spring for the ages having already rattled off three Group One titles however there were still signs Gold Trip was on the right track for victory on the first Tuesday of November. 

The stable had tried blinkers for the first time, the tight Moonee Valley track didn’t seem to suit and he got too far back in the field to affect the result. Despite these three issues Gold Trip still showed something with the French import rattling home with just hands and heels riding under UK Jockey Jamie Spencer. 

Gold Trip wins the 2022 Melbourne Cup

It was quite polarising when it came to the Melbourne Cup in 2022 as a lot of tipsters like the form of Gold Trip and the way he had finished in his last few races. With conditions to suit could he get home on top?

The flip side argument was that the horse had 1 career win to his name. He hadn’t been racing for over a year between campaigns and didn’t look fit enough to win. Given his long build up to the race people were happy to let him slide in favour of other local and international runners. 

Of course we know what happened in the end with the bigger track, extra distance and full fitness allowing Gold Trip to win the Melbourne Cup for Maher, Eustace and Australian Bloodstock connections. But boy did they have to work for it. 

Gold Trip, an original $60k purchase had to go through the doubting, the false injury claims, real injury complications, racing red tape, a trial race in another state as well as 391 days away from racing to win the 2022 Melbourne Cup. 

Talk about going round the houses to get something done. 

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Melbourne Cup 2022 Results: Top-Weight Gold Trip Beats Emissary, High Emocean Third

Lucy henderson november 1, 2022.

By Lucy Henderson

Trainers Ciaron Maher & David Eustace have run first and third in the 2022 Lexus Melbourne Cup results with the stable’s top-weight Gold Trip scoring a historic two length victory over Emissary (2nd) and his Bendigo Cup winning stablemate High Emocean (3rd).

Gold Trip was enormous winning the 2022 Lexus Melbourne Cup by two lengths with the 57.5kg top-weight for Maher & Eustace. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

The heaviest-weighted Melbourne Cup winner since the mighty Makybe Diva for her third with 58kg back in 2005, the imported French-bred son of Outstrip was huge with 57.5kg in the 162nd edition of the ‘race that stops a nation’.

“I don’t think it’s really sunk in yet. It’s phenomenal,” co-trainer Maher told Racing.com after his biggest career success.

“I think I said to dad when I was about 12, ‘we’ll go to New Zealand and buy a New Zealand horse and win the Cup.

“There’s been plenty of hurdles since.

“Just such a special moment.”

It had been a long time between drinks for six-year-old Gold Trip who had won just one other race before his triumph in the world’s richest handicap race .

He was a Group 2 winner over 2200m in France back in 2020 and winless until jockey Mark Zahra gave him a perfectly timed ride to salute in the Melbourne Cup 2022 in front of the big crowd at Flemington .

“This time last year I was sitting at home watching Verry Elleegant (win the Melbourne Cup),” Zahra said.

“To come a full year and have redemption…it’s an unbelievable feeling.”

Connections paid big money for the stallion and were forced to be patient after Gold Trip was scratched on the eve of last year’s Cox Plate.

It has been a spring of atonement then for the horse who has now more than rewarded the patience of the Australian Bloodstock ownership group, Gold Trip the first horse in five years to contest the ‘Big 3’ spring majors in Melbourne.

The Melbourne Cup was also the horse’s first look at the two-miles, but co-trainer Eustace said the team were always confident he would see it out.

“We were confident he’d get it,” Eustace said of Gold Trip running out a strong 3200m.

“He didn’t get a shot last year, so I suppose it was sort of redemption for the horse as much as anything.

“He showed he was a top liner.”

Gold Trip became the heaviest weighted Melbourne Cup winner since 2005 with his 2022 success carrying the 57.5kg top-weight to victory. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

Gold Trip ran a terrific second to Durston when run down late by the winner, who carried six kilos less, in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m).

A luckless, but still eye-catching, ninth behind Godolphin gun Anamoe when dropping back in distance followed in the weight-for-age Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley.

With Durston out of the Melbourne Cup prior to final acceptances, there was no horse to finish in front of Gold Trip in the second leg of the Spring Cups double.

Having travelled off the speed throughout, Zahra had concerns about how his horse would handle the distance and had been hesitant to go too early fearing he would fade late.

“I was really doubtful he’d run 3200 (metres),” Zahra admitted.

“Early I was thinking I was a bit too far back…but I didn’t want to push early and have him die late.

“I was in a three-wide lane that kept improving.

“At the top of the straight I thought ‘right, it’s time to go’. He let rip when I asked him!”

As it turned out, what Zahra had feared happened with the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott -trained Knights Order .

After travelling three-wide throughout, jockey Tim Clark took off early on the autumn’s Sydney Cup winner going to the front with more than 800m left to travel.

The James Ferguson -trained favourite from the UK, Deauville Legend, meanwhile looked in a lovely position fourth approaching the home turn given every chance by three-time Melbourne Cup winning hoop Kerrin McEvoy .

Knights Order, trying to break their hearts, was still leading at the 400m but was quickly run down by those from further back in the field coming with their runs including Gold Trip who charged down the outside.

The eventual Melbourne Cup winner flew straight past the heavily-backed European and into the history books with two lengths to spare on the line over Michael Moroney ‘s Geelong Cup winner Emissary ($26) who was so brave in second with Patrick Moloney in the saddle.

“For me, it’s just a great honour just to be working with these horses and working for Ciaron,” Maher said.

“It’s not lost on me what a privilege it is.

“It’s pretty surreal a the moment.

“We were very very worried the last 100 (metres) with Emissary coming. Thinking it was going to be a repeat of the Caulfield Cup!

“But Mark gave him the most beautiful ride.

“The horse kicked at the right time, and thank god he did.”

Relishing a big feature race placing was also Teo Nugent , fourth in the race last year on Floating Artist for the stable and third this year making up plenty of late ground on the fast-finishing Ocean Park mare High Emocean ($41).

“Really great for Teo as well,” Maher said of their former apprentice on the Melbourne Cup third-placed mare.

“We set a plan for her…fantastic result.”

Three horses walked home in the Melbourne Cup with Numerian (19th), Serptentine (20th) and Camorra (21st), who reportedly didn’t handle the track conditions, all running over 73 lengths off the winner but seeming to pull up without serious injury.

Interpretation from the winning stable failed to finish, but was back in the pre-parade shortly having pulled up okay with his failed run put down to a wind issue.

2022 Melbourne Cup Results & Finishing Order

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

News Tagged:

Racing fields and data are copyright 2011-2021 © Racing Australia Pty Ltd (RA) (and other parties working with it). Racing materials, including fields, form and results, is subject to copyright which is owned by RA and other parties working with it. Full copyright notice.

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Read the gloating text bookie sent colleague after gambling company offered crazy 100 to 1 odds on EVERY Melbourne Cup horse - with punters raging business suddenly cancelled their accounts instead of paying up

• Betting start-up Betr's bold marketing ploy almost ended in disaster on Tuesday
• It guaranteed a return of $1010 if punters picked the Melbourne Cup winner
• Many punters snapped up deal to back red hot favourite Deauville Legend
• Betr would have lost up to $50million had the horse won race that stops nation
• Race outsider Gold Trip won 162nd Melbourne Cup as favourite finished fourth
• Do you know know? Email [email protected] 

By Kylie Stevens and Kevin Airs For Daily Mail Australia

Published: 16:49 EDT, 1 November 2022 | Updated: 20:32 EDT, 1 November 2022

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A relieved text has emerged from an employee of Australia's newest betting agency after the company dodged a devastating $50million payout on the Melbourne Cup.

Betr offered extraordinary odds of 100/1 on every horse in the Melbourne  Cup - with a maximum bet of $10 - as a promotion designed to entice people to open an account with the News Corp-backed company. 

Betr faced a massive payout if race favourite Deauville Legend had won, because huge numbers of punters had taken the 100/1 odds on a horse that was as short as 2/1 in early betting markets.

The English horse ran fourth while 20/1 shot Gold Trip won, and the  Australian Financial Review  reported that a relieved Betr company staffer texted a mate: 'Gold Tripp hahahah'.

While Betr dodged that bullet, the company isn't out of the firing line, with furious punters who backed Gold Trip accusing the company of deactivating their accounts rather than paying out their $1,000 windfall. 

Australia's newest betting agency Betr has avoided disaster after Gold Trip won the Melbourne Cup. Pictured is winning jockey Mark Zahra with his wife

Tyler Chalwell told Daily Mail Australia he received an exciting call from his wife Kelly saying they were $1,000 richer after backing the winner, only to then discover the betting agency had deactivated her account. 

'She is 'pretty p***** off,' Mr Chalwell said. 'We opened the account a few weeks ago when having a few drinks with friends and family.

'So my wife and some friends signed up as I was talking about the Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup offer.

'She chose Gold Trip in the account, and her account was verified.'

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Ms Chalwell also backed hot favourite Anamoe in the Cox Plate at Betr's promotional odds of 20/1 for any runner - and was able to withdraw her collect from that win.

'Today she saw Gold Trip won and she was stoked but went to login and saw her account had been deactivated,' her husband said.

Just 23 minutes before the race got underway she received an email that read; 'Your betr account has been deactivated. You will not have any access to your account until you choose to activate it by sending an account activation request to [email protected].'

Desperate attempts to contact Betr to have her account reactivated were unsuccessful.

Others online have also voiced similar stories.

'You are a joke, why have I been deactivated. So angry,' one social media user commented.

'Same happened to my wife,' another wrote.

Tyler Chalwell (right) told Daily Mail Australia he received an exciting call from his wife Kelly (left) that her $10 bet on Gold Trip at $100/1 won and they were $1,000 richer

Betr had frantically been trying to lay off its exposure to a Deauville Legend win before Tuesday's race - offering customers $150 in bonus bets, plus a refund of $10, if they agreed to cancel their bet on the favourite. 

'EXCLUSIVE to your account. Lock in a win with Deauville Legend,' read the begging Betr text to Melbourne Cup punters who backed the favourite at 100/1.

'Follow the steps below before Race one at Flemington tomorrow and you can cash out your bet on Deauville Legend for $150 in Bonus Cash + your original stake refunded.'

Betr's founder Matthew Tripp and his team would have had their hearts in their mouths when the Deauville Legend cruised up to the home turn and looked the likely winner.

But Gold Trip went past the favourite and held off Emissary and fast-finishing High Emocean to claim victory.

Deauville Legend tired in the closing stages of the staying test and ran fourth -  allowing Betr to avoid financial disaster.

Betr's bold marketing ploy to attract punters almost backfired on Tuesday. Pictured are Melbourne Cup racegoers at Flemington on Tuesday

In another lucrative twist, Todd Buckingham - chief executive of wagering group Betmakers Technology Group which provides the technology platform for Betr - also is a part owner of Gold Trip.

While the company no doubt saved millions with Gold Trip winning, sources within the betting industry confirmed Betr had been channeling a lot of the bets on Deauville Legend onto other bookmaking firms to reduce their exposure, so they will not have the big collect they would have had if they did not lay off.

Tabcorp was understood to have taken on some of Betr's liability as the company scrambled to avoid disaster. 

Punters could place one $10 bet on any horse in the race - including the favourite - with a guaranteed return of $1010 if their pick then won, a marketing ploy which almost backfired

In further bad news for Betr, which is 33 per cent-owned by media giant News Corp, the 100-1 promotion is now being probed by gambling watchdogs in NSW. 

'Liquor & Gaming NSW has serious concerns that this advertising may constitute a prohibited inducement under NSW gambling laws,' a statement from the regulator said.

'Broadly speaking, L&GNSW considers that an inducement includes any offer that may be capable of persuading or encouraging a person to participate, or to participate frequently, in any gambling activity, including to open a betting account.

'We are investigating and will respond to any breaches with the full force of the law.'

The probe could also cost News Corp after its newspapers published adverts for the offer nationwide, which may also have been in breach of local state laws.

More than 80,000 racegoers (pictured)  flocked to Flemington to see Gold Trip storm to victory in the 162nd Melbourne Cup

Betr was launched less than three weeks ago in time for racing's Spring Carnival in a joint venture with bookie entrepreneur Matthew Tripp, who previously launched Sportsbet and BetEasy.

It was designed to harness and leverage the reach and power of News Corp's Foxtel  sports channel and state newspapers to boost its business, based on the successful Sky BET in the UK and FOX Bet in the US.

Betr launched with 60 staff and plans to quickly expand to 120 by targeting the lucrative under 35s market.

It had also looked at buying the $1billion licence for TAB wagering rights in Western Australia but later withdrew due to naming-rights restrictions.

• Financial Review - Business, Finance and Investment News | afr.com
• Melbourne Cup: Betr avoids disaster as Deauville Legend fades

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2024 Houston Open odds, field: Surprising PGA picks, predictions by model that's called 10 majors

Sportsline's proven model simulated the texas children's houston open 2024 10,000 times and revealed its pga golf picks.

Tony Finau looks to do something no other golfer has done in two decades when the PGA Tour returns to the Lone Star State for the 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open. The six-time Tour winner is the defending champion at Memorial Park Golf Course and is looking to be the first pro to win the Houston Open back-to-back times since Vijay Singh in 2004 and 2005. Finau has steep competition in the 2024 Houston Open, however, and is listed at 18-1 to defend last year's victory. The Houston Open 2024 will begin on Thursday with the first tee times set for 8:20 a.m. ET.

Scottie Scheffler is coming off back-to-back wins at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players Championship and is the 14-5 favorite in the latest 2024 Houston Open odds. Other notable golfers in the Houston Open field include Wyndham Clark (14-1) and Will Zalatoris (18-1). Before locking in any 2024 Houston Open picks, be sure to see the golf predictions and projected leaderboard from the proven computer model at SportsLine .

SportsLine's proprietary model, built by DFS pro Mike McClure, has been red-hot since the PGA Tour resumed in June 2020. In fact, the model is up nearly $9,500 on its best bets since the restart, nailing tournament after tournament.

McClure's model predicted Scottie Scheffler would finish on top of the leaderboard at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players Championship this season. McClure also included Hideki Matsuyama in his best bets to win the 2024 Genesis Invitational. That bet hit at +9000, and for the entire tournament, McClure's best bets returned nearly $1,000.

The model also predicted Jon Rahm would be victorious at the 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions and The American Express. At the 2023 Masters, the model was all over Rahm's second career major victory heading into the weekend. Rahm was two strokes off the lead heading into the third round, but the model still projected him as the winner. It was the second straight Masters win for the model, which also nailed Scheffler winning in 2022.

In addition, McClure's best bets included Nick Taylor (70-1) winning the 2023 RBC Canadian Open, Jason Day (17-1) winning outright at the 2023 AT&T Byron Nelson, and Rickie Fowler (14-1) finishing on top of the leaderboard at the 2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic. This same model has also nailed a whopping 10 majors entering the weekend. Anyone who has followed it has seen massive returns. 

Now that the 2024 Houston Open field is set, SportsLine simulated the tournament 10,000 times, and the results were surprising. Head to SportsLine now to see the projected leaderboard .

Top 2024 Houston Open predictions 

One major surprise the model is calling for at the Houston Open 2024: Finau, the defending champion and one of the top favorites, struggles this week and doesn't even crack the top five. Finau coasted to victory at the 2022 Houston Open, shooting 16-under par and winning by four strokes. He went wire-to-wire and set a tournament and course record of 264 en route to his fifth career win.

However, Finau has struggled mightily in recent weeks, finishing T-45 or worse in three of his last five starts on the PGA Tour, which includes a missed cut at last week's Valspar Championship. Finau's recent rough patch can be directly attributed to his inconsistent putting stroke. The 34-year-old enters this week's event ranked 144th in strokes gained: putting (-0.460) and 131st in total putting (235.3), which doesn't bode well for his chances to finish on top of the leaderboard.

Another surprise: Stephan Jaeger, a 50-1 longshot, makes a strong run at the title. He has a much better chance to win it all than his odds imply, so he's a target for anyone looking for a huge payday.

The German golfer has a pair of T3 finishes on the 2024 season, fighting for the top of the leaderboard at the Farmers Insurance Open and the Mexico Open. He also ranks sixth on the Tour in total driving (96) and ninth in driving distance (307.5), which sets him up to play well on the long fairways at Memorial Park. Jaeger also ranks 24th in strokes gained off the tee (0.438) which could be another reason why the model is high on him to finish strong at the Houston Open.  See who else to pick here .

How to make 2024 Houston Open picks

The model is also targeting three other golfers with odds of 40-1 or longer to make a strong run at the title. Anyone who backs these longshots could hit it big. You can only see the model's picks here .

Who will win the 2024 Houston Open, and which longshots will stun the golfing world? Check out the Houston Open 2024 odds below and then visit SportsLine to see the projected Houston Open leaderboard , all from the model that's nailed 10 golf majors, including last year's Masters and Open Championship.

2024 Houston Open odds, field

See the full Houston Open picks, best bets, and predictions here .

Scottie Scheffler +280 Wyndham Clark +1400 Tony Finau +1800 Will Zalatoris +1800 Sahith Theegala +2000 Jason Day +2800 Si Woo Kim +3500 Keith Mitchell +4000 Alex Noren +4500 Stephan Jaeger +5000 Beau Hossler +5000 Tom Hoge +5000 Aaron Rai +5500 Jake Knapp +5500 Patrick Rodgers +5500 Kurt Kitayama +6000 Billy Horschel +6000 Thorbjørn Olesen +6000 Akshay Bhatia +6500 Mackenzie Hughes +7000 Cam Davis +7000 Ben Griffin +7500 Luke List +8000 Taylor Moore +8000 Doug Ghim +8000 Ryan Fox +8000 Taylor Montgomery +9000 Davis Thompson +9000 Daniel Berger +10000 Chesson Hadley +10000 Alex Smalley +11000 Joel Dahmen +11000 K.H. Lee +11000 Taylor Pendrith +11000 Scott Stallings +12000 Thomas Detry +12000 Mark Hubbard +12000 Peter Malnati +12000 Sam Ryder +12000 Victor Perez +12000 Robert MacIntyre +12000 Adam Svensson +12000 Cameron Champ +12000 Joseph Bramlett +15000 Carl Yuan +15000 Matt Wallace +15000 Ben Silverman +15000 Sam Stevens +17000 Carson Young +17000 Vincent Norrman +17000 Garrick Higgo +17000 Greyson Sigg +17000 Ryan Moore +17000 Chandler Phillips +17000 Chris Gotterup +17000 Gary Woodland +20000 Justin Suh +20000 Matti Schmid +20000 S.H. Kim +20000 Andrew Novak +20000 Chan Kim +20000 Bud Cauley +20000 Alexander Björk +20000 Jhonattan Vegas +20000 Davis Riley +20000

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New Jersey Devils at Toronto Maple Leafs odds, picks and predictions

T he New Jersey Devils (35-33-4) make the 2nd stop of a 3-game road trip on Tuesday against the Toronto Maple Leafs (40-21-9) at Scotiabank Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+/hulu). Below, we analyze BetMGM Sportsbook's lines around the Devils vs. Maple Leafs odds , and make our expert NHL picks and predictions .

Season series: First of 3 meetings between now and April 11; Maple Leafs won 2-1 in 2022-23

The Devils have picked up 3 wins in the past 4 games, including a 4-0 shutout of the New York Islanders last time out as the Under (6.5) cashed. The Devils are 3-0 as an underdog in the past 3 outings, while going 4-1 on the puck line in the past 5 as a 'dog.

The Maple Leafs suffered a 2-1 loss in Carolina on Sunday, but Toronto is still a solid 7-4-1 across the past 12 outings, while going 4-1-1 in the past 6 skates on home ice.

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Devils at Maple Leafs odds

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook ; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 11:43 a.m. ET.

• Moneyline (ML) : Devils +120 (bet $100 to win $120) | Maple Leafs -145 (bet $145 to win $100)
• Puck line (PL)/Against the spread (ATS) : Devils +1.5 (-190) | Maple Leafs -1.5 (+155)
• Over/Under : 6.5 (O: -120 | U: +100)

Devils at Maple Leafs projected goalies

Jake Allen (9-14-3, 3.41 GAA, .898 SV%, 2 SO) vs. Ilya Samsonov (19-6-7, 3.12 GAA, .889 SV%, 2 SO)

Allen was tuned up by the Ottawa Senators last time out, allowing 5 goals on 25 shots in a loss Saturday. However, he had won 3 of his first 4 starts, allowing a total of 7 goals on 130 shots since being acquired from the Montreal Canadiens at the NHL trade deadline.

Allen allowed 5 goals on 42 shots in a 6-5 shootout loss in Toronto on Oct. 11 in his only appearance against the Leafs this season as a member of the Canadiens.

Samsonov allowed 3 goals on 34 shots in a 6-3 win against the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday. He is 5-1-1 with a 2.67 GAA and .915 SV% in 7 starts in  March.

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Devils at Maple Leafs picks and predictions

Maple Leafs 4, Devils 3

The MAPLE LEAFS (-145) are worth a look as moderate favorites on home ice.

The Leafs have won 10 of the past 11 meetings since Nov. 9, 2018, outscoring the Devils (+120) by a 53-27 margin.

While New Jersey has won 3 of the past 4 games, the dominance in this series by Toronto cannot be overlooked, nor can Allen's shabby performance against the Leafs when he was with the Habs earlier in the season.

Puck line/Against the spread

The Devils +1.5 (-190) are just a little too expensive if you need a little insurance, and cannot take New Jersey straight up.

And while the Maple Leafs -1.5 (+155) have dominated this series, the past 4 meetings have each been decided by a single goal, so you can't roll the dice on the puck line with the favorite.

OVER 6.5 (-120) is worth a look, but go with a half-unit at most.

The Over cashed in the most recent meeting, but the Under is 3-1 in the past 4 in the series, so be careful.

For Devils, the Under has outpaced the Over 7-3 in the past 10 games, with the Under going 5-1 in the past 6 games on the road.

As far as the Leafs are concerned, though, the total has gone high in 5 of the past 6 games, with the offense averaging 4.5 goals per game (GPG) in the past 6 outings, while allowing 3.4 GPG in the past 5 contests. The lean is to the Over.

For more sports betting picks and tips , check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW .

Follow Kevin J. Erickson on Twitter/X . Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook .

This article originally appeared on USA Today Sportsbookwire: New Jersey Devils at Toronto Maple Leafs odds, picks and predictions