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Zac Lloyd backing Athabascan to defy Melbourne Cup odds

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Athabascan
Apprentice jockey Zac Lloyd guides Athabascan to the barriers prior to the running of The Bart Cummings at Flemington Racecourse in October 2023. (Photo by George Sal/Racing Photos)

Apprentice jockey Zac Lloyd believes Athabascan can silence a few doubters when he steps out in the 2024 Melbourne Cup at Flemington on Tuesday.

Top horse racing bookmakers have the six-year-old gelding listed as a $61 outsider heading into Australia’s greatest race, but Lloyd is convinced his mount has the tools required to make an impact.

“I’m not too worried with the price he is because I think he’s a true, out-and-out stayer and that’s sort of what you need to win the race,” he said on Monday.

“So I think he’ll go well.”

The only apprentice in the field, Lloyd is determined to make up for a disappointing Melbourne Cup debut aboard Kalapour last year.

“Hopefully I give this horse a better ride than I did last year,” he said.

“My ride last year wasn’t great, but it was good to be involved with the day and I’m looking forward to it (tomorrow).”

Athabascan will jump from barrier two in the Melbourne Cup, which is set to start at 3pm AEDT on November 5.

2024 Melbourne Cup field & odds

No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight Odds
1 Vauban silks Vauban Willie Mullins William Buick 11 55.5kg +600
2 Buckaroo silks Buckaroo Chris Walle Joao Moreira 21 54.5kg +600
3 Circle Of Fire silks Circle Of Fire Ciaron Maher Mark Zahra 24 54.5kg +2500
4 Warp Speed silks Warp Speed Noboru Takagi Akira Sugawara 3 54.5kg +3000
5 Kovalica silks Kovalica Chris Waller Damian Lane 17 53.5kg +2200
6 Sharp N Smart silks Sharp ‘N’ Smart Graeme & Deborah Rogerson Michael Dee 15 53.5kg +4000
7 Just Fine silks Just Fine Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Jye McNeil 13 53kg +5000
8 Land Legend silks Land Legend Chris Waller Zac Purton 18 53kg +1100
9 Absurde silks Absurde Willie Mullins Kerrin McEvoy 7 52.5kg +1000
10 Athabascan silks Athabascan John O’Shea & Tom Charlton Zac Lloyd 2 52kg +6000
11 Knight's Choice silks Knight’s Choice John Symons & Sheila Laxon Robbie Dolan 6 51.5kg +10000
12 Okita Soushi silks Okita Soushi Ciaron Maher Jamie Kah 10 51kg +1200
13 Onesmoothoperator silks Onesmoothoperator Brian Ellison Craig Williams 12 51kg +750
14 Zardozi silks Zardozi James Cummings Andrea Atzeni 4 51kg +900
15 Sea King silks Sea King Harry Eustace Hollie Doyle 1 50.5kg +1300
16 Valiant King silks Valiant King Chris Waller Craig Newitt 22 50.5kg +10000
17 Fancy Man silks Fancy Man Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald Ron Stewart 19 50kg +10000
18 Interpretation silks Interpretation Ciaron Maher Teo Nugent 14 50kg +1700
19 Manzoice Silks Manzoice Chris Waller Declan Bates 8 50kg +10000
20 Mostly Cloudy silks Mostly Cloudy Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young Karis Teetan 16 50kg +8000
21 Positivity silks Positivity Andrew Forsman Winona Costin 20 50kg +10000
22 Saint George Silks Saint George Ciaron Maher Tyler Schiller 9 50kg +2500
23 The Map silks The Map Dan Clarken & Oopy MacGillivray Rachel King 23 50kg +5000
24 Trust In You silks Trust In You Bruce Wallace & Grant Cooksley Mark Du Plessis 5 50kg +10000

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Topics: Melbourne Cup, Zac Lloyd

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