The “big watch” that punters are “very keen” to back in the Melbourne Cup

Leading form analyst Mitch Lewis believes Saint George is a big watch in Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup.

The lightly raced former international heads to Tuesday’s Cup primed for the 3200m trip and he’s one of a few horses that are proven over the staying trips.

The Ciaron Maher-trained stayer will carry the equal bottom weight of 50kg with jockey Tyler Schiller in the saddle and he’s been met with some market supported since he was a confirmed runner in the race.

Lewis - labelling him a big watch - believes Saint George is a horse with plenty of upside and is a genuine chance in the race and should he run well he believes you could back him a year out in the 2025 edition of the Melbourne Cup.

“He’s probably the big watch for me,” Lewis told SENTrack.

“He’s only had ten starts in his career where he’s won two with one of those coming over the 2900m trip so he can see a trip.

“I think he’s got more to grow and develop and I think he’ll take a lot of benefit out of the run, speaking of a futures play if he runs well on Tuesday he would be a big 2025 player.”

Speaking on SENTrack’s Melbourne Cup preview, TopSport CEO Tristan Merlehan said punters have been very keen to back the five-year-old at a big price.

“We actually drifted this horse in our market, it was $31 into $21 so there was an early push and when we got to the top of the hour during Monday we decided that we were happy to take this runner on and pushed it out to $31,” Melehan added.

“Our hands got stuck in the cookie jar there as the $31 was very well backed, the punters were all over it at $31, it’s one of our best backed roughies so we’ve had to wind him into $26.

“Punters are very keen on it and it looks like it’s going to be right there in the money and it’s been very well supported.”

Saint George will jump from barrier nine.

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