INCENTIVISE is the reincarnation of Phar Lap, they can hand Peter Moody the trophy now and let's just call Melbourne Cup day an excuse for a post-lockdown party.
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The local pubs and TABs will need two socially-distanced lines, one for favourite backers and one for anyone who dares to take him on.
That's the vibe, isn't it.
In the end, you have to ask yourself one question.
Can Incentivise do over 3200m at Flemington what he did in the Caulfield Cup over 2400m?
If you're confident he will, then gamble responsibly, put your feet up and enjoy the two-mile journey to a guaranteed return.
In a column for Australian Community Media, publisher of this masthead, Racing and Sports executive director Gary Crispe is among those ready to ordain Incentivise as the next "champion".
"The new star of Australian racing and fresh off a power-packed win at Caulfield Cup," he wrote.
"Champion in the making."
The $2.80 price on offer from betting agencies, a better quote than what you could receive earlier in the week, supports Crispe and the thousands in Incentivise's corner for the great race.
But the Cup, like the Bathurst 1000 in car racing, has a knack of throwing up the unexpected.
The last horse this hot in the market to win is Phar Lap back in 1930 at $1.73, or 8/11.
Not even Makybe Diva, "a champion becomes a legend", was this short in the three years she dominated the staying test.
One key factor supporting the evidence Incentivise should triumph is the lack of genuine international talent in the race, though the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained import Sir Lucan fits a similar profile as a raider like Cross Counter, who plundered the Melbourne Cup recently.
Spanish Mission provided the great Stradivarius an almighty fright in the Group 2 Lonsdale Cup Stakes over 3270m, carrying 58.5kg, showing the class and trip are no concerns on Tuesday.
But the recent fright of being vetted over doubt about the right foreleg action can be enough to scare some punters away.
Verry Elleegant seemed a world beater once and was game running third behind State Of Rest and Anamoe in the Cox Plate, but has she lost her edge since a battling fourth in the Turnbull Stakes?
Tralee Rose is an impressive, improving and lightly-race five-year-old mare who caught the eye winning the Geelong Cup.
Grand Promenade comes out of the Group 3 Bart Cummings, where he beat Tralee Rose and Master Of Wine, but the query is whether that form matches up to Incentivise on the biggest stage.
Defending champion Twilight Payment obviously deserves respect to do it again and has won the Group 3 Irish St Leger Trial Stakes since, but rises 2.5kg for his achievements last year and is now a nine-year-old.
Persan, Pondus and Floating Artist are others given hope. Though history is against him, Incentivise will carry the weight of a nation.
All racing fans have wondered what it was like to watch Phar Lap live, haven't they?
MELBOURNE CUP
Tipsters
CRAIG MORDEY
ACM racing analyst
2 INCENTIVISE
12 PERSAN
15 PONDUS
22 FLOATING ARTIST
JACOB TIMPANO
A-League champion, Mercury columnist
2 INCENTIVISE
16 GRAND PROMENADE
1 TWILIGHT PAYMENT
4 VERRY ELLEEGANT
CAMERON MEE
Mercury racing writer
2 INCENTIVISE
21 TRALEE ROSE
12 PERSAN
22 FLOATING ARTIST
MITCH JENNINGS
Mercury sports writer
2 INCENTIVISE
21 TRALEE ROSE
3 SPANISH MISSION
24 SIR LUCAN
JOSH BARTLETT
Mercury sports writer
12 PERSAN
4 VERRY ELLEEGANT
2 INCENTIVISE
15 PONDUS
GARY HARLEY
Newcastle Herald, Sky Racing
3 SPANISH MISSION
2 INCENTIVISE
4 VERRY ELLEEGANT
16 GRAND PROMENADE
STEVE ZAMMIT
Mediality
2 INCENTIVISE
12 PERSAN
1 TWILIGHT PAYMENT
4 VERRY ELLEEGANT
TIM BARROW
Mercury sports editor
21 TRALEE ROSE
2 INCENTIVISE
16 GRAND PROMENADE
22 FLOATING ARTIST
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Tim Barrow
When it comes to sport - at professional and community level - in the Illawarra, I'm here to provide insight, context and opinion, as well as the latest news you won't find anywhere else.
When it comes to sport - at professional and community level - in the Illawarra, I'm here to provide insight, context and opinion, as well as the latest news you won't find anywhere else.
