Former bookie backs Melbourne Cup outsider to win $1 million
Former bookmaker Tom Waterhouse has surprised many by backing a roughie to win $1 million.
He was more than happy to take the $101 on offer about New Zealand galloper The Chosen One to win seven figures, as he threw $10,000 on the outsider.
The Chosen One four-year-old horse trained by Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman defeated Prince Of Arran earlier in the spring.
Waterhouse spoke to Racing.com about the decision.
“I backed a few at big odds, hopefully can get the win tomorrow,” he explained.
However, things aren't looking good for Waterhouse as the horse has drawn the notorious barrier 18 for today's race, where no horse has ever won the Melbourne Cup.
The Kiwi outsider wasn’t the only horse to capture Waterhouse’s interest, as he also heavily invested on the Joseph O’Brien-trained Latrobe at $21.
The five-year-old horse had one run in Melbourne last spring, and finished runner up to Trap For Fools in the Mackinnon Stakes, but Waterhouse couldn't get what he wanted from the bookies.
"I wanted to back Latrobe if I got $26 to win a million bucks but I could only get to $21 (from the bookmakers)… and The Chosen One, I think it’ll be flying home at massive odds, it’s a 100-1 shot.”
Tom Waterhouse is on The Chosen One for $1 million at the Call of the Card 😲
Currently $71 with the TAB.#CupWeekRadio— Matt Nevett (@nevett_matt) 4 November 2019
Other Melbourne Cup contenders who were backed by Waterhouse on Monday included Magic Wand, Downdraft and Twilight Payment.
Despite the track being in the soft range after a day of rain, the weather is set to improve by race time at 3pm.