BOOKMAKERS are hoping Japanese entrant Fame Game doesn't win the 2015 Melbourne Cup at Flemington next Tuesday.

Thanks to all-in doubles and multi-bets, bookies have described a Fame Game win as their “worst result in years” after favoured runners have all won the feature races so far this spring.

Sportsbet.com.au are set to lose big from small bets if Fame Game crosses the line first in the Melbourne Cup.

One punter stands to win $467,900 from a $100 investment after correctly picking three major results this season. The brave punter picked Winx to win the Epsom Handicap, Magic Hurricane in the Metropolian and Mongolian Khan to win the Caulfield Cup.

Another punter risked less to win less, but the payout will still burn the pockets of the bookmaker.

A $15 bet on Mongolian Khan (Caulfield Cup), Winx (Cox Plate) into Fame Game in the Melbourne Cup will net a handy $53,535 return.

“Apart from the bets above, there's a stack of other small bets for huge collects,” Sportsbet's head of trading Raph Lewski said.

“A Fame Game win would be very much death by a thousand cuts.

“It's safe to say we will be watching through our fingers next Tuesday.”

Ladbrokes head bookmaker Jason Scott also stated that a similar scenario faced the Queensland-based bookmaker.

“We are looking at a large negative result just from pre-post betting and multi bets if Fame Game wins the Melbourne Cup,” Scott said.

“It is the sheer volume of these doubles that is the big issue for us.

“We have taken a number of sizable doubles, especially with Winx into Fame Game, but we haven't seen these sort of numbers still in play at this stage of the spring before.”

One punter placed a very big bet of $10,000 on Chautauqua to win the Manikato Stakes into Fame Game in the Melbourne Cup to win $100,000.

“Even our punters that like to bet across sport and racing are banking Fame Game on Tuesday week.”

Of those bets include $400 to win on Hawthorn (AFL Grand Final), Winx (Cox Plate), Fame Game (Melbourne Cup). This bet would net a $13,943 return.

Another punter took more of a risk with their AFL/Racing exotic bet. $80 to win $16,000 with Jesse Hogan winning the AFL Rising Star, Nathan Fyfe winning the Brownlow Medal into Fame Game.

Mongolian Khan to have quiet week ahead of Cup

2015 Caulfield Cup winner Mongolian Khan will have a quiet week as it prepares to do the rare Caulfield/Melbourne Cup double next Tuesday.

Many horses have run in the Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes this Saturday to further prepare for the 3200-metre feature, but trainer Murray Baker wanted his horse fresh coming into the Melbourne Cup.

“He'll pretty much have a normal week,” Baker said.

“He's not running Saturday. There's no need to and I don't want to risk him when he's right.”

Baker said the son of Holy Roman Emperor would have at least one more gallop before the Melbourne Cup, but he had no doubt it would handle the 3200-metre distance.

“He stays well and he'll be ready for the 3200 metres,” Baker said.

“He's come on since the Caulfield Cup and we're really happy with him.

“He was going really strong at the finish of the Caulfield Cup and he was one of the last horses to pull up.”

Mongolian Khan is on the third line of betting at $11 with Sportsbet.com.au.

Godolphin looking to break 18-year Cup drought

After 18 years and 21 starters, Godolphin trainer Saeed Bin Suroor has come up empty handed thus far in the Melbourne Cup, but he's persistent and he is back to try win the $6.2 million feature next Tuesday.

Bin Suroor is the European trainer for Godolphin's Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum and he's been coming to Melbourne ever since Faithful Son finished seventh behind Jezabeel in 1998.

Godolphin finished second on three occasions with Central Park (1999), Give The Slip (2001) and Crime Scene in 2009.

Bin Suroor has a three-pronged attack this year with Sky Hunter ($21), Secret Number ($34) and Elhaame ($81), but on form they don't look as strong as they have in previous years.

Bin Suroor, however, believes all three are well suited to the Melbourne Cup.

“You need to bring horses that have the speed, stay the trip and handle the ground and I think we have three good chances this year,” Bin Suroor said.

“At home, we have some good horses but they have to carry too much weight.

“So, I have to think what is our best chances and this three, I have thought about them as Melbourne Cup horses since January.”

Sky Hunter has raced only twice this year, but it won the Group 2 Dubai City Gold Cup and it finished second in The Arc Trail.

It is the only Bin Suroor-trained runner guaranteed a start in the Melbourne Cup and, for the first time in their history, Godolphin will be using Derby Day as their qualification this Saturday at Flemington.

“We never do this, but we have to try,” Bin Suroor said.

“All three horses are in good form and are ready to go. I like them all.”

Bin Suroor likes the chances of both Fame Game and Trip to Paris after impressive runs in the Caulfield Cup.

“The Melbourne Cup is a tough race to win, I always say it is a very open race,” Bin Suroor said.

“But Fame Game was really good in the Caulfield Cup and is the horse to beat, Trip to Paris was good, too.

“It is hard to beat them, but we have to try with the right horses and our three are lower in the weights.

“I want to win this race and if we do it next week, then I will still be back next year as we love to support Australian racing.”

2015 Melbourne Cup down to 42 entries

The 2015 Melbourne Cup entry list has been cut down to only 42 runners with a week to go.

Five of the top 24 runners have withdrawn from the $6.2 million Melbourne Cup which has reduced the entry list to 42 and now the likes of Amralah and Almoonqith are guaranteed a start.

Rising Romance, Hauraki, Set Square, Gallante and Magicool have all been withdrawn from the Melbourne Cup which has shortened the list to 42, but the winners of Saturday's Lexus Stakes and Mackinnon Stakes will both be eligible for ballot exemption.

Runners on the bubble are Moonee Valley Gold Cup placegetter Prince of Penzance (23rd) and Beaten Up (24th). Both are in danger of missing the Cup as 15 horses currently outside the top 24 are entered for the 2500-metre Lexus Stakes.

Moonee Valley Gold Cup winner The United States sits at 26th place after incurring a 2.5kg penalty. The Robert Hickmott-trained stayer is entered for the Lexus Stakes along with fellow Melbourne Cup entrants Bohemian Lily, Elhamme, Excess Knowledge, Havana Cooler, Ruling Dynasty, Secret Number, Sertorius and Thunder Lady.

Melbourne Cup Order of Entry and odds:

1. Mongolian Khan – $11
2. Snow Sky – $34
3. Criterion – $13
4. Fame Game – $4.20
5. Bondi Beach – $17
6. Our Ivanhowe – $21
7. Hartnell – $21 at CrownBet.com.au
8. Hokko Brave – $21
9. Big Orange – $34
10. Preferment – $11
11. Trip to Paris – $8
12. Red Cadeaux – $26
13. Max Dynamite – $17
14. Who Shot Thebarman – $13
15. The Offer – $151
16. Gust of Wind – $21
17. Sky Hunter – $21
18. Grand Marshal – $34
19. Quest For More – $101
20. Amralah – $13
21. Kingfisher – $26
22. Almoonqith – $15
23. Prince of Penzance – $51
24. Beaten Up – $101
25. Sertorius – $301
26. The United States – $26
27. Secret Number – $34
28. Dandino – $26
29. Pondarosa Miss – $301
30. Thunder Lady – $201
31. Like A Carousel – $301
32. Excess Knowledge – $67
33. Bohemian Lily – $301
34. Chance to Dance – $201
35. Havana Cooler – $101
36. Ruling Dynasty – $81
37. De Little Engine – $401
38. Elhamme – $81
39. Ethiopia – $201
40. High Midnight – $301
41. Thunder Set – $2001
42. Zanteca – $101