The race for the $10 million Melbourne Cup has narrowed, with 40 horses still in contention following Monday’s third round of declarations.
The final field for the 3200-metre Flemington feature will be confirmed after the Victoria Derby Day meeting this Saturday, ahead of the November 4 showdown.
This year’s tally of 40 runners exceeds last year’s 35 at the same stage, with 11 international contenders among the hopefuls — including the first ever American-trained horse, Parchment Party.
Irish trainer Joseph O’Brien, already a dual Cup winner, remains well represented with Al Riffa and Goodie Two Shoes, while additional contenders hail from the UK, France, Germany, and Japan — all nations with past Melbourne Cup success.
Onesmoothoperator, who captured the Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m) on Friday, secured a ballot exemption for his victory. He also earned a 1kg penalty from Racing Victoria’s Head of Handicapping, David Hegan, taking him to 53kg for the Cup.
Torranzino, who narrowly won the Geelong Cup (2400m), was not rehandicapped, while runner-up Gilded Water — owned by The King — was a surprise omission from the latest declarations.
Locally, Half Yours, trained by Tony and Calvin McEvoy, leads the Australian hopes after taking out the Caulfield Cup. He’ll be aiming to become the 13th horse to complete the coveted Cups double.
Chris Waller, fresh from Cox Plate success with Via Sistina, has eight contenders still in play, including Buckaroo, Valiant King, and River Of Stars — the latter pair both placegetters in the Caulfield Cup. Waller is chasing his second Cup win after Verry Elleegant’s triumph in 2021.
Ciaron Maher’s strong hand includes Middle Earth, Smokin’ Romans, and Royal Supremacy — the latter currently sitting 24th in the ballot order. Mark Twain, Birdman, Post Impressionist, and Scary sit on the fringe in positions 25–28.
Meanwhile, Sydney Cup winner Arapaho will have his final hit-out in Wednesday’s Bendigo Cup (2400m), while Interpretation (33), Don Diego De Vega (34), Sayedaty Sadaty (35), and Quietness (38) are hoping to boost their chances of sneaking into the final field.
Betting on the Melbourne Cup is heating up, and punters can find the latest markets at trusted Australian betting sites.
