Breedingracing.com reports: Nominations for the $6.2 million Gr1 Melbourne Cup (3200m at Flemington on Tuesday 1 November) closed September 1, a month later than previous tradition, with the 163 entries including 25 currently being prepared in the Northern Hemisphere. Racing Victoria’s international recruiting officer Leigh Jordon said he was pleased with the international nominations which, as expected, have “less speculative entries with the change in entry dates. With nominations closing a month later, the entries are more indicative of which internationals are likely to come or are genuinely interested in doing so if they perform in their homeland this month. By way of comparison, there were 25 internationals in contention for the Melbourne Cup at the same time last year with 1st declarations taken in the 1st week of September. Last year there were 8 internationals that started in the Cup (following the morning scratching of Bauer) and we expect 6-8 internationals to contest this year’s 151st edition.”
- Bart Cummings (who won the race for the 12th time in 2008 with Viewed) has 5 entries: imported German stayer Illo (a last start Listed-winner in his homeland, who arrives in Australia on September 24); last season’s Moonee Valley Cup winner Precedence (8th in last year’s Cup, unplaced when resuming last weekend at Caulfield); 4YO maiden Cosmonaut; last start Sydney winner Tamanu Park; and emerging 5YO Pegembak.
- Heading the international entries is Australian-owned French-trained defending Melbourne Cup champion Americain for Alain de Royer Dupre. He is joined by fellow French trainer Mikel Delzangles with recent Gr3-winner Dunaden (who has missed a place just twice in his past 13 starts).
- Ireland’s dual Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Dermot Weld has entered highly-rated last start Ballyroan Stakes winner Sense Of Purpose and Galileo’s Choice (who like Weld’s 1993 Cup winner Vintage Crop, was a winner over jumps 2 starts back).
- Global racing giant Godolphin their head trainer Saeed bin Suroor (who have finished runner-up 3 times) have entered Cavalryman and Lost In The Moment.
- UK trainer Luca Cumani (who trained 2007 runner-up Purple Moon and 2008 runner-up Bauer) has entered 4 horses including last year’s 7th-placed Manighar.
- Entries have been received for the 1st time from Irish trainer Jessica Harrington (Bob Le Beau) and UK trainer David Lanigan (Meeznah).
- UK trainer Brian Ellison has entered recent Ebor Handicap winner Moyenne Corniche and stable-mate Saptapadi.
- Leviathan Melbourne owner Lloyd Williams and his private trainer Robert Hickmott have the most entries of any stable with 12, led by Linton and imported gallopers Alandi and Midas Touch.
- Premier Sydney trainer Chris Waller has 10 entries led by The Queen’s former horse and Gr1-winner My Kingdom Of Fife, plus this year’s Gr1 Sydney Cup winner Stand To Gain.
- Fellow Sydney trainer Gai Waterhouse has entered 9 horses, including last year’s Gr1 Caulfield Cup winner Descarado and Brisbane Cup winner Tullamore.
- Melbourne-based trainer Mike Moroney has 8 horses entered, including imports Glass Harmonium, Don Carlos and Diyaraka, plus last year’s Gr1 Crown Oaks winner Brazilian Pulse.
- Victoria’s premier trainer Peter Moody has 5 entries, including current favourite Lights Of Heaven, Memsie Stakes winner King’s Rose and last season’s Gr1 Caulfield Guineas winner Anacheeva.
- Last year’s Melbourne Cup runner-up Maluckyday is back for another tilt, as is New Zealand’s Harris Tweed (who has finished 5th in the past 2 Melbourne Cups).
- German stayer Lucas Cranach (the early plunge horse in betting for this year’s Cup) arrives in Australia on September 24 to join the Anthony Freedman stable.
- Classy Hong Kong stayer Mighty High arrives in Australia on September 6 and will contest the Gr1 Caulfield Cup en route to the Melbourne Cup.
- Australia’s champion jumper Black And Bent (unbeaten in 4 hurdle starts in 2011) has been entered by trainer Robert Smerdon.
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