Australian News Today

Melbourne Cup field & odds taking shape

Melbourne Cup field & odds taking shape

Image: Brett Holburt

Sea King has been rehandicapped following his Bendigo Cup win while a further four horses have been withdrawn from the Melbourne Cup.

The Melbourne Cup field is getting closer to be finalised with 29 horses remaining in contention.

After third declarations were taken on Monday, 35 gallopers remained in the hunt for the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on Tuesday.

Since Monday however, Jan Brueghel, Via Sistina, Brayden Star, Muramasa, Le Don De Vie and Whiskey On The Hill have been withdrawn from the Flemington feature.

New Zealand-trained Trust In You is now number 24 in the Order Of Entry into the Cup with imported galloper Saint George number 25.

The safety limit is 24 with the final field and barriers to be announced on Saturday evening.

Following the news on Tuesday that Jan Brueghel would miss the race following the results of CT scans taken at Werribee last week, the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young pair of Brayden Star and Muramasa are the latest to fall victim.

Both stayers were withdrawn on the advice of an expert panel of internationally renowned equine surgeons and diagnostic imaging specialists after viewing their CT scans which indicated the pair were at a heightened risk of injury.

Meanwhile, impressive Bendigo Cup winner Sea King was penalised 0.5kg for his win in the 2400m race on Wednesday, taking his weight to 50.5kg.

UK rider Holly Doyle will make the trip to Melbourne to partner the Harry Eustace-trained stayer.

Racing Victoria Head Of Handicapping David Hegan said he was impressed with Sea King’s victory.

“The decisive nature of his victory warrants a penalty and a key line of relativity in the Melbourne Cup is Onesmoothoperator who sits on 51kg after receiving a 1kg penalty following his Geelong Cup win last week,” Hegan said.

“The two horses met recently in the Ebor Handicap in the UK where they crossed the line together. Sea King carried 1kg less than Onesmoothoperator that day but now moves to within 0.5kg of him.

“In relative terms to the benchmark, Onesmoothoperator was effectively given a 2.5kg increase on his overseas mark for the Geelong win so Sea King now moves 3kg up on his previous best form.”

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Melbourne Cup Likely Field:

1 VAUBAN (FR) 55.5kg Willie Mullins
2 CIRCLE OF FIRE (GB) 54.5kg Ciaron Maher
3 BUCKAROO (GB) 54.5kg Chris Waller
4 WARP SPEED (JPN) 54.5kg Noboru Takagi
5 SHARP ‘N’ SMART (NZ) 53.5kg G & D Rogerson
6 KOVALICA (NZ) 53.5kg Chris Waller
7 JUST FINE (IRE) 53kg Waterhouse & Bott
8 LAND LEGEND (FR) 53kg Chris Waller
9 ABSURDE (FR) 52.5kg Willie Mullins
10 ATHABASCAN (FR) 52kg O’Shea & Charlton
11 MAHRAJAAN (USA) 52kg Ritchie & Murray
12 KNIGHT’S CHOICE 51.5kg Symons & Laxon
13 ZARDOZI 51kg James Cummings
14 OKITA SOUSHI (IRE) 51kg Ciaron Maher
15 ONESMOOTHOPERATOR (USA) 51kg Brian Ellison
16 MURAMASA 51kg Busuttin & Young
17 VALIANT KING (GB) 50.5kg Chris Waller
18 THE MAP 50kg Dan Clarken & Oopy MacGillivray
19 INTERPRETATION (IRE) 50kg Ciaron Maher
20 FANCY MAN (IRE) 50kg Neasham & Archibald
21 MOSTLY CLOUDY (IRE) 50kg Busuttin & Young
22 POSITIVITY (NZ) 50kg Andrew Forsman
23 MISSION OF LOVE 50kg Symons & Laxon
24 SEA KING (GB) 50kg Harry Eustace
NEXT IN LINE
24 TRUST IN YOU (NZ) 50kg Wallace & Cooksley
25 SAINT GEORGE (GB) 50kg Ciaron Maher
26 BRAYDEN STAR (GB) 50kg Busuttin & Young
27 MANZOICE 50kg Chris Waller

2024 Melbourne Cup Odds:

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