Melbourne Cup Photo: AAP
Rain is forecast to hit Flemington Racecourse for today's running of the Melbourne Cup.
There may even be a thunderstorm and hail in the afternoon and evening for the public holiday in the state.
Two of the top three horses in the market for the Melbourne Cup are a bit of a mystery, as they have not raced in Australia prior to the race.
The favourite is English thoroughbred Deauville Legend, trained in England by James Ferguson. Deauville Legend won the Great Voltigeur Stakes over 2,385m at York in August.
The Gai Waterhouse-trained Fiorente was the last favourite to win the Melbourne Cup in 2013, but Ferguson is confident his horse can live up to expectations.
"Watching the horse at Werribee this morning (Monday), I think he's in great nick," Ferguson told SEN.
"I can't be sending the horse into the race in better form, I feel, so the rest is up to him.
"I'm not too bothered (by the weather forecast), to be honest. He's got a pedigree that says he'll handle the soft (track).
"Whatever it is tomorrow, it won't be English soft."
Behind him is another English galloper, the Irish-bred Without A Fight, trained by Simon Balding for owner Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the vice-president and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates.
Without a Fight has won two races over a 2,787m distance this year, but like Deauville Legend has not run over 3,200m.
Splitting the pair is the David Payne-trained local galloper Montefilia, who was a flashing fourth in the Caulfield Cup.
The 2019 Melbourne Cup winner Vow and Declare, trained by Danny O'Brien, is also back for a third crack at the race after a sixth place finish in the Caulfield Cup.
Kiwi jockey Jason Collett (riding Montefilia) provides a talented two-pronged riding attack, while the New Zealand-bred horses include Turnbull Stakes winner Smokin' Romans, who started out life at White Robe Lodge near the Otago town of Mosgiel.
Expat New Zealand trainers Bjorn Baker and Michael Moroney are represented by Arapaho and Emissary respectively.
Crowd numbers should be back to normal for the first time in three years after the Covid-19 pandemic meant spectators were limited to 10,000 last year and banned from the course the year before.
The horses jump at 5pm New Zealand time.
CONFIRMED MELBOURNE CUP FIELD (barriers in parenthesis)
1. GOLD TRIP (FR), Jockey: Mark Zahra - 57.5kg (14)
2. DUAIS Hugh Bowman - 55.5kg (10)
3. KNIGHTS ORDER (IRE) Tim Clark - 55.5kg (24)
4. MONTEFILIA Jason Collett - 55.5kg (11)
5. NUMERIAN (IRE) Tommy Berry - 55.5kg (7)
6. WITHOUT A FIGHT (IRE) William Buick - 55.5kg (18)
7. CAMORRA (IRE) Ben Melham - 55kg (17)
8. DEAUVILLE LEGEND (IRE) Kerrin McEvoy - 55kg (9)
9. STOCKMAN (NZ) Sam Clipperton - 54kg (2)
10. VOW AND DECLARE Blake Shinn - 54kg (4)
11. YOUNG WERTHER (NZ) Damian Lane - 54kg (21)
12. HOO YA MA (GB) Craig Williams - 53.5kg (15)
13. SERPENTINE (IRE) John Allen - 53.5kg (23)
14. DAQUIANSWEET JUNIOR (NZ) Daniel Moor - 53kg (13)
15. GRAND PROMENADE (GB) Harry Coffey - 53kg (1)
16. ARAPAHO (FR) Rachel King - 52.5kg (19)
17. EMISSARY (GB) Patrick Moloney - 51.5kg (3)
18. LUNAR FLARE Michael Dee - SCRATCHED
19. SMOKIN' ROMANS (NZ) Jamie Kah - 51.5kg (16)
20. TRALEE ROSE (NZ) Dean Yendall - 51.5kg (22)
21. POINT NEPEAN (IRE) SCRATCHED
22. HIGH EMOCEAN (NZ) Teo Nugent - 50kg (8)
23. INTERPRETATION (IRE) Craig Newitt - 50kg (6)
24. REALM OF FLOWERS Damien Thornton - 50kg (5)
-ABC / RNZ
