2017 Melbourne Cup First Acceptances Feature 55

October 10, 2017

2017 Melbourne Cup First Acceptances Feature 55

Just 55 stayers remain in contention for the ‘race that stops a nation’ following the Melbourne Cup 2017 first acceptances taken this week.

Amelie's Star

The Bart Cummings winner Amelie’s Star is one of eight Darren Weir-trained Melbourne Cup 2017 First Acceptances. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

After attracting 140 nominations, entries for this year’s Group 1 $6 million Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) have been slashed at first acceptance stage and are up two from the same stage last spring.

All-in Melbourne Cup odds for the November 7 classic at Ladbrokes.com.au still have the defending champion Almandin in top spot at $7 despite a disappointing run from the Lloyd Williams-owned import last weekend.

Almandin won last year’s Melbourne Cup carrying only 52kg after qualifying through a lead-up win in the Group 3 The Bart Cummings (2500m).

The now eight-year-old was attempting a win in the same key Melbourne Cup lead-up last Saturday, but laboured under the 60kg top weight and finished fourth behind Amelie’s Star.

Williams is a five-time Melbourne Cup winning owner and along with Almandin has seven other horses still heading towards the world’s richest handicap this season.

The other Williams-owned, Robert Hickmott-trained Melbourne Cup first acceptances are: Sir Isaac Newton, Bondi Beach, Gallante, Assign, Aloft, Foundry and Amralah.

Darren Weir’s upset The Bart Cummings winner Amelie’s Star now sits top of the Melbourne Cup order of entry and escaped a weight penalty heading towards it and the earlier Group 1 $3 million Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 21.

“Amelie’s Star will meet Almandin on the same weight terms in the Melbourne Cup as she did on Saturday [5.5kg less] and is 1.5kg worse off against Harlem,” Racing Victoria’s Executive General Manager – Racing Greg Carpenter said.

“Her Melbourne Cup weight will be 51kg, the same weight Almandin was given after he won The Bart Cummings in 2016 before going on to win the Melbourne Cup [with 52kg after weights were raised].”

The Bart Cummings winner Amelie’s Star is one of eight Melbourne Cup first acceptances for Darren Weir who won the race in 2015 with 100/1 roughie Prince Of Penzance

The six-year-old daughter of Testa Rossa is in with just 51kg in the Melbourne Cup weights and will be out to hand Weir with his second success in the two mile classic after his boilover in 2015 with $101 roughie Prince Of Penzance.

No mare has won the Melbourne Cup meanwhile since the mighty Makybe Diva (2003-05) who is the sole horse to win three editions.

Weir also has eight Melbourne Cup first acceptors with Amelie’s Star joined by stablemates: Admire Deus, Humidor, Big Duke, Gallic Chieftain, Kellstorm, Gailo Chop and Guardini.

Of those the best fancied along with $11 shot Amelie’s Star is Japanese import Admire Deus who has arrived down under and is settling in well at Werribee.

Another gun mare looking to beat home the boys in the staying test this year is Bonneval who is also the current top fancy for the Caulfield Cup.

Prepared across the Tasman by Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman, the NZ Oaks – ATC Oaks double winner is set to race this weekend in the Group 1 $1 million Ladbrokes Caulfield Stakes (2000m) chasing her seventh win on the trot.

The four-year-old daughter of Makfi has enjoyed back-to-back Melbourne wins this spring, most recently defeating Hartnell and Gailo Chop in the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on October 1.

Cambridge-based trainers Baker & Forsman have also paid Melbourne Cup first acceptance fees for their ATC Derby winner Jon Snow and Lizzie L’Amour.

The internationally-trained Melbourne Cup horses still entered for a shot at being the first successful raider since Protectionist (2014) are:

  • Tiberian (Alain Couetil)
  • Rekindling (Joseph O’Brien)
  • US Army Ranger (Joseph O’Brien)
  • Red Cardinal (Andreas Wohler)
  • Marmelo (Hughie Morrison)
  • Johannes Vermeer (Aidan O’Brien)
  • Max Dynamite (William Mullins)
  • Wicklow Brave (William Mullins)
  • Thomas Hobson (William Mullins)
  • Qewy (Charlie Appleby)
  • Kidmenever (Charlie Appleby)
  • Francis Of Assisi (Charlie Appleby)
  • Nakeeta (Iain Jardine)
  • Wall Of Fire (Hugh Palmer)

The Melbourne Cup second acceptances are open until 10am (AEDT) on October 30, before the official final field of Melbourne Cup horses is announced at 4:30pm (AEDT) on Victoria Derby Day, November 4.

Check out the full 2017 Melbourne Cup First Acceptances below before heading to Ladbrokes.com.au for the updated odds on the $6 million feature.

2017 Melbourne Cup First Acceptances

Flemington Race 7 – 07/11/2017

# Form (Last 10) Horse Sex Age Trainer Ballot Weight Hcp. Rating
1 4214×83941 AMELIE’S STAR M 6 Darren Weir 1 51kg 7
2 3x2822x122 HARTNELL (GB) G 7 James Cummings 2 57.5kg 2
3 665111×214 ALMANDIN (GER) G 8 Robert Hickmott 3 56.5kg 3
4 337311×681 JON SNOW (NZ) H 4 Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman 4 54.5kg 3.5
5 39x260x34x ADMIRE DEUS (JPN) H 7 Darren Weir 5 56kg 3.5
6 42212×6813 HUMIDOR (NZ) G 5 Darren Weir 6 56kg 3.5
7 5P31111x11 BONNEVAL (NZ) M 4 Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman 7 52.5kg 4
8 242x11711x TIBERIAN (FR) H 6 Alain Couetil 8 55.5kg 4
9 210×140124 REKINDLING (GB) H 4 Joseph O’Brien 9 51.5kg 4
10 1132x11x5x RED CARDINAL (IRE) G 6 Andreas Wohler 10 55kg 4.5
11 1232x1521x MARMELO (GB) H 5 Hughie Morrison 11 55kg 4.5
12 3x5126x696 INFERENCE H 4 Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes 12 53.5kg 4.5
13 312612×054 SINGLE GAZE M 5 Nick Olive 13 53kg 5
14 1x3x45712x JOHANNES VERMEER (IRE) H 5 Aidan O’Brien 14 54.5kg 5
15 5x3642x944 WHO SHOT THEBARMAN (NZ) G 9 Chris Waller 15 54kg 5.5
16 1x2x30x91x MAX DYNAMITE (FR) G 8 William Mullins 16 54kg 5.5
17 1121x5x762 VENTURA STORM (IRE) H 5 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 17 54kg 5.5
18 10×8142444 WICKLOW BRAVE (GB) G 9 William Mullins 18 54kg 5.5
19 0x46x11x8x FRANCIS OF ASSISI (IRE) G 8 Charlie Appleby 19 54kg 5.5
20 4407x5x865 SIR ISAAC NEWTON (GB) G 6 Robert Hickmott 20 54kg 5.5
21 x11x330x90 BONDI BEACH (IRE) G 6 Robert Hickmott 21 54kg 5.5
22 428×320386 US ARMY RANGER (IRE) H 5 Joseph O’Brien 22 53.5kg 6
23 21113×5502 BIG DUKE (IRE) G 6 Darren Weir 23 53.5kg 6
24 x031x270x0 GALLANTE (IRE) G 7 Robert Hickmott 24 53kg 6.5
25 x8746Px616 LIBRAN (IRE) G 7 Chris Waller 25 53kg 6.5
26 22x141x40x QEWY (IRE) G 8 Charlie Appleby 26 53kg 6.5
27 202x024x1x NAKEETA (GB) G 7 Iain Jardine 27 53kg 6.5
28 x37301x373 CHOCANTE (NZ) G 5 Stephen Marsh 28 53kg 6.5
29 9210x71x04 ASSIGN (IRE) G 7 Robert Hickmott 29 53kg 6.5
30 6151021×76 LIZZIE L’AMOUR (NZ) M 5 Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman 30 51.5kg 6.5
31 11x6248x2x WALL OF FIRE (IRE) H 5 Hugo Palmer 31 53kg 6.5
32 1135104×08 ANNUS MIRABILIS (IRE) G 7 Stuart Webb 32 52.5kg 7
33 9P01712x72 THOMAS HOBSON (GB) G 8 William Mullins 33 52kg 7.5
34 7x39x12x13 ALOFT (IRE) G 6 Robert Hickmott 34 51.5kg 8
35 84x386x515 HARLEM (GB) H 6 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 35 51.5kg (inculdes 0.5kg penalty) 8.5
36 830x33x241 FOUNDRY (IRE) H 8 Robert Hickmott 36 51kg (includes 1.0kg penalty) 8.5
37 1x073x0000 BERISHA G 6 Robert Smerdon 37= 50.5kg 9
38 x34340x468 HARLOW GOLD (NZ) M 4 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 37= 50kg 9
39 x97860x049 PENTATHLON (NZ) G 6 John Wheeler 39 50.5kg 9
40 184260×504 FANATIC (NZ) M 5 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 40 50kg 9.5
41 225223×541 COOL CHAP G 5 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 41 50kg 9.5
42 65123×8135 BROADSIDE (NZ) G 6 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 42 50kg 9.5
43 x500864121 AUVRAY (FR) G 7 Richard Freedman 43 50kg 9.5
44 21x3811x76 GALLIC CHIEFTAIN (FR) H 5 Darren Weir 44 50kg 9.5
45 82x542x998 VENGEUR MASQUE (IRE) G 6 Michael Moroney 45 50kg 9.5
46 x173511163 KELLSTORM (IRE) H 5 Darren Weir 46 50kg 9.5
47 81x37x0143 GAILO CHOP (FR) G 7 Darren Weir 47 55.5kg 4
48 80x621x020 GUARDINI (FR) H 7 Darren Weir 48= 53kg 6.5
49 1x8400x725 ABBEY MARIE M 5 Michael Kent 48= 51.5kg 6.5
50 0x0D71x000 AMRALAH (IRE) H 8 Robert Hickmott 50= 52kg 7.5
51 516510×393 BOOM TIME H 6 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 50= 52kg 7.5
52 533x0x0380 FOUNDATION (IRE) G 5 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 52= 50.5kg 9
53 624x42x32x KIDMENEVER (IRE) H 5 Charlie Appleby 52= 50.5kg 9
54 34×5411411 ALWARD (IRE) G 5 Chris Waller 54= 50kg 9.5
55 22×2325210 CISMONTANE (NZ) G 5 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 54= 50kg 9.5

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