German trainer Andreas Wohler has been there and done that in the ‘Race That Stops a Nation’ and his 2017 Melbourne Cup Tip is for dual winning hoop Kerrin McEvoy to get the job done on his widely-drawn runner Red Cardinal.

Jockey Kerrin McEvoy chases a third Melbourne Cup winning ride from a wide barrier partnering Red Cardinal from the outside gate in 2017. Photo: Daniel Costello.

Wohler enjoyed a win in the world’s richest handicap in 2014 with Protectionist who improved on a lead-up fourth in that season’s Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) to salute at $8 Melbourne Cup odds from barrier 10 (of 22) carrying 56.5kg in the form of hoop Ryan Moore.

This spring Wohler returns saddling-up one of the 11 international Melbourne Cup horses in the two mile Flemington classic with Red Cardinal jumping from the outside barrier in the Group 1 $6.25 million Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m).

The early scratching of Who Shot Thebarman from the Melbourne Cup field leaves 23 contenders and that sees Montjeu six-year-old Red Cardinal jump from barrier 23 of 23.

No Melbourne Cup winner inside the past 30 years has won the race from the gate, but the last to salute from the outside alley was Brew who jumped from 22 of 22 after two scratchings from that year’s line-up.

McEvoy was on the Michael Moroney-trained Brew for his first winning ride in the Melbourne Cup, adding a second last year giving owner Lloyd Williams his fifth win on Almandin (2016).

Almandin, who returns to defend his title this afternoon jumping from gate 14 with international jockey Frankie Dettori in the saddle, also won the Melbourne Cup from a wide barrier jumping from 17 of 24.

That gives Wohler confidence tipping McEvoy to overcome the outside Melbourne Cup barrier with Red Cardinal today, his galloper out to be the first international to win without a lead-up run down under since Vintage Crop (1993).

“Doesn’t help a lot [the wide draw], but if there’s one jockey in the race that can do it, it’s probably Kerrin,” Wohler told Racing Victoria on Monday.

It is a notable hoodoo to overcome for the visitors that haven’t had the benefit of an earlier spring run in Australia, but Red Cardinal remains relatively safe in Melbourne Cup betting at Ladbrokes.com.au paying $17.

His jockey McEvoy has been in excellent form this year posting seven Group 1 victories in 2017 and is out to ride successive Melbourne Cup champions to victory for the first time since Glen Boss partnered the mighty Makybe Diva for her record three on the trot from 2003-05.

Boss meanwhile can equal the Melbourne Cup jockeys’ record of four victories currently co-held by Bobby Lewis and Harry White riding the Lindsay Park-trained Ventura Storm in today’s race.

Runner-up to Winx in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Headquarters two back, the imported Zoffany five-year-old is out to atone for his unplaced run in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 21.

Ventura Storm is drawn well in barrier six and is at $34 in the latest Melbourne Cup odds, while the stable’s Caulfield Cup winner Boom Time pays the same price to do the Spring Cups double for the first time since Ethereal (2001).

To check out the latest Melbourne Cup 2017 odds online and back your selections for the famous race head to Ladbrokes.com.au.