Early entries for the Spring Cups were taken today, Thursday August 27, with the 2020 Melbourne Cup nominations attracting 174 horses for the 160^th edition of the ‘race that stops a nation’.

Last year’s eye-catching fifth placegetter Surprise Baby is early favourite in 2020 Melbourne Cup betting this spring. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

The world’s richest handicap, the Group 1 $7.75 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) takes place at Flemington on Tuesday November 3 and has drawn 174 nominations, up from 152 in 2019.

Last year there were 39 overseas-trained entries, a number down slightly in 2020 due to COVID-19 with 30 raiders in the mix.

“We were unsure as to the number of nominations that would be received this year given the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic so we’re delighted to see an increase in entries for both the Stella Artois Caulfield Cup and Lexus Melbourne Cup,” Greg Carpenter, Racing Vicctoria’s (RV) Executive General Manager – Racing, said.

“It is pleasing that there is tremendous depth among the entries for both races with 29 Group 1 winners in the Caulfield Cup and 25 in the Melbourne Cup.”

2020 Melbourne Cup Nominations Feature:

• 174 horses
• 30 overseas-trained raiders
• 25 Group 1 winners
• Last year’s winner Vow And Declare
• Two-time placegetter Prince Of Arran
• 7 for last year’s winning trainer (Danny O’Brien)
• 7 for Ireland’s Joseph O’Brien
• 13 for Chris Waller led by Verry Elleegant

Of the internationals, one of the standouts is the Joseph O’Brien-trained Buckhurst, O’Brien having won the race with Rekindling (2017) making history as the youngest ever Melbourne Cup winning trainer.

O’Brien has a total of seven entries – five for goliath owner Lloyd Williams – in his bid for a second Melbourne Cup including also Bolleville, Degraves and last year’s official fourth-placegetter Master Of Reality.

A nicely-bred son of Frankel, Master Of Reality has been in great form this year in Ireland running second to his stablemate Twilight Payment – also nominated for the Melbourne Cup – in the Group 2 Curragh Cup (2816m) and second in the Group 3 Irish St Leger Trial (2816m) on August 14.

He was second past the post in the Melbourne Cup last year before being demoted to fourth upon protest.

Further boosting the dominant hand in the Melbourne Cup nominations by the O’Brien family are nine entries for his Cox Plate winning father Aidan O’Brien led by the past two Irish Derby winners Sovereign (2019) and Santiago (2020).

The other standout international Melbourne Cup entry in 2020 is Charlie Fellowes’ two-time placegetter Prince Of Arran who ran third to Cross Counter in 2018 and second in the results last spring.

Prince Of Arran is entered for a third consecutive shot at the Melbourne Cup as are the Chris Waller-trained Finche and Sound for Michael Moroney.

Last year’s champion Vow And Declare is out to make history, trainer Danny O’Brien nominating the defending Melbourne Cup winner along with six of his stablemates.

No horse has managed to win back-to-back editions of the Melbourne Cup since the historic three-peat of the brilliant mare Makybe Diva (2003-05).

O’Brien looks to have a very strong hand in his shot at successive Melbourne Cup wins by a trainer with his potential contingent also including SA Derby winner Russian Camelot who is the second elect in all-in Melbourne Cup betting markets, the French-bred Adelaide Cup champion King Of Leogrance and reigning VRC Oaks winner Miami Bound.

Russian Camelot is also the early 2020 Caulfield Cup favourite following nominations for the 2400m feature on October 17 that drew 177 stayers.

Surprise Baby ran out of his skin for firth in the 2019 Melbourne Cup results and it is Paul Preusker’s son of the race’s 2009 champion Shocking who leads the all-in markets in 2020.

Sitting top of the post-nomination Melbourne Cup odds at Ladbrokes.com.au, Surprise Baby pays around $8 to take out the two-mile classic this season.

With the COVID-19 pandemic and travel restrictions causing issues for international raiders this Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival, it is the local horses dominating the markets.

Chris Waller’s first-up Group 1 Winx Stakes winning mare Verry Elleegant is third elect out to hand her four-time Cox Plate winning trainer with his first ‘Loving Trophy’.

Waller has a total of 13 Melbourne Cup nominations that also include his Schweppes Oaks winning mare Toffee Tongue and the aforementioned Finche.

Melbourne Cup 2020 first acceptances close at midday (local time) on Tuesday September 29.

Click here for the latest 2020 Melbourne Cup futures betting courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au following the weights being announced on September 8.

2020 Melbourne Cup Nominations

Flemington Race 7: Tuesday November 3, 2020

   Table Credit: Racing Australia.