Second acceptances for the Group 1 $8 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) were taken on Tuesday leaving 65 horses still in the hunt for the world’s richest handicap.

Russian Camelot remains in 2020 Melbourne Cup contention as one of three second acceptors for last year’s winning trainer Danny O’Brien. Photo: Jenny Barnes.

The 2020 Melbourne Cup second acceptances narrowed down the list of stayers heading towards the ‘race that stops the nation’ at HQ on Tuesday November 3 from 94 at first acceptance stage to 65, one up on the same stage in 2019.

It is the highest number of second acceptors for the iconic two-mile showdown at Flemington since 2010 and there are still a dozen internationals looking to steal this year’s edition of the ‘Loving Trophy’ including nine inside the Top 24 on the latest order of entry.

One of those raiders sits top of the latest all-in Melbourne Cup odds online at Ladbrokes.com.au with the Aidan O’Brien-trained Tiger Moth ($7) considered the one to beat in the lead-up.

The lightly-raced Galileo entire has had just four starts for two wins and two minor placings and was last seen winning a Group 3 over the mile and a half by a runaway four lengths at Leopardstown a month ago.

Star Irish horseman and former Cox Plate winning trainer O’Brien is out to secure his first Melbourne Cup success and has also paid up for Santiago, a son of 2007 English Derby champ Authorized, and last year’s Epsom Derby winner Anthony Van Dyck.

Like Tiger Moth, Santiago is a Northern Hemisphere three-year-old sitting high up the futures Melbourne Cup betting markets at $12.

Their older stablemate, last start Group 2 Prix Foy champ Anthony Van Dyck is at $21 to carry this year’s 58.5kg Melbourne Cup top weight to victory.

O’Brien’s son and trainer of the 2017 Melbourne Cup winner Rekindling, Joseph O’Brien also has a strong contingent heading towards this year’s race with: Master Of Reality, Twilight Payment, Buckhurst and Pondus.

All four are raced by the prolific six-time Melbourne Cup winning owner Lloyd Williams.

The best fancied of the local contingent is four-year-old Russian Camelot ($9) for last year’s winning trainer Danny O’Brien.

The reigning SA Derby champ from the autumn, Russian Camelot won the Group 1 Underwood Stakes two back before his shock loss as the beaten odds-on favourite behind Arcadia Queen in last weekend’s Group 1 Caulfield Stakes (2000m).

He remains on track for the Group 1 $5 million Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) at The Valley on October 24, while O’Brien is keeping the longer-distanced Cup classic on the cards also.

Danny O’Brien also still has the reigning Melbourne Cup winner Vow And Declare in contention for a title defence on the first Tuesday of November.

Last year’s eye-catching Melbourne Cup fifth placegetter Surprise Baby features prominently in the markets following the latest round of acceptances also at $9.

The Paul Preusker-trained son of the 2009 Melbourne Cup hero Shocking hasn’t won since his Cup qualifying success in last October’s Group 3 The Bart Cummings.

This prep he ran a first-up second to Humidor in the Group 2 Feehan Stakes over the mile before a somewhat disappointing ninth to Verry Elleegant in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) on October 3.

The in-form training duo of Ciaron Maher & David Eustace also look to have a dominant hand with their recent import Sir Dragonent and this year’s gutsy The Bart Cummings winner Persan, who won’t race again in the lead-up to the Melbourne Cup 2020, in the mix.

A host of the Melbourne Cup-bound horses will face off in this weekend’s Group 1 $5 million Caulfield Cup (2400m), final acceptances for which close at 3:00pm (AEDT) on Wednesday afternoon including Anthony Van Dyck.

Other likely Caulfield Cup contenders among the Melbourne Cup second declarations are the Chris Waller-trained trio of Verry Elleegant, Toffee Tongue and Finche who ran the trifecta in the Turnbull Stakes last time out.

As for the internationals in the Caulfield Cup field, the Charlie Fellowes-trained Prince Of Arran and Andrew Balding’s Dashing Willoughby are out to become the third straight raider to claim the opening leg of the Spring Cups double before backing-up in the second leg over 3200m.

Among the most notable withdrawals form the Melbourne Cup horses were recent French import Port Guillaume (Tom Dabernig & Ben Hayes) and Young Rascal (Archie Alexander).

Their non-acceptance has seen an update to the Melbourne Cup order of entry with reigning VRC Oaks winner Miami Bound (Danny O’Brien) and the aforementioned Waller-trained Toffee Tongue both now inside the Top 24.

The 2020 Melbourne Cup third acceptances close on Monday October 26, 2020.

Click here to check out the latest futures Melbourne Cup 2020 betting odds courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.

2020 Melbourne Cup Second Acceptances

Table Credit: Racing Australia.