The Anthony Cummings-trained Landlocked has improved his chances of a berth in the 2010 Melbourne Cup after winning first-up at Canterbury yesterday.

A four-year-old son of boom sire of stayers Zabeel, Landlocked went out at $12 and enjoyed a forceful win over 1200m in the STC Members Handicap.

Landlocked, raced by Gerry Harvey, is currently one of the long-priced hopefuls for the $6 million Melbourne Cup on Tuesday November 2 paying $151 at [sportsbet].

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Continuing to show maturity since failing to place in the AJC Australian Derby last year, Landlocked will stay in Sydney for the Group 3 Craven Plate (2000m) at Randwick on October 2 before heading to Melbourne.

Cummings’ other Melbourne Cup aspirants are Home On A Wing, Miss Darcey, Nothin’ Leica Cat and his shortest-priced entry Zavite paying $51 at [sportsbet].

International Cup Contenders Under Threat

In other 2010 Melbourne Cup news, there is now a fear no international contenders will be among the 24-horse final field for the 150^th anniversary of the race after a final approval of quarantine facilities at Werribee have been delayed.

The new complex was to be opened by Victorian Racing Minister Rob Hulls on Wednesday, but the opening was cancelled and the connections of a number of overseas Melbourne Cup nominees are reconsidering the spring carnival campaigns.

Racing Victoria Limited has already stopped horses from England and Macau from arriving this week after the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS) rejected signing off on the Werribee quarantine manual.

Currently the top international Melbourne Cup contenders in the ante-post betting markets are Japanese stayer Meiner Kitz and Britain’s Sans Frontieres paying $17 at [sportsbet].

All the best Melbourne Cup odds are not at the TAB but online at [sportsbet], so get in early and check out the lucrative early markets open at [sportsbet] today!