Nine international horses trained outside of Australia and New Zealand will take to the Flemington track for Race 7 tomorrow as part of the 24-horse 2010 Melbourne Cup field.

The record number of overseas raiders looking to win the 150^th Melbourne Cup means there is a strong chance the most famous Australian horse race and the ‘Loving Trophy’ will go to an international contender.

International Horses in 2010 Melbourne Cup Field:

• Campanologist (Saeed Bin Suroor)
• Illustrious Blue (William J Knight)
• Mr Medici (Peter Ho)
• Americain (Alain de Royer Dupre)
• Tokai Trick (Kenji Nonaka)
• Manighar (Luca Cumani)
• Profound Beauty (Dermot K Weld)
• Bauer (Luca Cumani)
• Holberg (Saeed Bin Suroor)

Of the northern-hemisphere Melbourne Cup hopefuls, French stayer Americain is the favourite among the punters paying $13 to win through Luxbet.

Winner of the Geelong Cup in fine style at their first Australian start on October 20, the Alain de Royer Dupre-trained and Australian owned Americain is due to jump midfield from barrier 12 with Gerald Mosse aboard, an excellent lightweight chance carrying 54.5kg.

Japan have their first Melbourne Cup runner since Delta Blues and Pop Rock ran the 2006 Melbourne Cup Quinella, with Tokai Trick lining up from the ideal barrier four draw due to be ridden by Japanese jockey Shinji Fujita.

Two internationals are back in the Melbourne Cup field after running in the race two years ago, Luca Cumani’s 2008 runner-up Bauer and fifth placegetter Profound Beauty.

Bauer is still an uncertainty to start in tomorrow’s $6 million feature, awaiting clearance for a hoof injury.

Talented mare Profound Beauty, on the other hand, is an early fancy paying $26 to become the Melbourne Cup winner through Luxbet.

Irish St Leger runner-up Profound Beauty is trained by Dermot Weld, seeking his third Melbourne Cup win, and is due to jump from the wide Melbourne Cup barrier draw 22 with Patrick Smullen in the mount.

Other notable internationals in this year’s Melbourne Cup line-up include Hong Kong champion Mr Medici drawn well in barrier five who will thrive on a rain-affected Flemington track, and the second runner for trainer Luca Cumani Manighar, a strong chance after finishing an eye-catching fifth in the Caulfield Cup.

To get behind any of these Melbourne Cup horses and to check out the full odds and betting options on the famous Flemington feature, due to jump at 3:00pm (AEDST) tomorrow, head to Luxbet now!