Perth-based hoop William Pike will secure his first ride in the ‘race that stops a nation’ heading east on the first Tuesday of November to partner Real Love in the Melbourne Cup 2016 field should she line-up in the two mile classic.

Real Love will reunite with Perth jockey William Pike should she line-up in the 2016 Melbourne Cup field on November 1. Photo: Daniel Costello.

Bred and raced by prolific Western Australian owner Bob Peters, six-year-old Desert King mare Real Love is now prepared in Victoria by last year’s Melbourne Cup winning trainer Darren Weir.

This weekend she lines-up in the $300,000 Group 3 Lexus Stakes (2500m), the winner of which is exempt from ballot for the $6 million Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) on November 1.

Real Love is already guaranteed a spot in the capacity 24-starter Melbourne Cup field sitting 16^th on the order of entry after Racing Victoria took 32 second declarations for the world’s richest handicap this week.

A decision will be made post-Derby Day on whether or not to press onto the  Melbourne Cup three days later, with Pike on standby to reunite with the mare for the first time since October last year.

She was one of the staying stars in Perth winning the 2015 Perth Cup (2400m) and running third in this year’s edition of the same mile and a half showdown, Pike aboard for the first.

From eight rides on Real Love, Pike has enjoyed six victories with her only losses with him in the saddle being the WA Oaks second and finishing runner-up to Black Heart Bart in the Listed Carbine Club Stakes (1400m) at Ascot in November of 2014.

Since joining Weir’s operation she has enjoyed four wins, most recently the Group 3 JRA Cup (2040m) at Moonee Valley on September 30.

Her latest run was a fifth behind Ciaron Maher’s outstanding mare Jameka in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 15 with Craig Williams in the saddle.

Real Love’s regular rider in Perth, Pike, is keen to reunite with the $1.4 million earner with Williams unavailable for the Melbourne Cup ride having been booked to ride a Charlie Appleby-trained English raider for Godolphin.

In the latest futures Melbourne Cup odds at Ladbrokes.com.au Real Love is rated a $31 chance to hand Weir back-to-back Loving Trophies after his upset win with Prince Of Penzance ($101 in 2015) 12 months ago.

One horse needing to win the Lexus Stakes on Saturday to make the Melbourne Cup final field is the Lee & Anthony Freedman-trained Tom Melbourne.

He sits equal 30^th on the Melbourne Cup order of entry with 50kg following the import’s last start second in the Group 3 Coongy Cup (2000m) at Caulfield on October 15.

Jockey Dwayne Dunn will be replaced in the Lexus Stakes on Saturday aboard Tom Melbourne by triple-Melbourne Cup winning hoop Glen Boss (Makybe Diva 2003-05).

He jets in from a stint in Singapore for the ride and will retain the ride should the horse make the Melbourne Cup line-up according to OTI Racing’s Terry Henderson.

“Glen knows what is needed on the first Tuesday in November and we were very pleased with his [Tom Melbourne’s] last start,” Henderson told the media on Monday.

“The tongue-tie made an enormous difference [last start] and we feel he has improved.

“The trip [3200m in the Melbourne Cup] is the big question mark, because he’s never won beyond 2100m before.

“But his dam [Roshanak, by Spinning World] is a half-sister to Fiorente and he managed the 3200m well enough when he won the Cup in 2013.”

Tom Melbourne is an $81 roughie in all-in Melbourne Cup betting.

Check out the full pre-field markets for the famous Flemington Race 7 open now at Ladbrokes.com.au!