The Godolphin-raced Hartnell was one of the surprise second acceptances for the Melbourne Cup 2017 field and jockey Damian Lane has picked up the ride on the top weight for the two mile classic.

Last year’s third placegetter Hartnell has Damian Lane booked for the 2017 Melbourne Cup ride. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

James Cummings’ Authorzied seven-year-old Hartnell hasn’t raced since the disappointing ninth to Gailo Chop in the Group 1 Ladbrokes Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield on October 14.

The gelding bypassed the Group 1 BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m) and was also absent from another clash with super mare Winx in last Saturday’s Group 1 Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m).

Connections however have confirmed the horse for the Group 1 $6.25 million Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on Tuesday November 7.

Hartnell was one of 36 Melbourne Cup second acceptances taken by Racing Victoria on Monday morning and is allocated the 57.5kg top weight in the ‘Race That Stops A Nation’.

Lane will partner the import for the first time in the famous Flemington Race 7 with Hartnell contesting his third Melbourne Cup in as many years.

In 2015 James McDonald rode him to a 15^th place finish behind Darren Weir’s $101 upset winner Prince Of Penzance on the back of a Cox Plate fifth to Winx.

In 2016 Hartnell improved, crossing second to Winx for her second Cox Plate trophy before rounding out the Melbourne Cup trifecta in third behind Almandin (1^st) and Heartbreak City (2^nd) with McDonald aboard again.

Hartnell has won just one race since his 2016 Turnbull Stakes success, saluting at Caulfield first-up on August 19 in the Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m).

Back-to-back Group 1 seconds followed behind Humidor and Bonneval respectively in the Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield before the Ladbrokes Stakes flop.

Hartnell is out to $41 in futures Melbourne Cup betting at Ladbrokes.com.au, markets on the race led by the defending Lloyd Williams-owned champion Almandin ($6.50).

Occupying the second line of all-in Melbourne Cup odds after the gallant second to now three-time Cox Plate hero Winx in last Saturday’s weight-for-age major at The Valley is the Weir-trained Humidor.

The five-year-old son of Teofilo had the flying Blake Shinn aboard in the Cox Plate, Shinn having ridden four earlier Cox Plate Day winners, and that hoop retains the Melbourne Cup ride Tuesday week.

Shinn chases his second Melbourne Cup winning ride after guiding Viewed (2008) to victory for the late Bart Cummings.

Lane was the regular rider of Humidor before missing the Cox Plate mount due to a careless riding suspension, but connections have opted to keep Shinn on for the Melbourne Cup.

“The owners, 50 per cent of the horse is owned in New Zealand, and they were very keen to stick with Blake and another guy who had a share in it wanted to stick with Blake too,” Weir told SEN Breakfast.

“So at this stage Blake Shinn will be riding him.”

Check out the latest Melbourne Cup 2017 betting odds online now through Ladbrokes.com.au.