Surprise Baby Horse Form (Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos) | Races.com.au

Melbourne Cup 2020 Nominations Attract 174 Horses

Lucy Henderson August 27, 2020

Melbourne Cup 2020 Nominations Attract 174 Horses

Early entries for the Spring Cups were taken today, Thursday August 27, with the 2020 Melbourne Cup nominations attracting 174 horses for the 160th edition of the ‘race that stops a nation’.

Surprise Baby Horse Form (Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos) | Races.com.au

Last year’s eye-catching fifth placegetter Surprise Baby is early favourite in 2020 Melbourne Cup betting this spring. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

The world’s richest handicap, the Group 1 $7.75 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) takes place at Flemington on Tuesday November 3 and has drawn 174 nominations, up from 152 in 2019.

Last year there were 39 overseas-trained entries, a number down slightly in 2020 due to COVID-19 with 30 raiders in the mix.

“We were unsure as to the number of nominations that would be received this year given the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic so we’re delighted to see an increase in entries for both the Stella Artois Caulfield Cup and Lexus Melbourne Cup,” Greg Carpenter, Racing Vicctoria’s (RV) Executive General Manager – Racing, said.

“It is pleasing that there is tremendous depth among the entries for both races with 29 Group 1 winners in the Caulfield Cup and 25 in the Melbourne Cup.”

2020 Melbourne Cup Nominations Feature:

  • 174 horses
  • 30 overseas-trained raiders
  • 25 Group 1 winners
  • Last year’s winner Vow And Declare
  • Two-time placegetter Prince Of Arran
  • 7 for last year’s winning trainer (Danny O’Brien)
  • 7 for Ireland’s Joseph O’Brien
  • 13 for Chris Waller led by Verry Elleegant

Of the internationals, one of the standouts is the Joseph O’Brien-trained Buckhurst, O’Brien having won the race with Rekindling (2017) making history as the youngest ever Melbourne Cup winning trainer.

O’Brien has a total of seven entries – five for goliath owner Lloyd Williams – in his bid for a second Melbourne Cup including also Bolleville, Degraves and last year’s official fourth-placegetter Master Of Reality.

A nicely-bred son of Frankel, Master Of Reality has been in great form this year in Ireland running second to his stablemate Twilight Payment – also nominated for the Melbourne Cup – in the Group 2 Curragh Cup (2816m) and second in the Group 3 Irish St Leger Trial (2816m) on August 14.

He was second past the post in the Melbourne Cup last year before being demoted to fourth upon protest.

Further boosting the dominant hand in the Melbourne Cup nominations by the O’Brien family are nine entries for his Cox Plate winning father Aidan O’Brien led by the past two Irish Derby winners Sovereign (2019) and Santiago (2020).

The other standout international Melbourne Cup entry in 2020 is Charlie Fellowes’ two-time placegetter Prince Of Arran who ran third to Cross Counter in 2018 and second in the results last spring.

Prince Of Arran is entered for a third consecutive shot at the Melbourne Cup as are the Chris Waller-trained Finche and Sound for Michael Moroney.

Last year’s champion Vow And Declare is out to make history, trainer Danny O’Brien nominating the defending Melbourne Cup winner along with six of his stablemates.

No horse has managed to win back-to-back editions of the Melbourne Cup since the historic three-peat of the brilliant mare Makybe Diva (2003-05).

O’Brien looks to have a very strong hand in his shot at successive Melbourne Cup wins by a trainer with his potential contingent also including SA Derby winner Russian Camelot who is the second elect in all-in Melbourne Cup betting markets, the French-bred Adelaide Cup champion King Of Leogrance and reigning VRC Oaks winner Miami Bound.

Russian Camelot is also the early 2020 Caulfield Cup favourite following nominations for the 2400m feature on October 17 that drew 177 stayers.

Surprise Baby ran out of his skin for firth in the 2019 Melbourne Cup results and it is Paul Preusker’s son of the race’s 2009 champion Shocking who leads the all-in markets in 2020.

Sitting top of the post-nomination Melbourne Cup odds at Ladbrokes.com.au, Surprise Baby pays around $8 to take out the two-mile classic this season.

With the COVID-19 pandemic and travel restrictions causing issues for international raiders this Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival, it is the local horses dominating the markets.

Chris Waller’s first-up Group 1 Winx Stakes winning mare Verry Elleegant is third elect out to hand her four-time Cox Plate winning trainer with his first ‘Loving Trophy’.

Waller has a total of 13 Melbourne Cup nominations that also include his Schweppes Oaks winning mare Toffee Tongue and the aforementioned Finche.

Melbourne Cup 2020 first acceptances close at midday (local time) on Tuesday September 29.

Click here for the latest 2020 Melbourne Cup futures betting courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au following the weights being announced on September 8.

2020 Melbourne Cup Nominations

Flemington Race 7: Tuesday November 3, 2020

Last 10 Horse Sex Age Trainer Hcp Rating
1 x21x214x7x ADMIRE ROBSON (JPN) H 7 Paul Preusker
2 3552x00x4x ADMIRE WINNER (JPN) G 7 Paul Preusker
3 42x1x1311x AKTAU (GB) G 5 Michael Moroney
4 7702x9041x AL GALAYEL (IRE) G 7 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
5 2021x ALCYONE C 3 James Cummings
6 2442944x3x ALIFEROUS M 5 Kris Lees
7 1x ALMANIA (IRE) G 5 Kris Lees
8 21x AMERICAN WHISKEY (USA) H 4 Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes
9 x895756x2x ANGEL OF TRUTH G 5 Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes
10 239x11203x ANTHONY VAN DYCK (IRE) H 5 Aidan O’Brien
11 111x105x5x ARCADIA QUEEN M 5 Grant & Alana Williams
12 1x3x2x ASHRUN (FR) H 5 Andreas Wohler
13 6x507x192x ATTENTION RUN (GER) M 6 Kris Lees
14 11x6804x2x ATTORNEY (FR) G 6 Matthew Smith
15 147x54533x AVILIUS (GB) G 7 James Cummings
16 055313770x AZURO (FR) G 7 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
17 4x83807x9x BARADE (FR) G 6 Archie Alexander
18 40044x410x BARTHOLOMEU DIAS (GB) G 6 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
19 115x97437x BENITOITE M 5 Clinton McDonald
20 x750x9084x BIG DUKE (IRE) G 9 Kris Lees
21 17x1x3x15x BOLLEVILLE (IRE) M 5 Joseph O’Brien
22 1902x7691x BRIMHAM ROCKS (GB) G 7 Chris Waller
23 52112x216x BUCKHURST (IRE) H 5 Joseph O’Brien
24 1x334x221x CADRE DU NOIR (USA) H 5 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
25 x100x80x0x CAPE OF GOOD HOPE (IRE) H 5 Tom Dabernig & Ben Hayes
26 22x0352x6x CARIF H 5 Peter & Paul Snowden
27 36x953125x CHAPADA G 5 Michael Moroney
28 8221111x COLETTE M 4 James Cummings
29 COLLIDE (GB) H 6 Kris Lees
30 122240x90x CONSTANTINOPLE (IRE) G 5 Tom Dabernig & Ben Hayes
31 1x CORMORANT (IRE) H 4 Aidan O’Brien
32 11012x043x CRACK ON CRACK ON (GB) G 6 Gary Moore
33 0218x0161x CREEDENCE G 6 Matt Cumani
34 x011x1x00x DADOOZDART (GB) G 5 Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes
35 41x0x0680x DANCETERIA (FR) G 6 Kris Lees
36 14579x114x DASHING WILLOUGHBY (GB) G 5 Andrew Balding
37 23x DAWN PATROL (IRE) H 4 Aidan O’Brien
38 4311x44x DEGRAVES (IRE) H 4 Joseph O’Brien
39 111x DELPHI (IRE) H 4 Anthony & Sam Freedman
40 12x122x33x DJANGO FREEMAN (GER) H 5 Robert Hickmott
41 21112x08x DJUKON (GB) G 5 Chris Waller
42 1311x1x DON’T DOUBT DORY G 4 Julien Welsh
43 2115x3010x DR DRILL (GB) G 6 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
44 3x EAGLES BY DAY (IRE) H 5 David O’Meara
45 71x154x ENGLISH KING (FR) H 4 Ed Walker
46 36x3113x ENTENTE G 4 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
47 746416341x ETAH JAMES (NZ) M 8 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
48 230xP3611x EXEMPLAR (IRE) G 7 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
49 109110383x FEEL THE RUSH (NZ) M 4 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
50 x34x51257x FINCHE (GB) G 7 Chris Waller
51 13x1151x FLASH AAH G 5 Mitchell Fry
52 23x07x618x FRANKELY AWESOME M 5 Kris Lees
53 6351625x0x FUN FACT G 5 Bjorn Baker
54 1135x5021x FURRION (GB) G 6 Tom Dabernig & Ben Hayes
55 9211x1253x FUTURE SCORE (IRE) G 6 Matt Cumani
56 2874x9748x GALLIC CHIEFTAIN (FR) H 8 Archie Alexander
57 06x1111x3x GAME KEEPER G 4 Tony & Calvin McEvoy
58 x5559x864x GLORY DAYS (NZ) M 8 Bill Thurlow
59 957712432x GOOD IDEA G 6 Phillip Stokes
60 3311114x GRAND PROMENADE (GB) G 5 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
61 40880x083x GREY LION (IRE) G 9 Matthew Smith
62 20386x051x HAKY (IRE) G 7 Archie Alexander
63 x112x3314x HARBOUR VIEWS (FR) G 6 Matthew Williams
64 2x2321113x HIGH EMOCEAN (NZ) M 4 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
65 1816x7000x HUSH WRITER (JPN) G 6 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
66 41206008x IMPACTFUL G 4 Chris Waller
67 410x38x31x IN GOOD HEALTH M 5 Peter G Moody
68 x72122107x INVERLOCH (IRE) G 7 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young
69 38x16x211x INVOLVED (GB) G 6 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
70 2601168x0x JACK REGAN (GB) G 6 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young
71 3x11445x6x JUST THINKIN’ G 4 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
72 2x2113x5x KINANE (NZ) G 4 Chris Waller
73 349x211x2x KING OF LEOGRANCE (FR) G 6 Danny O’Brien
74 1260x8811x KORCHO (GB) H 5 Kris Lees
75 760x85754x LATIN BEAT (IRE) G 7 Saab Hasan
76 1x410x443x LE DON DE VIE (GB) G 5 Hughie Morrison
77 0211x8x58x LEVENDI H 6 Peter Gelagotis
78 90x3212x9x LOOK SHARPISH (NZ) M 4 Leon & Troy Corstens
79 x141x7811x LORD BELVEDERE (GB) G 7 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
80 093214811x MAHAMEDEIS G 6 Nick Ryan
81 633x632x4x MASAFF (IRE) G 5 Chris Waller
82 43354x622x MASTER OF REALITY (IRE) G 6 Joseph O’Brien
83 311x114x0x MASTER OF WINE (GER) G 6 Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes
84 3411x84x4x MIAMI BOUND (NZ) M 4 Danny O’Brien
85 30x887256x MIDTERM (GB) G 8 Michael & Luke Cerchi
86 1346x7x48x MILESTONE (FR) H 5 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young
87 x30x03643x MIRAGE DANCER (GB) H 7 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young
88 x22310218x MIRIMAR (IRE) G 7 Michael Moroney
89 x70504150x MISS SENTIMENTAL (NZ) M 5 Chris Waller
90 69x512x01x MIYAKE H 4 Chris Waller
91 x3002x902x MR QUICKIE G 5 Phillip Stokes
92 6x11126x1x MUGATOO (IRE) G 6 Kris Lees
93 5160x1225x MUSTAJEER (GB) G 8 Kris Lees
94 6143x503x MYTHICAL (FR) H 4 Aidan O’Brien
95 1x1211111x NANCHO (GER) G 6 Anthony Cummings
96 7542230x6x NAVAL WARFARE (IRE) G 7 Anthony & Sam Freedman
97 11x NICKAJACK CAVE (IRE) G 5 Peter G Moody
98 141211x NIMALEE M 4 Matthew Smith
99 1x NOBEL PRIZE (IRE) H 4 Aidan O’Brien
100 331121x NONCONFORMIST G 4 Grahame Begg
101 4584287x8x NORTHWEST PASSAGE G 7 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
102 3731x7836x NORWAY (IRE) G 5 Chris Waller
103 621x07511x OCEANEX (NZ) M 5 Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)
104 5x347x ORDER OF AUSTRALIA (IRE) H 4 Aidan O’Brien
105 15627x2x2x ORDEROFTHEGARTER (IRE) H 7 Danny O’Brien
106 302151711x OUT OF THE PARK (NZ) M 6 Henry Dwyer
107 11123x001x PATHS OF GLORY (GB) G 6 Richard & Michael Freedman
108 2x21x1113x PATRICK SARSFIELD (FR) G 5 Joseph O’Brien
109 685759105x PELONOMENA M 6 Michael Kent
110 2x3121112x PERSAN H 4 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
111 058321023x PLATINUM INVADOR (NZ) G 5 Peter G Moody
112 2239x2140x PONDUS (GB) G 5 Joseph O’Brien
113 PORT GUILLAUME (FR) H 4 Jean-Claude Rouget
114 2120x3x36x PRINCE OF ARRAN (GB) G 8 Charlie Fellowes
115 x7104x356x PRINCESS JENNI (NZ) M 5 David Brideoake
116 56x423115x QUICK THINKER H 4 Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman
117 60x6613x5x RAHEEN HOUSE (IRE) G 7 Kris Lees
118 21x13611x REALM OF FLOWERS M 4 Anthony & Sam Freedman
119 x156108x1x RED VERDON (USA) G 8 Ed Dunlop
120 161x421x9x REGAL POWER G 5 Grant & Alana Williams
121 211x247x2x RIDER IN THE SNOW (FR) G 6 Kris Lees
122 228x376x6x RONDINELLA (NZ) M 6 John O’Shea
123 5x131615x ROYAL CROWN G 4 Michael Kent
124 12x411x RUSSIAN CAMELOT (IRE) H 4 Danny O’Brien
125 5138x5138x SAN HUBERTO (IRE) H 5 Fabrice Chappet
126 1x SANTIAGO (IRE) H 4 Aidan O’Brien
127 3315x16x SARACEN KNIGHT (IRE) G 6 Danny O’Brien
128 7x506x412x SAUNTER BOY (FR) G 8 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
129 211x99x36x SAVVY LAD (NZ) G 4 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young
130 211x111x7x SCHABAU (GER) H 6 Robert Hickmott
131 SELINO (GB) G 5 James Fanshawe
132 11x3103x0x SHARED AMBITION (IRE) G 5 Chris Waller
133 241x22111x SHE’S IDEEL M 5 Bjorn Baker
134 11210x SIERRA SUE (NZ) M 4 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young
135 932343342x SIN TO WIN (NZ) G 8 Tom Dabernig & Ben Hayes
136 0533499x0x SIR CHARLES ROAD G 7 Lance O’Sullivan & Andrew Scott
137 x44x2x222x SIR DRAGONET (IRE) H 5 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
138 3203344x7x SKELM G 6 Terry Kelly
139 111x451x SKYWARD (FR) H 5 Fabrice Chappet
140 005x532x5x SOUND (GER) H 8 Michael Moroney
141 1254x4563x SOUND OF CANNONS (GB) H 4 John O’Shea
142 F1216x936x SOUTH PACIFIC (GB) H 5 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
143 3x1x32x SOVEREIGN (IRE) H 5 Aidan O’Brien
144 1111x4679x STEEL PRINCE (IRE) G 7 Anthony & Sam Freedman
145 12x4310x2x STRATUM (GB) G 8 William Mullins
146 81x4143x1x SUPER GIRL M 6 Josh Julius
147 009x43314x SUPER TITUS (GB) G 7 Tom Dabernig & Ben Hayes
148 14132x415x SURPRISE BABY (NZ) G 6 Paul Preusker
149 x47740715x SWEET THOMAS (GER) G 9 Matthew Smith
150 13x075213x TAVIRUN (NZ) G 5 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young
151 1x1x TELECASTER (GB) H 5 Hughie Morrison
152 950x38572x THE CHOSEN ONE (NZ) H 5 Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman
153 2x34923x4x THE KING (IRE) G 6 Lindsey Smith
154 x241448x2x THINK IT OVER G 5 Kerry Parker
155 3x12x TIGER MOTH (IRE) H 4 Aidan O’Brien
156 1x1x TINANDALI (IRE) G 5 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
157 64x622221x TOFFEE TONGUE (NZ) M 4 Chris Waller
158 1x1110x89x TORRENS H 4 Ethan Ensby
159 217x6x460x TRUE SELF (IRE) M 8 William Mullins
160 x70x7x211x TWILIGHT PAYMENT (IRE) G 8 Joseph O’Brien
161 0x42212x1x VERRY ELLEEGANT (NZ) M 5 Chris Waller
162 00x0684x9x VIN DE DANCE (NZ) G 6 Symon Wilde
163 1x421x395x VOW AND DECLARE G 5 Danny O’Brien
164 1x1x VOYAGE DE LUNE G 4 Saab Hasan
165 04x847255x WALL OF FIRE (IRE) G 8 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
166 21x755633x WARNING G 4 Anthony & Sam Freedman
167 x4013x7x2x WEEKENDER (GB) G 7 Mark Newnham
168 5310x39x0x WOLFE (JPN) G 6 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
169 WYCLIF (GB) H 4 Danny O’Brien
170 x114319x3x YONKERS (USA) G 5 Chris Waller
171 x56x19x17x YOUNG RASCAL (FR) G 6 Archie Alexander
172 976P8x8x6x ZACADA (NZ) G 8 Jim & Greg Lee
173 2522x1444x ZAMOSA (NZ) M 5 Mitchell Fry
174 26x1122x8x ZEBROWSKI (NZ) G 4 Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes
   Table Credit: Racing Australia.

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