The highly-anticipated 2020 Melbourne Cup barrier draw has been conducted ahead of the world’s richest handicap race at Flemington on Tuesday November 3 with the Aidan O’Brien-trained top-weight Anthony Van Dyke drawn well in barrier three.

Reigning champion Vow And Declare has drawn barrier 4 for his title defense on Tuesday. Photo Credit: Steve Hart.

The official gates for the Group 1 $8 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) have been drawn following the VRC Derby Day racing action and one of the big winners was the Irish raider, Anthony Van Dyke, in gate three for jockey Hugh Bowman looking to improve on his lead-up second in the Caulfield Cup.

There is likely to be a slight shake-up to the Melbourne Cup odds online at Ladbrokes.com.au with the favourite Tiger Moth, another in the mix for Ireland, drawing out wide in barrier 23 for three-time winning hoop Kerrin McEvoy – a gate that hasn’t seen a winner since 1976.

The Danny O’Brien-trained Vow And Declare won the 2019 Melbourne Cup from out in barrier 21 of 24 last year and looks to have an easier run ahead for jockey Jamie Mott 12 months with the reigning champion in barrier four.

The most successful Melbourne Cup barrier draw producing nine winners in the history of the race – most recently French raider Americain (2010) – is barrier 11 drawn in 2020 by the Joseph O’Brien-trained Master Of Reality – fourth to Vow And Declare from the inside alley last year.

The next most winning barrier in the history of the Lexus Melbourne Cup producing eight winners (the latest in 2013) is barrier 5 belonging this spring to the Kiwi galloper The Chosen One to be ridden by Daniel Stackhouse.

Of course, every year there’s talk of the Melbourne Cup Barrier 18 Hoodoo with just the one winner from that gate way back in 1963 and this season it is Vow And Declare’s stablemate King Of Leogrance drawn the horror gate.

O’Brien’s two other runners in the race are Russian Camelot in another awkward gate (16) having drawn the outside in the Cox Plate last weekend, and the Moonee Valley Gold Cup winning mare Miami Bound in 13.

After celebrating the high of making it into the 24-horse Melbourne Cup field via a win in Saturday’s Group 3 Lexus Hotham Stakes, the Andreas Wohler-trained German raider Ashrun suffered a blow coming up with the outside alley that hasn’t produced a winner since 1973.

The Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained Cox Plate winner Sir Dragonet came up with gate 14 for Glen Boss.

Interestingly, the last horse to win the Cup from that gate was Makybe Diva who Boss rode to victory in all three of her Melbourne Cup wins.

Another from for Joseph O’Brien who won the race in 2017 with Rekindling, Twilight Payment came so close last year and has a good gate in barrier 12, jockey Jye McNeil hoping the tempo will be on.

Chris Waller’s Caulfield Cup winning mare Verry Elleegant will be drifting in the Melbourne Cup markets after her awkward barrier 15 draw.

Jockey Mark Zahra will have work to do to get her to settle back in those early stages as Verry Elleegant attempts the coveted Spring Cups double.

Stablemate Finche looks ideally drawn in barrier six for jockey James McDonald.

“Drawing good gates are a big help for him,” McDonald said after the draw.

“He can get into a good rhythm pretty quickly.

“He hasn’t really drawn a gate this preparation…now he’s got a good gate there’s no excuses.

“He’s in really good form…he looks really well and hopefully the big striding chestnut can salute.”

In another potential good omen Melbourne Cup draw, female hoop Jamie Kah will ride two-time placegetter Prince Of Arran from the inside alley with barrier one last producing a winner in Prince Of Penzance – ridden by Michelle Payne.

Surprise Baby has drawn barrier 7, a great gate after the horse that was beaten by a wide alley covering a lot of ground off a slow speed last year when eye-catching late for fifth.

Last year’s winning hoop Craig Williams rides the son of 2009 Melbourne Cup winner Shocking this year looking to go back-to-back in the ‘race that stops a nation’.

The in-form Perth-based William Pike has his first ride in the Melbourne Cup and drew barrier 21 on Steel Prince, the gate that produced last year’s champion.

Click here for the market updates on the 2020 Melbourne Cup courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.

2020 Melbourne Cup Barriers