The crowds may be absent but the anticipation for the ‘race that stops a nation’ remains high as the countdown to Flemington Race 7 at 3:00pm (AEDT) this afternoon begins and ahead of the first we have a look at the full Melbourne Cup Day 2020 scratchings and track report at HQ.

Flemington Track Report – 03/11/2020

Victoria Racing Club                    

• Rail: Out 2m Entire Circuit
• Weather: Fine
• Dual Track Meeting: N
• Track Type: Turf
• Track Rating: Good (4)
• General Comment: Finalised 3/11 – 7:45am
• Irrigation: 9mm last 24 hours, 40mm last 7 days
• Rainfall: nil
• Track Information: Inspection 6AM 3/11; Going Stick 9.4 Inside 9.6 Outside 9.1 Shear 11.8

The Melbourne Cup Day weather forecast is fine and sunny with only a few clouds set to roll across in the afternoon making for a brilliant Cup Day.

The current Melbourne Cup Day Flemington track rating is a Good (4) and without any chance of serious rainfall, that looks set to remain for the big one.

Flemington racing on Melbourne Cup Day gets underway at 10:45am (AEDT) with one of the meeting’s two Group 3 support acts, the 2020 Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) for two-year-olds.

The other Group 3 on the card is held after the meeting’s major with the 2020 The Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes (1400m) running as the penultimate race on the 10-event program.

Of course, the race on everyone’s mind is the time-honoured Group 1 $8 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) featuring 24 of the world’s best stayers.

As of the cut off for official Melbourne Cup scratchings, and 23 horses remain in the mix for this year’s ‘Loving Trophy’ including eight internationals led by the Aidan O’Brien-trained Irish stablemates Tiger Moth (23) and Anthony Van Dyck (3) at opposite ends of the field and weights.

The big news out of the Melbourne Cup this morning is the scratching of the Danny O’Brien-trained Adelaide Cup winner King Of Leogrance. The galloper was inspected by Racing Victoria veterinarians upon request of the stable and was found to be lame in its off fore leg.

King Of Leogrance was officially scratched from the Melbourne Cup field at 7:38am (AEDT). 

Take a look below for the complete Melbourne Cup Day race schedule, start times of the races on Melbourne Cup Day 2020 and latest Flemington Cup Day scratchings before heading to Ladbrokes.com.au for all the top racing odds!

Flemington Scratchings – 03/11/2020

• Total Scratchings: 18

Race 1 (10:45am) – Group 3 $200,000 Darley Maribyrnong Plate (1000m)

• #6 Gulf Of Suez (9)
• #9 Dosh (6)

Race 2 (11:20am) – Listed $175,000 World Horse Racing Desirable Stakes (1400m)

• No current scratchings

Race 3 (12:00pm) – $135,000 Schweppervescence Plate (1000m)

• #8 Longduan (5)

Race 4 (12:40pm) – $135,000 The Macca’s Run (2800m)

• #11 Eureka Street (11)
• #14 Alienated (3)

Race 5 (1:20pm) – Listed $175,000 TAB Trophy (1800m)

• #4 Trodaire (11)
• #9 Horrifying (5)

Race 6 (1:55pm) – $125,000 Grinders Coffee Roasters Trophy (1400m)

• #7 Strome (10)
• #14 Titan Blinders (17)
• #15 Left Hand Man (9)

Race 7 (3:00pm) – Group 1 $7,750,000 Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m)

• #14 King Of Leogrance

Race 8 (4:00pm) – Listed $175,000 Furphy Plate (1800m)

• #5 Captain Cook (11)
• #6 Junipal (6)
• #11 Looks Like Elvis (13)

Race 9 (4:40pm) – Group 3 $200,000 The Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes (1400m)

• #1 Fascino (6)

Race 10 (5:15pm) – Listed $175,000 MSS Security Sprint (1200m)

• #1 Redouble (5)
• #3 Lord Von Costa (2)
• #14 Neighbourhood (1)

*All times quoted are local Melbourne time (AEDT) and subject to change