The official 2023 Lexus Melbourne Cup nominations have been released by the Victoria Racing Club (VRC) with 132 early entries for the iconic $8.4 million Flemington feature to run on Tuesday the 7th of November, 2023.

Reigning Melbourne Cup champion Gold Trip is back nominated for the 2023 edition of the ‘race that stops a nation’. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

Up from 97 contenders at this stage last year the Group 1 $8.4 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) nominees for this spring include 15 international raiders.

The Joseph O’Brien-trained Twilight Payment (2020) was the last internationally-trained Melbourne Cup winner.

Irish horseman O’Brien is in with three Melbourne Cup nominations the 163rd running this spring: Valiant King, Okita Soushi, and St Vincents Garden.

It has been 10 years since Australia’s leading lady of racing VRC Ambassador Gai Waterhouse enjoyed her first and to date only Melbourne Cup success with Fiorente, and she and co-trainer Adrian Bott have nine nominations.

Heading the Waterhouse/Bott contingent are Goldman who is assured of a run thanks to his Roy Higgins Quality victory and the autumn’s Group 1 ATC Derby champion Major Beel.

A daughter of Fiorente, the Graham Begg-trained Lunar Flare, is also in Melbourne Cup contention this year having secured her position in the famous two-mile showdown with a win in the Andrew Ramsden Stakes.

Last year’s winning trainers Ciaron Maher & David Eustace stole the show with Gold Trip who is nominated for a title defence in 2023 looking to be the first back-to-back Melbourne Cup winner since three-time hero Makybe Diva (2003-05).

Maher & Eustace have an impressive 17 Melbourne Cup nominees in total this year with Gold Trip also joined by last year’s third place-getter High Emocean.

Record-breaking horseman Chris Waller took out the ‘race that stops a nation’ two years ago with his mighty mare Verry Elleegant (2021) and is back with 14 entries this spring including Victoria Derby hero Manzoice, Queensland Derby champ Kovalica, and Frankel gelding Francesco Guardi.

The best-fancied of the Waller crew in updated Melbourne Cup odds online at $9 is Soulcombe who recently won the Listed Heatherlie Handicap first-up at Caulfield.

The race’s 2019 winning trainer Danny O’Brien has entered three stayers including his previous champ Vow And Declare who races this spring as an eight-year-old.

Among the key international contenders are English trainer William Haggas‘ consistent Sea The Stars gelding Desert Hero who was bred by the late Queen Elizabeth II and is now owned by King Charles III and Ebor Handicap winner Absurde for top Irish trainer Willie Mullins.

This year was the first time the Ebor Handicap winner gained automatic entry into the 24-horse Melbourne Cup field and Absurde was the one to secure the golden ticket.

Mullins has also nominated dour stayer Vauban who is getting plenty of early support in the pre-field Melbourne Cup betting markets as the current $8 all-in favourite through Ladbrokes.com.au at time of publish.

Three decades have passed since Dermot Weld prepared the first international Melbourne Cup winner with Vintage Crop (1993) and to mark the 30th anniversary Weld has nominated recent Vinnie Row Stakes winner Harbour Wind.

“We are extremely pleased with the list of nominations for this year’s Lexus Melbourne Cup,” VRC Executive General Manager Racing Leigh Jordon said.

“This year we celebrate 30 years since Vintage Crop began the wave of international horses competing in the Lexus Melbourne Cup and it is promising to see the quality of overseas contenders nominated.

“This is complemented by a quality list of locally trained stayers, testament to the enduring allure of the Lexus Melbourne Cup.

“The VRC look forward to welcoming thoroughbreds and their connections from across the globe for what is shaping up to be an exceptional race and Melbourne Cup Carnival.”

The 2023 Melbourne Cup first acceptances close at midday (local time) on Tuesday the 3rd of October, 2023 further narrowing down the list of potential starters.

Click here for the updated all-in Melbourne Cup 2023 odds courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.

2023 Melbourne Cup Nominations 

Table Credit: Racing Australia.