Fifty-one of the world’s best stayers remain in the mix for a shot at the famous Flemington two-mile classic on the first Tuesday of November following the 2023 Melbourne Cup second acceptances.

Reigning hero Gold Trip is one of the standout 2023 Melbourne Cup second acceptors for this November. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

Second declarations for the 163^rd running of the Group 1 $8.41 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) closed on Tuesday leaving fifty-one hopefuls still looking to make the official 24-starter line-up on November 7^th at headquarters.

The number of 2023 Melbourne Cup second acceptors is down slightly from the fifty-seven at the same stage last spring, but the quality remains outstanding.

There are five international Melbourne Cup-bound horses still in contention including the all-in favourite Vauban for Ireland’s Willie Mullins to be ridden by Ryan Moore.

The classy chestnut heads all-in Melbourne Cup betting at $4.40 through Ladbrokes.com.au to become the first international champion since Twilight Payment in 2020.

The galloper has a brilliant two-mile record (5:2-2-1), mainly in hurdle races, but is also a proven flat performer who has won his last two starts carrying 61kg.

He is allocated 55kg in the Melbourne Cup weights and is tipped to relish the track, distance and those kilos when he lines-up in Australia’s premier race.

Mullins also has the ballot exempt Absurde in the mix on 53kg with Hong Kong-based Zac Purton to ride the Ebor Handicap winner.

Fellow Irishman Joseph O’Brien has prepared two previous Melbourne Cup winners with the aforementioned Twilight Payment (2020) and Rekindling (2017).

He returns in 2023 and has two of the five international entries with four-year-old grey Valiant King and recent Group 3 Irish St Leger third placed Okita Soushi with three-time winning hoop Kerrin McEvoy confirmed as the Melbourne Cup jockey for the latter.

Japan’s Breakup, rated a $9 chance to emulate Japanese-trained Melbourne Cup champ Delta Blues (2006), rounds out the international runners and will have Kohei Matsuyama in the saddle.

Reigning Melbourne Cup champion Gold Trip, who will carry the 58.5kg top-weight, is tracking towards a big title defence as the current $7 second elect after his impressive Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) win at the track last time out.

Gold Trip’s trainers Ciaron Maher & David Eustace dominate the Melbourne Cup second acceptances numbers-wise with seven.

Another of their contingent assured of a start is Future History with just 50kg to be ridden by England’s Hollie Doyle who will be down under for her career highlight ride.

Consistent six-year-old Future History enjoyed a ballot exemption with his three-quarters-of-a-length upset in the Group 3 The Bart Cummings (2520m) on October 7.

Almandin (2016) was the last horse to complete The Bart Cummings – Melbourne Cup double, and Future History currently pays $26 to be the next.

The other Maher/Eustace-trained runners are Right You Are, last year’s third placed mare High Emocean, United Nations, Interpretation, and Ashrun.

Chris Waller, who won in 2021 with his class mare Verry Elleegant, is also in the mix with seven Melbourne Cup second acceptors this year led by the $8 third elect Soulcombe.

The five-year-old son of Frankel has been racing well against top-class rivals this prep and was last seen crossing two-lengths back third to Gold Trip in the Turnbull.

The other best fancied from the Waller camp is another son of Frankel, Francesco Guardi, at $13 whose run for seventh in the Turnbull was better than it reads on paper.

The Melbourne Cup 2023 third acceptances close at 10:00am (AEDT) on Monday the 30^th of October, 2023.

Click here for the latest pre-field odds courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.

2023 Melbourne Cup Second Acceptances

Table Credit: Racing Australia.