The Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained Interpretation will take a final shot at making the 24-horse Melbourne Cup 2023 field lining-up as an early favourite in Wednesday’s Group 3 $500,000 Bendigo Cup (2400m).

Muramasa chases a third win on the trot in Wednesday’s 2023 Bendigo Cup field. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

A capacity field of spring stayers will face off in the mid-week feature at Bendigo Racecourse with the current favourite still officially in contention for the Group 1 $8.41 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 7.

The powerhouse Maher/Eustace training combo have six of the 32 Melbourne Cup third acceptors led by last year’s champion Gold Trip.

Right down the order of entry for the stable sitting 31^st with 50kg is Galileo six-year-old Interpretation who failed to finish last year’s Melbourne Cup race.

He made a good return this year running a couple of placings at The Valley.

His two latest starts have been at Flemington with the latest seeing him run 3.4 lengths off Future History on October 7 in the Group 3 The Bart Cummings (2520m) with 55kg.

Interpretation will cart a kilo less in the Bendigo Cup field with Michael Dee to ride from a favourable barrier five draw, and the horse sits top of the markets at $4.60 through Ladbrokes.com.au.

Not only does he need to win on Wednesday, but he will also need a handicap penalty to be in the mix for a shot at the Melbourne Cup again this year.

The danger occupying the second line of Bendigo Cup betting out to end Interpretation’s Melbourne Cup dream is the in-form Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young-trained Muramasa.

Blaike Mcdougall comes aboard the $4.80 second elect who is drawn wider out in gate 12 chasing a third win on the trot.

The progressive Deep Field four-year-old carted a hefty 59kg to victory over the mile at Flemington two back before a last start Group 3 Coongy Cup (2000m) victory at Caulfield.

The 2400m will be a test but if he runs the distance, he can keep the winning streak going here.

Busuttin & Young will launch a three-pronged attack on the race with Muramasa to be joined in the line-up by stablemates Suizuro ($6.50) coming off a win in the Moe Cup and the imported Brayden Star ($12) drawn barriers 13 and two respectively.

A further two runners are at under double-figures in the latest Bendigo Cup odds with the Kris Lees-trained top-weight Luncies ($7.50) and Hezashocka ($9).

Hasta La War (29^th on the ballot), who ran third to the recently retired Lunar Flare in the Listed Andrew Ramsden (2800m) back in May, meanwhile is the other Melbourne Cup third acceptor racing in the Bendigo Cup field with the Sue Murphy-trained eight-year-old a $41 outsider in the markets.

The 2023 Bendigo Cup is set to run as Race 7 at 4:00pm (AEST) on Wednesday with full markets from Ladbrokes.com.au available by clicking here.

2023 Bendigo Cup Final Field & Barrier Draw

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

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