In heart-breaking news on the eve of the ‘race that stops a nation’ for trainer Kris Lees his Moonee Valley Gold Cup champion Cleveland has been scratched from the Melbourne Cup 2023 field due to an elevated temperature.

Moonee Valley Gold Cup winner Cleveland has been scratched from the Melbourne Cup 2023 field. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
The six-year-old Camelot entire was drawn the second outside barrier (23) and was to be ridden by Michael Dee who was chasing his first victory in the event.
The Group 1 $8.41 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) – which is set to run as Flemington Race 7 at 3:00pm (AEDT) on Tuesday – is now down to 23 horses with no emergencies allowed for the iconic two-mile showdown.
Newcastle-based trainer Lees informed Racing Victoria stewards his horse would not be fit to run in the 163rd edition of the Melbourne Cup only hours after Cleveland passed his RV mandatory veterinary inspection.
Late Scratching: 07-11-2023 Flemington R7 – Cleveland -Scratched from the Melbourne Cup on Vets advice @5.40pm
— RVStewards (@RVStewards) November 6, 2023
With Cleveland officially out of the mix, goliath owner Lloyd Williams‘ sole shot at an incredible eighth win in the Melbourne Cup lies with the rails-drawn Serpentine.
Serpentine is prepared by Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott and Jye McNeil, who won the race aboard Irish raider Twilight Payment back in 2020, has the mount on the $35 shot through Ladbrokes.com.au.
Lees meanwhile still has a chance at a maiden Melbourne Cup victory saddling-up last Saturday’s Group 3 Lexus Archer Stakes winner Kalapour on the three-day back-up.
Shocking (2009) was the last stayer to complete the Lexus – Melbourne Cup double and the latest Melbourne Cup 2023 odds online have Kalapour paying $51 to be the next from barrier 14 with apprentice hoop Zac Lloyd in the saddle.
The other horse under an injury cloud ahead of the race is the Michael Moroney-trained Alenquer.
He will be re-examined on Tuesday morning after presenting with mild lameness associated with a stone bruise on the weekend.
Click here for the latest Melbourne Cup betting markets courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.
Updated 2023 Melbourne Cup Field & Barriers
No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Probable Weight | Penalty | Hcp Rating |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | x2570x4135 | GOLD TRIP (FR) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | James McDonald | 2 | 58.5kg | 122 | ||
2 | x69x00x059 | ALENQUER (FR) | Michael Moroney | Damien Oliver | 9 | 56.5kg | 110 | ||
3 | 1x20x11x61 | WITHOUT A FIGHT (IRE) | Anthony & Sam Freedman | Mark Zahra | 16 | 56.5kg | 1.0kg | 118 | |
4 | x110x340x8 | BREAKUP (JPN) | Tatsuya Yoshioka | Kohei Matsuyama | 18 | 55kg | 114 | ||
5 | 11x234211x | VAUBAN (FR) | Willie Mullins | Ryan Moore | 3 | 55kg | 114 | ||
6 | 1x682x1437 | SOULCOMBE (GB) | Chris Waller | Joao Moreira | 4 | 53.5kg | 115 | ||
7 | 3127x1261x | ABSURDE (FR) | Willie Mullins | Zac Purton | 8 | 53kg | 110 | ||
8 | 11121×2505 | RIGHT YOU ARE | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | John Allen | 15 | 53kg | 114 | ||
9 | x22460x022 | VOW AND DECLARE | Danny O’Brien | Billy Egan | 19 | 53kg | 115 | ||
10 | 6x50x49621 | CLEVELAND (IRE) | Kris Lees | Michael Dee | 23 | 52kg | 0.5kg | 109 | |
11 | x22410x762 | ASHRUN (FR) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Kerrin McEvoy | 11 | 51.5kg | 109 | ||
12 | 706x0x0074 | DAQIANSWEET JUNIOR (NZ) | Phillip Stokes | Daniel Stackhouse | 12 | 51.5kg | 105 | ||
13 | 0x11x513x0 | OKITA SOUSHI (IRE) | Joseph O’Brien | Dylan Gibbons (a) | 20 | 51.5kg | 109 | ||
14 | 2x295x0808 | SHERAZ (FR) | Chris Waller | Beau Mertens | 22 | 51.5kg | 105 | ||
15 | 7x1x23x41x | LASTOTCHKA (FR) | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | Craig Williams | 21 | 51kg | 106 | ||
16 | 5x0x06x906 | MAGICAL LAGOON (IRE) | Chris Waller | Mark Du Plessis | 7 | 51kg | 106 | ||
17 | 319×920141 | MILITARY MISSION (IRE) | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Ms Rachel King | 5 | 51kg | 0.5kg | 107 | |
18 | 20x129x243 | SERPENTINE (IRE) | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Jye McNeil | 1 | 51kg | 110 | ||
19 | x8802x0908 | VIRTUOUS CIRCLE (NZ) | Liam Howley | Craig Newitt | 6 | 51kg | 112 | ||
20 | 1265x728x5 | MORE FELONS (IRE) | Chris Waller | Ms Jamie Kah | 24 (moves into 23) | 50.5kg | 106 | ||
21 | 154×721213 | FUTURE HISTORY (GB) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Hollie Doyle | 13 | 50kg | 109 | ||
22 | 536Px32591 | INTERPRETATION (IRE) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Teo Nugent | 17 | 50kg | 103 | ||
23 | 213x3L7331 | KALAPOUR (IRE) | Kris Lees | Zac Lloyd (a) | 14 | 50kg | 106 | ||
24 | 02813×8080 | TRUE MARVEL (FR) | Matthew Smith | Ben Thompson | 10 | 50kg | 102 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
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