2024 Sydney Cup winner Circle Of Fire

2024 Melbourne Cup Nominations Attract 123 Stayers, 20 Internationals

Lucy Henderson September 3, 2024

2024 Melbourne Cup Nominations Attract 123 Stayers, 20 Internationals

The 2024 Lexus Melbourne Cup nominations are now out with 123 stayers from around the world preparing for their potential shot at the world’s richest handicap on Tuesday, November 5, 2024.

2024 Sydney Cup winner Circle Of Fire

Sydney Cup winner Circle Of Fire is one of the early favourites in 2024 Melbourne Cup betting for November. Photo: Steve Hart.

The countdown is well and truly on to the famous Flemington Race 7 on the first Tuesday of November with just two months to go until the 164th running of the two-mile classic.

On Tuesday Racing Victoria took early entries for this year’s Group 1 $8.56 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) with the nominations attracting 20 internationals.

2024 Melbourne Cup Nominations Feature:

  • 123 early entries
  • 20 internationals
  • 103 local stayers
  • Defending champion Without A Fight (2023)
  • 21 for Chris Waller

“This year’s Lexus Melbourne Cup is shaping up to have strong representation from across the world with horses from Ireland, Japan, France and England looking to compete against Australia and New Zealand’s best stayers,” VRC Executive General Manager Racing Leigh Jordon said.

“Among the nominations are a strong group of local contenders headlined by the pride of South Australia, The Map who is giving her country-based owners a ride of a lifetime.”

Heading the 103-strong local contingent is the defending champion Without A Fight for Anthony and Sam Freedman.

The now eight-year-old completed the coveted Caulfield Cup – Melbourne Cup double in 2023 and is out to be the first horse to win the latter twice since the history Makybe Diva three-peat (2003-05).

Chris Waller is the best represented trainer in the 2024 Melbourne Cup nominations with 21 entries

The best represented trainer with a bumper 21 Melbourne Cup nominations this year is champion Flemington-based horseman Chris Waller.

Waller famously won the trophy with his class mare Verry Elleegant in 2021 and returns with a bumper crop of distance gallopers again in 2024 including last year’s Victoria Derby champion Riff Rocket.

Riff Rocket is out to emulate Efficient and Phar Lap as the only four-year-old Melbourne Cup winners in history to have claimed the previous year’s Victoria Derby.

Early favourites in pre-field Melbourne Cup odds at Ladbrokes.com.au include Grosvenor Square, Vauban, and Circle Of Fire.

Grosvenor Square is the headline international Melbourne Cup nominee from the stables of Irish horseman Adian O’Brien.

O’Brien is a Cox Plate winning trainer but is yet to prepare a Melbourne Cup winner.

His son Joesph meanwhile has held up the ‘Loving Trophy’ twice with Rekindling (2017) and Twilight Payment (2020).

Grosvenor Square is one of six for Aidan O’Brien with the four-year-old Galileo stallion second in the Curragh Cup back in July before a Group 3 Irish St Leger Trial victory this month by an emphatic 20 length margin.

From 2014 – 2020 five of the seven Melbourne Cup winners were trained overseas, while the past three champions have been Australian-trained.

Vauban is another Irish-trained raider out to be the first international to beat home the locals since Twilight Payment in 2020.

The Willie Mullins-trained Galilway gelding is a dour stayer with winning form up to 3382m who ran 14th in last year’s Melbourne Cup results.

His form since has been outstanding and includes a Group 2 Curragh Cup third and last start Group 2 Lonsdale Cup victory at York over 3319m carting 59.5kg to victory.

Mullins has three Melbourne Cup hopefuls in total this season.

One-time favourite Circle Of Fire is prepared by Ciaron Maher who has 16 nominees in total.

The imported Almanzor entire made a big impact down under in the autumn winning the Group 2 Chairman’s Handicap (2600m) in the mud before a two-length victory on Good going at Randwick in April’s Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m) over the Melbourne Cup distance.

Current all-in Melbourne Cup betting lists Circle Of Fire at $17.

Maher is also set to welcome a host of internationals to his stable ahead of the spring majors including Middle Earth and Sayedaty Sadaty.

Dan Clarken & Oopy MacGillvray have a confirmed Melbourne Cup contender in SA visitor The Map who earned his spot in the field via a slick victory in the Listed Andrew Ramsden (2800m).

Other upcoming races to offer a Melbourne Cup ballot exemption include the Group 3 Lexus Archer Stakes (2500m) now held on Makybe Diva Stakes Day on Saturday the 14th of September and the Group 3 Lexus Bart Cummings (2500m) on Turnbull Stakes Day.

The Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) and Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) also guarantee the winners a spot in the 24-horse Melbourne Cup field during October at Caulfield and The Valley respectively.

Late Melbourne Cup nominations are open until Tuesday, September 10, 2024 before weights are announced a week later.

First declarations for the 2024 Melbourne Cup close on Tuesday the 1st of October, 2024.

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

2024 Melbourne Cup Nominations

  Last 10 Horse Sex Age Trainer Hcp Rating
1 1x7P41x41x ABSURDE (FR) G 7 Willie Mullins  
2 x28221x90x ADELAIDE RIVER (IRE) H 5 Kris Lees  
3 1x12x3326x AGE OF SAIL (GB) G 6 Kris Lees  
4 8x6128159x AHURIRI (NZ) M 4 Chris Waller  
5 008x06212x ALEGRON G 6 Bjorn Baker  
6 42x11216x ALMAIRAC (IRE) G 5 Cliff Brown  
7 834x324x7x ARDAKAN (GB) G 6 Ciaron Maher  
8 2x1x12x2x ARREST (IRE) H 5 John & Thady Gosden  
9 1872x6442x ATHABASCAN (FR) G 6 John O’Shea & Tom Charlton  
10 280x70116x AURORA’S SYMPHONY G 8 Symon Wilde  
11 43x231101x BALANCE PLAY (IRE) G 5 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott  
12 735662x87x BANKERS CHOICE (NZ) G 7 Michael Moroney & Glen Thompson  
13 1833x8266x BASILINNA (NZ) M 4 Emma-Lee & David Browne  
14 31711x14x BEAR ON THE LOOSE (IRE) G 5 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott  
15 1x7x21112x BERKSHIRE BREEZE (IRE) G 6 Ciaron Maher  
16 113x6x BIRDMAN (IRE) G 4 Chris Waller  
17 728x766x0x BRAYDEN STAR (GB) G 6 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young  
18 75x5356x8x BUCKAROO (GB) G 6 Chris Waller  
19 1151x33x7x CHANGINGOFTHEGUARD (IRE) G 6 Kris Lees  
20 2343x4411x CIRCLE OF FIRE (GB) H 5 Ciaron Maher  
21 9621x00x8x CLEVELAND (IRE) H 7 Kris Lees  
22 55x1131x7x COCO SUN M 4 Tony & Calvin McEvoy  
23 25058x001x CONVENER (FR) G 6 Ciaron Maher  
24 1x3716211x DASHING DUCHESS (NZ) M 5 Symon Wilde  
25 13x DELIUS (GB) H 4 Jean-Claude Rouget  
26 x5x238x01x DENMARK (GB) G 5 Chris Waller  
27 17x034021x DENY KNOWLEDGE (IRE) M 7 Anthony & Sam Freedman  
28 86x6356x0x DILLIAN (IRE) G 6 Ciaron Maher  
29 7x32x113x DIVUS ROMULUS (IRE) G 5 Nick Ryan  
30 6361539x9x DON’T DOUBT DORY G 8 Julien Welsh  
31 867556x DUNLEER LAD G 5 Amy Small  
32 90x0005x8x EL BODEGON (IRE) G 6 Chris Waller  
33 1x211x1x1x ELIYASS (FR) G 6 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott  
34 x530x9500x EMISSARY (GB) G 8 Michael Moroney & Glen Thompson  
35 40x871x31x ETNA ROSSO (IRE) G 5 Chris Waller  
36 858x58610x FANCY MAN (IRE) G 7 Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald  
37 50x441131x FAWKNER PARK (IRE) G 6 Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald  
38 86x143030x FIRESTORM (NZ) M 4 Chris Waller  
39 228x26366x FOXY CLEOPATRA M 5 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young  
40 21x0570x0x FRANCESCO GUARDI (IRE) G 7 Chris Waller  
41 30x0656x3x FUTURE HISTORY (GB) G 7 Ciaron Maher  
42 00x3150x3x GEAR UP (IRE) G 7 Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald  
43 2433207x8x GOOD OIL (NZ) G 6 Andrew Forsman  
44 131x3721x GROSVENOR SQUARE (IRE) H 4 Aidan O’Brien  
45 33x44111x HAARACAINE (IRE) H 5 Nick Ryan  
46 12112x1x HARBOUR WIND (IRE) G 5 Dermot K Weld  
47 1264x62x3x HIPOP DE LOIRE (FR) G 8 Willie Mullins  
48 0988x0x11x HORRIFYING (NZ) G 7 Lindsey Smith  
49 13x32122x ILLINOIS (IRE) H 4 Aidan O’Brien  
50 11155x IMMEDIACY (NZ) G 4 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young  
51 25916x000x INTERPRETATION (IRE) G 7 Ciaron Maher  
52 111x JAN BRUEGHEL (IRE) H 4 Aidan O’Brien  
53 1110x85x0x JUST FINE (IRE) G 7 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott  
54 10x0213x4x KALAPOUR (IRE) G 8 Kris Lees  
55 5116x6570x KARBURAN (FR) G 5 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young  
56 2x2x2x KINESIOLOGY (GB) H 4 Jessica Harrington  
57 413x24234x KNIGHT’S CHOICE G 5 John Symons & Sheila Laxon  
58 0x4095365x KOVALICA (NZ) G 5 Chris Waller  
59 x2755x1x0x LAND LEGEND (FR) G 5 Chris Waller  
60 x10172x00x LE DON DE VIE (GB) G 9 Ciaron Maher  
61 8x3x30900x LIONEL (GB) G 6 Ciaron Maher  
62 12x245131x MAGICAL ZOE (IRE) M 7 Henry De Bromhead  
63 51x0010x3x MAHRAJAAN (USA) G 7 Shaune Ritchie & Colm Murray  
64 0x88520x2x MANZOICE G 5 Chris Waller  
65 x11167325x MARE OF MT BULLER M 4 Chris Waller  
66 533310x11x MEDATSU (NZ) G 4 Chris Waller  
67 21171x138x MIDDLE EARTH (GB) G 5 Ciaron Maher  
68 4101x3568x MILITARY MISSION (IRE) G 7 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott  
69 8x0x92441x MISSION OF LOVE M 5 John Symons & Sheila Laxon  
70 41171x258x MOLLY BLOOM (NZ) M 4 Chris Waller  
71 5x23622x4x MOSTLY CLOUDY (IRE) G 6 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young  
72 0x1116x84x MURAMASA G 5 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young  
73 1x3112116x NEREUS (NZ) G 5 Shaune Ritchie & Colm Murray  
74 3209x7622x NEW ENDEAVOUR (IRE) G 5 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott  
75 1111x2x24x NIGHT SPARKLE (IRE) M 6 Andrew Balding  
76 x513x00x8x OKITA SOUSHI (IRE) H 7 Ciaron Maher  
77 23603x1x1x ONESMOOTHOPERATOR (USA) G 7 Brian Ellison  
78 2311x07x0x PENNYWEKA (NZ) M 5 Ciaron Maher  
79 x5x110x27x PLACE DU CARROUSEL (IRE) M 6 Anthony & Sam Freedman  
80 x28x4x8x1x POINT KING (IRE) G 6 Anthony & Sam Freedman  
81 643x06135x POINT LONSDALE (IRE) H 6 Aidan O’Brien  
82 74x331891x POPTRONIC (GB) M 6 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott  
83 1781291x2x POSITIVITY (NZ) M 4 Andrew Forsman  
84 9791x18x4x POST IMPRESSIONIST (IRE) G 6 Anthony & Sam Freedman  
85 1124x68x7x PROMISES KEPT G 5 Ciaron Maher  
86 11x4225x3x QUANTUM CAT (USA) G 5 Chris Waller  
87 3x3x211x5x QUE TEMPESTA (IRE) G 6 Ben, Will & JD Hayes  
88 31x RED ACES C 3 Nick Ryan  
89 1x1x8x RELENTLESS VOYAGER (GB) G 5 Andrew Balding  
90 21x1311x7x RIFF ROCKET G 4 Chris Waller  
91 319x513x2x ROYAL CHAMPION (IRE) G 7 Anthony & Sam Freedman  
92 20567x154x ROYAL PATRONAGE (FR) H 6 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott  
93 141x3232x ROYAL SUPREMACY (IRE) H 4 Ciaron Maher  
94 5x31123x8x SAINT GEORGE (GB) H 5 Ciaron Maher  
95 L13x225x3x SAYEDATY SADATY (IRE) H 4 Ciaron Maher  
96   SEA KING (GB) G 6 Harry Eustace  
97 x111111x6x SEA WHAT I SEE (IRE) M 5 Danny O’Brien  
98 2132x6584x SENTIMENTAL FLAME M 4 Travis Doudle  
99 305x11404x SERPENTINE (IRE) G 8 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott  
100 61605x483x SHAIYHAR (IRE) G 6 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young  
101 90x3669x0x SHARP ’N’ SMART (NZ) G 5 Graeme & Deborah Rogerson  
102 700990481x SHONAN BASHITTO (JPN) H 5 Naosuke Sugai  
103 37x7291x6x SIR LUCAN (IRE) G 7 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott  
104 66x511451x STRATHTAY (NZ) G 5 Chris Waller  
105 50x9190x0x SUIZURO G 5 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young  
106 4x14522x THE EQUATOR (IRE) H 4 Aidan O’Brien  
107 2x THE EUPHRATES (GB) H 4 Aidan O’Brien  
108 4x12211x9x THE MAP M 6 Dan Clarken & Oopy MacGillivray  
109 102077933x THINK ’N’ FLY G 8 David Noonan  
110 2211626x6x TRUST IN YOU (NZ) G 6 Bruce Wallace & Grant Cooksley  
111 1x86x8010x UNCLE BRYN (GB) G 7 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young  
112 x211x41x3x UNUSUAL LEGACY (NZ) G 5 Chris Waller  
113 21x766x80x UP AND UNDER (FR) G 5 Chris Waller  
114 34x212256x VALIANT KING (GB) G 5 Chris Waller  
115 11x0x2431x VAUBAN (FR) G 7 Willie Mullins  
116 32x2x12x1x VIA SISTINA (IRE) M 7 Chris Waller  
117 115x8x9x WALTHAM (GB) G 5 Matthew Smith  
118 116x62521x WARMONGER (NZ) G 4 Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)  
119 3x414x325x WARP SPEED (JPN) H 6 Noboru Takagi  
120 071561x59x WAY UP HIGH M 6 Dan O’Sullivan  
121 11x068x63x WHISKY ON THE HILL (GB) G 5 Michael Moroney & Glen Thompson  
122 20x11x611x WITHOUT A FIGHT (IRE) G 8 Anthony & Sam Freedman  
123 21x0132x6x ZARDOZI M 4 James Cummings
Table Credit: Racing Australia.

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