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.
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).
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 |
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