Chris Waller’s marvel nine-year-old Who Shot Thebarman will get a fourth shot at the Melbourne Cup in 2017 after a gutsy win in the 2017 Moonee Valley Gold Cup on Cox Plate Day.

Giving flying hoop Blake Shinn a third straight Ladbrokes Cox Plate Day win, the always-honest son of Yamanin Vital was too good for his rivals including second-placed stablemate Libran in the Group 2 $300,000 Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m).

The front-runner Cismontane for Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott, coming off a lead-up third behind today’s beaten odds-on favourite Big Duke in Sydney’s St. Leger (2600m) on The Everest Day, set a dawdling pace but held for third to round out the trifecta.

The two Waller horses however came on late from the back and after peeling out, were too strong late, especially the winner who got around and got the momentum he needed to prove his evergreen status.

It was the second time in as many years Waller, who is counting down to Winx chasing a third Cox Plate win in Race 9, prepared the first two past the post in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup results.

In 2016 it was Grand Marshal ahead of Who Shot Thebarman, but this spring it was the latter’s turn and with the victory the Kiwi expat took his earnings up over $3 million.

“Bit of an entrée hopefully [to Winx winning the Cox Plate],” Waller said post-win.

“He’s a fantastic horse and he means a lot to the stable.

“Around the stable he’s just as popular as Winx.

“He still tries his heart out.”

Waller confirmed plans to head to Flemington Racecourse on Tuesday November 7 with both his Moonee Valley Gold Cup graduates who will face off in the Group 1 $6.2 million Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m).

“He’s come from well back today and sustained a long, solid run,” Waller said of the Moonee Valley Gold Cup win by Who Shot Thebarman.

“He had to run well today [to go to the Melbourne Cup].

“Can he win it? I’m not going to say, I’ll leave it to the punters to decide.

“But he knows his way there and he’ll be there.”

Who Shot Thebarman’s previous Melbourne Cup runs were: 3^rd in 2014, 11^th in 2015 and 5^th in 2016.

Lawman seven-year-old Libran is part-owned by current VRC Chairman Mrs Amanda Elliott, the first female to fill the coveted position, and in her opening year in the job she will have a runner in the ‘race that stops a nation’.

“He was the same,” Waller said.

“He had to run well today and he’s done enough.”

Libran was impressive late in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup coming from dead last and improved on a lead-up fifth in the St. Leger, running right down the outside into second.

Libran was runner-up in the 2016 Sydney Cup before failing to finish in the race this year, where Who Shot Thebarman crossed second over the two miles behind Polarisation.

Unlike his stablemate, Libran has never lined-up in a Melbourne Cup field with his only Flemington run to date being an unplaced effort over 1800m in November of 2015.

To check out the updated all-in Melbourne Cup 2017 odds on the best two out of the Moonee Valley Gold Cup head to Ladbrokes.com.au.

2017 Moonee Valley Gold Cup Results & Finishing Order

Moonee Valley Race 6 – 28/10/2017