Trainer Gai Waterhouse at Derby Day at Flemington. Picture: Michael Dodge Source: Michael Dodge / Getty Images
GAI Waterhouse's Fiorente remains the best chance to keep the most prized trophy in Australian sport, the Melbourne Cup, from being taken overseas as a record number of internationals flood the field for Tuesday's big race.
Ruscello, winner of the Lexus Stakes yesterday, vaulted into the Cup field, keeping the Bart Cummings-trained Precedence out of the race.
Mount Athos is emerging as the pick of the international raiders and is now challenging Fiorente for favouritism.
The Derby Day meeting at Flemington yesterday, held before a bumper crowd of 95,223, featured only four stayers that have made the final 24-horse field for the $6.2 million race.
Trainer Gai Waterhouse with Melbourne Cup Favourite Fiorente. Picture: Getty Images Source: Getty Images
Ruscello and fourth placegetter Ethiopia from the Lexus Stakes while Mackinnon Stakes runner-up Dear Demi and Mourayan (seventh) did enough to convince their connections they deserve a start in the Melbourne Cup. The major big-race news includes:
#There are 14 Group 1 winners in race including the last two Melbourne Cup winners.
#Dunaden, the 2011 Melbourne Cup winner, is topweight with 58.5kg, with defending champ Green Moon on 57.5kg.
#A record nine northern hemisphere-trained stayers are in the field - Dunaden, Red Cadeaux, Brown Panther, Voleuse De Coeuers, Verema, Mount Athos, Royal Empire, Simenon and Ruscello.
#Owner Lloyd Williams has an unprecedented six starters- Green Moon, Sea Moon, Fawkner, Seville, Mourayan, and Masked Marvel.
#Gai Waterhouse's Fiorente is the $7.50 favourite.
#Cox Plate-winning apprentice Chad Schofield gets his first Melbourne Cup ride on Ruscello.
#Bart Cummings is without a Melbourne Cup runner after Precedence was left stranded at 25th in order of entry.
Waterhouse describes Fiorente as her best chance of winning the Melbourne Cup after preparing three second placegetters - Te Akau Nick (1993), Nothin' Leica Dane (1995), and Fiorente (last year).
She will also saddle up French recruit Tres Blue.
Sydney's premier trainer Chris Waller had four stayers qualified but accepted with only two - Hawkspur and Foreteller.
Waller decided against accepting with Moriarty despite his good third in the Mackinnon Stakes yesterday.
Hawkspur will start from barrier 18, which has never produced a Cup winner. Picture: Peter Wallis Source: News Limited
Stablemate Kelinni, who ran fourth in last year's Melbourne Cup, struggled when 10th in the Lexus Stakes, disappointing Waller who decided against running the stayer in the big race.
Cummings made a strategic decision to leave Precedence at home and not contest either the Mackinnon Stakes or the Lexus Stakes even though the stayer was 29th in order of entry.
It nearly paid off with Precedence creeping up to 25th in order but the 11th hour decision to run Lexus Stakes winner Ruscello meant Cummings was left without an opportunity to improve on his extraordinary 12 wins in the great race.
Tuesday's Melbourne Cup will be only the second time in over a decade that Cummings has not had a starter in the race - it was 2006 when the race was run without a stayer trained by the "Cups King''.
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