Who's running in the Lexus Melbourne Cup?

1. Vauban (FR) 7yo Gelding – 55.5kg 

Jockey: William Buick
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Barrier: 11
Racing & Sports Rating: 122

Vauban returns to Flemington having started favourite last year and struggling when 14^th, sitting on a fast tempo. A former Grade 1 winning hurdler, he’s improved slightly back home since this time last year, winning a Group 2 over two miles at York before a fighting second to eight-time Group 1 winning star Kyprios at the Curragh. There’s no doubting his ability, he just needs to handle the occasion and bring his best; if he does, he'll go close.

2. Buckaroo (GB) – 6yo Gelding - 54.5kg

Jockey: Joao Moreira
Trainer: Chris Waller
Barrier: 21
Racing & Sports Rating: 124

Buckaroo resumed as a gelding this preparation and it has been the making of him. He was excellent behind subsequent Cox Plate star Via Sistina in a strongly run Turnbull Stakes and was the run of the race in the Caulfield Cup when charging from the back to grab second in what looked a classic Melbourne Cup trial. The small query is whether he’ll stay 3200m, but off his last start run and his class, he looks an excellent chance.

3. Circle Of Fire (GB) 5yo Horse – 54.5kg

Jockey: Mark Zahra
Trainer: Ciaron Maher
Barrier: 24
Racing & Sports Rating: 116

An out-and-out stayer, Circle Of Fire won the Sydney Cup impressively over two miles in the Autumn despite racing very wide and working throughout. His run two starts back in a strong Turnbull Stakes suggested he was on track but he struggled to make inroads in the Caulfield Cup when battling into tenth. 3200m at Flemington will suit, but he isn’t well in at the weights and has the task ahead to turn the tables on key rivals, especially from the widest barrier.

Warp Speed (JPN) - 6yo Horse - 54.5kg 

Jockey: Akira Sugawara
Trainer: Noburu Takagi
Barrier: 3
Racing & Sports Rating: 117

The sole Japanese runner looking to emulate compatriot Delta Blues in 2006. He’s a genuine, grinding type of stayer who wants this to be run at well, warp speed, as many races in Japan are. Warp Speed ran in the Caulfield Cup, got back to last and never came on. He can only improve on firm ground and up in trip, but he may lack the turn of foot and class to feature in a Melbourne Cup.

5. Kovalica - 5yo Gelding - 53.5kg

Jockey: Damian Lane
Trainer: Chris Waller
Barrier: 17
Racing & Sports Rating: 118

Kovalica is the only horse coming through the Cox Plate, which has been a good guide to recent Melbourne Cups. He hasn’t been seen over a staying trip since his dominant win in the 2023 Queensland Derby and could well be a horse wanting this trip. While beaten a long way in the Cox Plate, he wasn’t far behind some top horses, finding the line well. Gets an elite jockey on and can run big late splits off fast or slow tempos. Can run very well.

6. Sharp ‘N’ Smart (NZ) - 5yo Gelding - 53.5kg 

Jockey: Michael Dee
Trainer: Graeme & Deborah Rogerson
Barrier: 15
Racing & Sports Rating: 113

Beaten half a length in the 2022 Victoria Derby, the New Zealander Sharp ‘N’ Smart has mixed his form in his home country since. He endured a tough run in the Turnbull Stakes two back but improved in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup when running on late for third behind Okita Soushi, who he meets 1.5kg better at the weights. He’s a slight query at the distance and isn’t well weighted but is tough and gets a good jockey up.

7. Just Fine (IRE) - 7yo Gelding - 53kg

Jockey: Jye McNeil
Trainer: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
Barrier: 13
Racing & Sports Rating: 113

A Group 1 winner of The Metropolitan last year, Just Fine found something like his best two starts ago when given a perfect ride to win the Bart Cummings, leading throughout. He was awful last time in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup when finishing last, seemingly with no excuses, and a high pressure two miles is a genuine concern. A return to Flemington may help but he’d need everything to go his way to be in the finish.

8. Land Legend (FR) - 5yo Gelding - 53.5kg

Jockey: Zac Purton
Trainer: Chris Waller
Barrier: 18
Racing & Sports Rating: 116

The lightly raced Land Legend was impressive on his Australian debut last year, wining the ATC St Leger at Randwick. He was a strong Group 1 winner of The Metropolitan two starts back before racing fiercely and doing plenty wrong in the Caulfield Cup from an inside draw, sticking on well for third. He has a few lengths to find but should relish 3200m on the big track and has one of the world’s best jockeys in Zac Purton sticking aboard, who is far better suited drawing wider this time around.

9. Absurde (FR) - 7yo Gelding - 52.5kg 

Jockey: Kerrin McEvoy
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Barrier: 7
Racing & Sports Rating: 114

The second of Willie Mullins’ pair to return for a second crack at the Cup having been well backed last year and sticking on for seventh after taking the lead around the turn. He’s coming off a win in the Listed Chester Stakes, a similar performance, if not slightly better than his win prior to coming out last year. This year’s winning standard looks lower but he will still need to improve to figure, which he may well do for master trainer Willie Mullins.

10. Athabascan (FR) - 6yo Gelding - 52kg

Jockey: Zac Lloyd
Trainer: John O’Shea & Tom Charlton
Barrier: 2
Racing & Sports Rating: 113

One of just five horses in the field coming off a last start win, Athabascan was given a good ride to win the ATC St Leger Stakes over 2600m having been well beaten by Land Legend and Zardozi in The Metropolitan prior. He’s a consistent stayer who ran well for second to Circle Of Fire in the Sydney Cup over 3200m this year and looks a good top ten chance while probably lacking the class to win.

11. Knight’s Choice - 5yo Gelding - 51.5kg

Jockey: Robbie Dolan
Trainer: John Symons & Sheila Laxon
Barrier: 6
Racing & Sports Rating: 112

Knight’s Choice would be a great story for co-trainer Sheila Laxon who trained Ethereal to win the Caulfield/Melbourne Cup double in 2001. The horse was racing well in his home state of Queensland over the Winter with multiple placings at Group level and did show a bit more last start when fifth in the Bendigo Cup, but he has at least half a dozen lengths to make up to be in the finish here.

 12. Okita Soushi (Ire) - 7yo Gelding - 51kg

Jockey: Jamie Kah
Trainer: Ciaron Maher
Barrier: 10
Racing & Sports Rating: 114

Formerly with Joseph O’Brien, Okita Soushi ran on fairly for 11^th in last year’s Melbourne Cup and has since been trained by Ciaron Maher. By Galileo and out of Australian Thousand Guineas winner Amicus, Okita Soushi has been excellent at his past two starts in the Herbert Power and Moonee Valley Gold Cup, winning the latter. He’s hitting form at the right time and has a favourable racing pattern in a Cup without tons of tempo on paper.

13. Onesmoothoperator (USA) - 7yo Gelding - 51kg 

Jockey: Craig Williams
Trainer: Brian Ellison
Barrier: 12
Racing & Sports Rating: 116

A seven-year-old with 37 starts under the belt, Onesmoothoperator hails from North Yorkshire in England and won his way into the Melbourne Cup with an impressive victory in the Geelong Cup. He showed a neat turn of foot to beat Interpretation there who was sixth in last year’s Cup, and he’ll have no issue with two miles. Craig Williams sticking aboard suits from a nice middle alley and he has genuine claims on the strength of his last start win.

14. Zardozi  - 4yo Mare - 51kg

Jockey: Andrea Atzeni
Trainer: James Cummings
Barrier: 4
Racing & Sports Rating: 116

The VRC Oaks winner returns to Flemington and trainer James Cummings has taken a leaf out of Grandfather Bart’s playbook, one that won the legendary trainer 12 Melbourne Cups. Zardozi ran in Saturday’s Empire Rose Stakes over 1600m, hitting the line beautifully for fifth. She almost won The Metropolitan on protest two back before a battling fifth in the Caulfield Cup when afforded every hope. She loves Flemington, dry ground and has a good platform to run two miles strongly.

15. Sea King (GB) – 6yo Gelding – 50.5kg

Jockey: Hollie Doyle
Trainer: Harry Eustace
Barrier: 1
Racing & Sports Rating: 116

Sea King won his way into the Melbourne Cup with a dominant win in last week’s Bendigo Cup, scoring by nearly four lengths. Formerly with Sir Mark Prescott, OTI racing purchased Sea King and transferred him to Harry Eustace, brother of 2023 Melbourne Cup winning co-trainer David. The Bendigo Cup has been a solid guide in recent years and Sea King is as good a winner as we’ve seen. If he handles the hustle and bustle of gate one, he’s a massive chance.

16. Valiant King (GB) - 5yo Gelding - 50.5kg

Jockey: Craig Newitt
Trainer: Chris Waller
Barrier: 22
Racing & Sports Rating 113

Another ex-Joseph O’Brien horse, Valiant King was a game sixth in last year’s Caulfield Cup behind subsequent Melbourne Cup winner Without A Fight, at what was just his eighth start. Now with Chris Waller, he hasn’t made an impression in three runs this time in, finishing ninth in the Caulfield Cup last time out. His last 200m in that race was the fourth-fastest when too far back, so he could be an improver at big odds over 3200m.

17. Fancy Man (IRE) - 7yo Gelding - 50kg 

Jockey: Ron Stewart
Trainer: Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald
Barrier: 19
Racing & Sports Rating: 108

Formerly with Richard Hannon Jnr in England, Fancy Man had form around some top English stayers before coming to Australia. Gelded after three starts here, he’s mixed his form between New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria and is another coming through the Caulfield Cup where he finished sixth in a commendable effort. He was however beaten nearly ten lengths there and it’s hard to see where the improvement comes from.

18. Interpretation (IRE) - 7yo Gelding - 50kg 

Jockey: Teo Nugent
Trainer: Ciaron Maher
Barrier: 14
Racing & Sports Rating: 114

Interpretation returns for a third crack at the Melbourne Cup having run an excellent sixth last year; only the first two, Without A Fight and Soulcombe, had a faster last sectional. This year the son of Galileo has had the luxury of a spot secured, so Ciaron Maher has been able to time his preparation perfectly. He’s been the fastest home in the Bart Cummings and Geelong Cup and looks primed for the rise to 3200m on the minimum weight from an ideal middle barrier.

19. Manzoice – 5yo Gelding – 50kg 

Jockey: Declan Bates
Trainer: Chris Waller
Barrier: 8
Racing & Sports Rating: 111

The 2022 Victoria Derby winner sneaks into the Melbourne Cup field in search of his first win since that victory two years ago. The son of Almanzor has threatened to get back to his best a few times without quite delivering, placing in his first two runs this time in, but was poor in the Bart Cummings and last start in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup, seemingly with every chance. Hard to see him turning his form around to that extent.

20. Mostly Cloudy (IRE) - 6yo Gelding - 50kg

Jockey: Karis Teetan
Trainer: Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young
Barrier: 16
Racing & Sports Rating: 111

A genuine two-miler, Mostly Cloudy won twice over the trip in England before coming to Australia early last year, winning once from 17 starts. That said, he’s been around the mark behind a number of rivals and his Flemington form in isolation is relatively strong. Just two starts back he ran the fastest last 200m at Flemington in the Lexus Archer Stakes and he’s one that will relish 3200m on quick ground, something he hasn’t yet seen in Australia. A top ten finish certainly wouldn’t shock.

21. Positivity (NZ)  - 4yo Mare - 50kg

Jockey: Winona Costin
Trainer: Andrew Forsman
Barrier: 20
Racing & Sports Rating: 113

One of three mares in our Cup field, Positivity is a three-year-old SA Fillies Classic winner over 2500m who beat a handful of rivals in the MRC Foundation Cup at Caulfield over 2000m three runs back. She had a setback which caused her to miss the Caulfield Cup and was poor in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup when racing on speed, fading to finish eighth. She’ll be long odds off that run and needing a huge turnaround in form.

22. Saint George (GB) – 5yo Horse – 50kg

Jockey: Tyler Schiller
Trainer: Ciaron Maher
Barrier: 9
Racing & Sports Rating: 113

Group 2 placed over 2816m in England, the sparingly raced grey Saint George was prominent in Cup markets after a luckless run at his Australian debut in the Heatherlie Stakes. He was poor two starts ago in the Bart Cummings when possibly not handling a soft track and had bar plates applied for the Moonee Valley Gold Cup, running the best late splits of that race. Possibly not the ideal preparation, but there’s an engine there we’re yet to see.

23. The Map - 6yo Mare - 50kg 

Jockey: Rachel King
Trainer: Dan Clarken & Oopy MacGillivray
Barrier: 23
Racing & Sports Rating: 108

Fully Australian bred, The Map would be a popular winner of the Cup for Murray Bridge based trainers Dan Clarken & Oopy MacGillivray. Beaten a nose in the Adelaide Cup over 3200m earlier this year, she won her way to Flemington with a strong win in the Andrew Ramsden Stakes in May. She’s been slowly building this preparation with sound runs at Caulfield and Geelong and will have no issue running the trip but possibly lacks the class to win.

 24. Trust In You (NZ) - 6yo Gelding - 50kg

Jockey: Mark Du Plessis
Trainer: Bruce Wallace & Grant Cooksley
Barrier: 5
Racing & Sports Rating: 108

Purchased for just $26,000 as a yearling, Trust In You has had three runs in Australia, all in Sydney. He ran very well in The Metropolitan behind Land Legend and Zardozi two starts back when nosed out of the placings but was just fair last start in the Group 3 St Leger Stakes over 2600m, fourth behind Athabascan. His sole 3200m run came when sixth behind Mahrajaan in the Auckland Cup and he lacks the class to be competitive here.