One hundred and seventy four nominations have been received for the 2020 running of the world-famous A$8 million Gr1 Lexus Melbourne Cup which is scheduled to be run at Flemington over 3200m on 3 November.
Nominations closed at 12pm on Thursday.
Joining defending champion Vow and Declare from the Danny O’Brien stable is one of the country’s most exciting horses in Russian Camelot, plus Kennedy Oaks winner Miami Bound and King of Leogrance, who narrowly missed direct entry into the Lexus Melbourne Cup when second to fellow nominee Oceanex in The Andrew Ramsden.
Star gallopers such as Verry Elleegant, Warning, Constantinople, Finche and Master of Wine headline the nominations for Flemington-based trainers, while Surprise Baby and Haky keep the dream alive for country-trained stayers.
Connections of the UK’s Prince of Arran have nominated in the hope that it will be third time lucky for the popular horse who placed third in 2018 and second in 2019.
In a year where international travel is restricted, there are many high class horses on a one-way ticket to Australia from Europe.
Some of those nominated include Le Don De Vie, Sir Dragonet, Dashing Willoughby and Nickajack Cave. Other well-credentialed internationally-trained nominated horses, of which there are 30, include Master of Reality, Santiago and Anthony Van Dyck.
