The 2024 Lexus Melbourne Cup is shaping up to be an exhilarating race, with 123 stayers from around the world vying for the prestigious title following the official nominations. The race will be held on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, at Flemington Racecourse.
Ciaron Maher’s Sydney Cup champ, Circle Of Fire, is the best fancied local in the 2024 Lexus Melbourne Cup nominations. Photo: Steve Hart.
This year’s Melbourne Cup features a strong potential contingent of international horses from Ireland, Japan, France, and England, adding to the excitement and diversity of the race.
“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.
Australian and New Zealand-bred horses are also well-represented, with 103 local stayers aiming for glory. The defending champion, Without A Fight, returns to defend his title, while The Map, a South Australian-trained horse, has earned his place in the field through a Listed Andrew Ramsden win at Flemington earlier this year.
“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,” Jordon added.
Champion trainer Chris Waller has a significant presence in the 2024 Melbourne Cup nominations with 21 entries. Waller, known for his success in the race back in 2021 with the sadly, since deceased, Verry Elleegant, aims to add another trophy to his collection with horses like Riff Rocket, last year’s Victoria Derby champion.
The Aidan O’Brien-trained Grosvenor Square, fellow Irish raider Vauban, and the local Ciaron Maher-trained Sydney Cup champion from the autumn Circle Of Fire are among the early favorites in pre-field 2024 Melbourne Cup betting at Ladbrokes. These horses have shown promising form and are expected to be strong contenders.
Several races throughout the spring carnival offer ballot exemptions for the Melbourne Cup, including the Lexus Archer Stakes, Lexus Bart Cummings, Caulfield Cup, and Cox Plate. These races provide horses with a chance to secure their place in the prestigious field of 24.
As the Melbourne Cup draws closer, keep an eye on the latest news, odds, and form updates to make informed betting decisions. The excitement is building for this iconic Australian race, and with a talented field of horses, the 2024 Melbourne Cup promises to be a thrilling spectacle with first acceptances open until October 1.
2024 Lexus 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 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
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