The powerful Goldophin worldwide thoroughbred organisation has a great chance to win their first Group 1 $6m Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on Tuesday with five of their horses to carry the famous royal blue colours.

Hartnell, above, is the ruling favourite for the Melbourne Cup at Flemington. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Hartnell is the highest rated of the Godolphin runners at $5 in the market order at Ladbrokes.com.au and trainer John O’Shea said that he has the six year old ready to run rgw race of his life.

“He did his main gallop on Saturday,” O’Shea said.

“It’s now a matter of keeping him ticking over, stretching his legs, keeping him relaxed. We’re ready to go.”

English raiders Beautiful Romance (white cap) and Secret Number (black cap) from Saeed Bin Suroor Newmarket stable, the Charlie Appleby trained Englis stayers Qewy (yellow cap) and Oceanographer (red cap) and local chance Hartnell (blue cap) prepared by John O’Shea are among the final twenty-four runners in the this year’s ‘Race That Stops A Nation’.

Oceanaographer was the last of the five Godolphin horses to secure a start in the Melbourne Cup with his win in the Group 3 $300,000 Lexus Stakes (2500m) at Flemington today and Appleby said that he would have no trouble backing up in three days time.

“He’ll back up for sure,” Appleby said.

“Whatever he does, he’s done us proud. We’ll just turn up on Tuesday and enjoy ourselves.

“The horses are thriving out here. The sunshine is doing them a power of good.”