Racing Victoria (RV) has today released the Orders of Entry for the 2020 Spring Racing Carnival’s two premier handicaps, the $8 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) and the $5.15 million Stella Artois Caulfield Cup (2400m).
The Mike Moroney-trained Aktau sits atop the Order of Entry for the 143rd Caulfield Cup – to be run on Saturday, 17 October – courtesy of his win in the ballot exempt Mornington Cup earlier this year.
Internationally trained horses make up nine of the top 18 upon release, but that number will be reduced in a week’s time when horses are required to enter pre-export quarantine in England and Ireland and the final travelling list is refined.
Among the most notable horses facing a challenge to secure a start in the Caulfield Cup are current equal second favourites Master of Wine and Mugatoo who sit at 44th and 55th respectively. Other highly fancied runners who are well down in the Caulfield Cup Order of Entry include Oceanex (56th), Ashrun (58th), Le Don De Vie (60th), Nonconformist (61st) and Delphi (70th).
There are six remaining ballot exemption races for the 2020 Caulfield Cup with the next of those being the Group 3 Naturalism Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield on 19 September, a race which was won by Jameka en route to her 2016 Cup triumph.
The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr trained Oceanex may not be guaranteed a start in the Caulfield Cup, but she is safely in the 160th Melbourne Cup field and sits atop the Order of Entry for the 3 November Flemington showpiece courtesy of her win in the ballot exempt The Andrew Ramsden.
Like the Caulfield Cup, the Melbourne Cup Order of Entry will take further shape over the next week with the finalisation of the list of European horses set to travel down under. There are currently 10 internationally trained horses in the top 24.
Among the most notable horses facing a challenge to secure a start in the Melbourne Cup are Aktau and Schabau who sit in 66th and 74th position respectively in the Order of Entry. Other horses prominent in futures betting that are currently outside the top 24 include King of Leogrance (34th), True Self (36th), Nickajack Cave (41st), Master of Wine (42nd), Ashrun (48th) and Delphi (59th).
There are four remaining ballot exemption races for the Melbourne Cup being The Bart Cummings (2500m) and Lexus Stakes (2500m) at Flemington on 3 and 31 October respectively, along with the Caulfield Cup and the Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) at The Valley on 24 October.
In each Cup there are a number of horses that are yet to pass the ballot clause and will progress in the Order of Entry when they do so.
Horses can satisfy the Caulfield Cup ballot clause by finishing in the top three in a Group race of 1600m or further, or by winning a Listed race of 1600m or further.
Horses can satisfy the Melbourne Cup ballot clause by finishing in the top three in a Group race of 2300m or further; winning a Listed race of 2300m or further; finishing in the top eight in the Caulfield Cup; finishing in the top three in the Ladbrokes Cox Plate; or by winning the Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on 3 October.
First acceptances for the Caulfield Cup close at 12 noon (AEST) on Tuesday, 22 September, and a week later at 12 noon (AEST) on Tuesday, 29 September for the Melbourne Cup.
Click here to view the Order of Entry for the Melbourne Cup
Click here to view the Order of Entry for the Caulfield Cup
The Orders of Entry will be updated by RV each week in the countdown to the Cups.