Many British and Irish racing fans will be setting their alarms to wake them during the small hours so they don’t miss the £2 million ‘race that stops a nation’
Many British and Irish racing fans will be setting their alarms to wake them during the small hours so they don’t miss the £2 million ‘race that stops a nation’ Many British and Irish racing fans will be setting their alarms to wake them during the small hours so they don’t miss the £2 million ‘race that stops a nation’
The Lexus Melbourne Cup is known as the ‘race that stops a nation’ in Australia – but its audience is increasingly worldwide.
Such is the interest in the richest two-mile handicap in the world, which will be run for the 164th time at Flemington racecourse on Tuesday.
Stables from Britain and Ireland have taken an increasing interest in the race since Dermot Weld became the first foreign trainer to win the Melbourne Cup in 1993 with Vintage Crop.
This year Willie Mullins, who has twice come close to winning, returns with two runners among the 23-strong field, Vauban and Absurde, both of whom are past Cheltenham Festival winners.
Onesmoothoperator, the Northumberland Plate winner, will be saddled by Yorkshire trainer Brian Ellison while Sea King races for Newmarket trainer Harry Eustace, under jockey Hollie Doyle.
In addition Australian connections have dipped into the British and Irish auction market to source future Melbourne Cup winners and many runners.
So if punters are not familiar with the trainer or jockey, they may well remember the horse running in Europe.
What time is the Melbourne Cup?
Get an early night and set the alarm for the small hours as the race has a 4am start time.
Where can you watch the Melbourne Cup?
The race will be shown live on Sky Sports Racing, channel 415. Full coverage of the Flemington meeting starts at 11pm on Monday.
Six horses to watch out for, plus latest William Hill odds
Buckaroo (Chris Waller) – Joao Morera (11-2) Won three times when trained in Ireland by Joseph O’Brien then joined Australia’s champion trainer Waller. Produced a host of strong performances during build-up, with two wins and two seconds the latest by a head behind Via Sistina, who won the Cox Plate by eight lengths next time out.
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Absurde (Willie Mullins) – Kerrin McEvoy (8-1)Second string to Vauban in the betting but also a live candidate. Won the County Hurdle in March and impressed when landing a Listed race at Chester in August. Mullins has booked three-time race winner Kerrin McEvoy to ride the horse who will be aiming to improve on last year’s seventh placing.
Kovalica (Chris Waller) – Damian Lane (20-1)Has not won since May 2023 but has shown enough class to take a hand, provided everything falls right. Earned a start after producing a rapid finishing burst to take sixth in the Cox Plate and while he takes a significant step up in distance, the winner of the 2023 Queensland Derby could be a lively outsider.
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Mostly Cloudy (Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young) – Karis Teetan (50-1)Karis Teetan jets in from Hong Kong for this lightweight who some may remember racing for Gemma Tutty in Britain, where he won six in a row. He’s run well in his prep races and if stamina becomes a premium could well make the first six.
Okita Sushi (Ciaron Maher) – Jamie Kah (14-1)Another ex-Joseph O’Brien horse who will be ridden by Australia’s most successful female jockey Jamie Kah. Okita Sushi won at Royal Ascot last year and has taken time to find his feet in Australia. Came good last time in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup and is one of the leading local fancies.
Onesmoothoperator (Brian Ellison) – Craig Williams (7-1)Stormed into the field, when thought to have little chance, with an impressive win in the Geelong Cup under top jockey Williams and is now third favourite. Bids to complete a dream double for trainer Ellison having secured his other ambition by winning the Northumberland Plate in June.
Mirror – Sport
