Following Tuesday’s announcement of weights, the first Order of Entry for the 2013 Emirates Melbourne Cup has been released by Racing Victoria (RV) on Wednesday.
Returning 2011 winner Dunaden sits atop the Order of Entry after being named as the 58.5kg topweight, ahead of Robert Hickmott-trained, Lloyd Williams-owned defending champion Green Moon (57.5kg).
If the race was run tomorrow, current Cup favourite Puissance De Lune, who tackles Atlantic Jewel in Saturday’s Group 1 Hyland Race Colours Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield, would be the final horse in the field.
The Darren Weir-trained French import currently sits in 24th position in the ballot but with doubt over several higher ranked runners his spot in the 5 November feature at Flemington looks safe.
Click here to view the full order of entry for the Melbourne Cup.
English St Leger winner Leading Light (fifth), Irish St Leger winner Voleuse De Coeurs (ninth) and Joshua Tree (10th) occupy prominent positions in the Order of Entry but they are doubtful starters giving hope to those currently outside the field limit of 24.
Last year’s edition of the $6.2 million feature saw Irish-bred gallopers Green Moon, Fiorente and Jakkalbery fill the trifecta and horses originating out of the Emerald Isle again look well placed to feature this year with 12 of the top 30 in the ballot, including the Robert Hickmott import Sea Moon (sixth) and Godolphin entry Ahzeemah (18th).
A third Hickmott-trained star, Sydney Cup winner Mourayan, sits 23rd in the Cup order and is all but assured a Cup start, but the same cannot be said for well-regarded stablemates Thought Worthy (44th), Massiyn (55th) and Seville.
Seville, Gai Waterhouse galloper Carlton House, exciting Lindsay Park prospect Jet Away and Jake Stephens’ import Gris Caro have not passed the first ballot clause and need a peak performance beyond 2300 metres to move above 78th in the Order of Entry.
Those outside the top 24 will need to rely on rivals’ attrition or win their way into the starting line-up with victory in a ballot exemption race or by being handed a penalty for a feature race win.
The four ballot exemption races are the Group 1 BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m), Group 1 Sportingbet Cox Plate (2040m), Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) and Group 3 Lexus Stakes (2500m), the latter two at Flemington on 2 November.
The Melbourne Cup Order of Entry will be updated on a weekly basis with first declarations to be taken on Tuesday, 8 October 2013.
– Racing Victoria
