124 Included in 2016 Melbourne Cup Nominations

A total of 124 nominations have been taken for the 2016 Melbourne Cup (3200m); to run be on the first Tuesday of November at Flemington Racecourse.

Reigning champion Prince Of Penzance has been included in 2016 Melbourne Cup nominations. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos

Reigning champion Prince Of Penzance has been included in 2016 Melbourne Cup nominations. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos

Won in a boil over by $101 outsider Prince Of Penzance last year, 2016 Melbourne Cup nominations are down sixteen on the race’s 2015 edition, however the depth of local and international talent included suggests it will again be the Spring Carnival highlight.

Prince Of Penzance undoubtedly found his pet distance and conditions in last year’s Race that Stops a Nation, and has been included in 2016 Melbourne Cup nominations by trainer Darren Weir.

Posting a career total of seven wins and nine minors through twenty-six starts, Prince Of Penzance resumed last spring for eighth in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) before placing fifth in the Gold Nugget Handicap (1600m) at Ballarat.

Again finishing fifth in the Group 3 JRA Cup (2040m), the Pentire gelding ran eighth in the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) and second in the Group 2 Moonee Valley Cup (2500m) before flying home from nowhere to win the Melbourne Cup.

Having only made two competitive appearances in 2016 so far, Prince Of Penzance is one of eleven Melbourne Cup nominations lodged by leading Victorian trainer Darren Weir.

Thirty-one internationals have been included in 2016 Melbourne Cup nominations, including Japanese staying star Curren Mirotic.

The stable star for trainer Osamu Hirata, Curren Mirotic has claimed six wins and a further twelve minors through a busy thirty-six start career since debuting in 2010, and is a proven performer at both the class and distance of the Melbourne Cup.

Resuming in March this year for a credible sixth in the Group 2 Hanshin Daishoten (3000m), the Heart’s Cry gelding progressed to second behind Kitasan Black in the Group 1 Tenno Sho (3200m) before a luckless run for eleventh in the Group 1 Takarazuka Kinen (2200m) on June 26th.

Japanese stayers have a good record in the Melbourne Cup, however a number of notable omissions from 2016 nominations include last year’s early favourite Fame Game and widely-rumoured nominee Albert.

Willie Mullins saddled Max Dynamite to a close second in the Flemington feature last year, but the Great Journey gelding is another notable omission from 2016 Melbourne Cup nominations.

Mullins is set to be represented during the Spring Carnival again however, after he included both Clondaw Warrior and Wicklow Brave in Melbourne Cup 2016 nominations.

A strong and consistent performer over the hurdles this year, Clondaw Warrior earned a Melbourne Cup nomination off the back of a strong performance for second in the Group 3 American St Leger (2716m) at Arlington on August 13th.

Wicklow Brave has also been included in 2016 Caulfield Cup nominations, and the gelding has posted a number of impressive results through recent months including a credible third in the Group 2 Lonsdale Cup (3299m) on August 19th; beating home the likes of Trip To Paris.

Order Of St George remains an $11 favourite in early betting markets at Ladbrokes Australia after also being included in 2016 Melbourne Cup nominations.

2016 Melbourne Cup Nominations

# Form (Last 10) Horse Sex Age Trainer Hcp. Rating
1 31x221x66x ALMANDIN (GER) G 7 Robert Hickmott 97
2 01x9065x8x ALMOONQITH (USA) H 7 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 105
3 212x1x7x ALOFT (IRE) H 5 Robert Hickmott 90
4 12x26x5x6x ALPINE EAGLE H 5 Tony McEvoy 103
5 69x603116x AMEXED (NZ) G 6 Tony Gollan
6 146x511x ANTONIO GIUSEPPE (NZ) G 4 Chris Waller
7 03x8148x0x ARAB DAWN (GB) G 6 John O’Shea 99
8 x5x8x1153x ASSIGN (IRE) G 6 Robert Hickmott 92
9 1x0x00915x AUTHORITARIAN G 5 Lee & Anthony Freedman 74
10 60x406x46x AZURITE (IRE) G 6 Tony McEvoy 76
11 23x111321x BARSANTI (IRE) G 5 Roger Varian
12 1x22x BATTLECAMP (NZ) G 4 Lee & Anthony Freedman 66
13 13x BEAUTIFUL ROMANCE (GB) M 5 Saeed Bin Suroor
14 1x8331x07x BERISHA G 5 Robert Smerdon 97
15 7x5x23x11x BIG ORANGE (GB) G 6 Michael Bell
16 7x7814251x BOLD SNIPER (GB) G 7 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 96
17 1220x11x3x BONDI BEACH (IRE) H 5 Aidan O’Brien
18 0Dx13x312x CLONDAW WARRIOR (IRE) G 10 William Mullins
19 5x1321213x COOL CHAP G 4 Lee & Anthony Freedman
20 2x1x2x3x CURREN MIROTIC (JPN) G 9 Osamu Hirata
21 1x1x DA BIG HOSS (USA) H 6 Michael J Maker
22 6324210x8x DANDY GENT G 5 Terry & Karina O’Sullivan 86
23 872188512x DANE HUSSLER M 5 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 73
24 5212246x5x DANJEU (IRE) G 6 John P Thompson
25 23x10x003x DARLUX (FR) G 6 Brian McGrath 64
26 16x7733x8x DE LITTLE ENGINE G 6 Danny O’Brien 93
27 1246x3269x DEE I CEE (NZ) G 5 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
28 0x3121x22x DIVAN (NZ) G 5 Robert Hickmott 86
29 43x433191x DREADED (NZ) G 4 Lee & Anthony Freedman 65
30 1x11x2x ELITE ARMY (GB) G 6 Saeed Bin Suroor
31 x456x9253x ERUPT (IRE) H 5 Francis-Henri Graffard
32 x97170x96x ESCADO G 7 Matt Laurie 101
33 572217x20x EXCESS KNOWLEDGE (GB) H 7 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 106
34 1413x1835x EXOSPHERE (GB) H 5 Sir Michael Stoute
35 110010x90x EXTRA CHOICE (NZ) G 4 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 71
36 x13057741x FANATIC (NZ) M 4 Graeme Sanders
37 2x009x830x FOUNDRY (IRE) G 7 Robert Hickmott 97
38 143x60x46x FRANCIS OF ASSISI (IRE) G 7 Charlie Appleby
39 35x8421x7x GABELLA (FR) M 7 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 93
40 x0069x031x GALLANTE (IRE) G 6 Robert Hickmott
41 3x08533x7x GRAND MARSHAL (GB) G 7 Chris Waller
42 32x1837x8x GREY LION (IRE) H 5 Matt Cumani
43 98046x000x GUST OF WIND (NZ) M 5 John Sargent
44 4x2117x8x HANS HOLBEIN (GB) H 5 Robert Hickmott 92
45 x4650x5x2x HARTNELL (GB) G 6 John O’Shea
46 28x332722x HAURAKI G 5 John O’Shea
47 1x HEARTBREAK CITY (FR) G 7 Tony Martin
48 2231122x4x HEAVENS ABOVE M 5 Tim Martin
49 8x41211x1x HE’S OUR ROKKII (NZ) G 4 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 99
50 5070x67x5x HI WORLD H 5 Lee & Anthony Freedman 99
51 5x2134412x HOUSESOFPARLIAMENT (IRE) H 4 Aidan O’Brien
52 212111134x HOWARD BE THY NAME H 4 Darren Weir
53 14x23321x IDAHO (IRE) H 4 Aidan O’Brien
54 IMPORTANT MESSAGE (GB) H 5 Saeed Bin Suroor
55 1x45324x4x JAMEKA M 4 Ciaron Maher 105
56 9x6x1164x KILIMANJARO (IRE) G 5 Robert Hickmott 90
57 2322x0117x KINEMA (IRE) G 6 Ralph Beckett
58 14141x994x LORD DISICK G 5 Michael Moroney
59 36x163x LORD MACAU G 3 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 64
60 x05x26x34x MANATEE (GB) H 6 John O’Shea
61 3673x7689x MANNDAWI (FR) G 7 Darren Weir 94
62 x976144x3x MASTER ZEPHYR (GB) G 5 Darren Weir 88
63 2622114x8x MIME (NZ) M 4 Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman
64 10x3419x1x MISS ROSE DE LAGO M 6 Danny O’Brien 105
65 653113x67x NOZOMI G 5 Lee & Anthony Freedman 86
66 x1x0x0730x OBSERVATIONAL (GB) G 6 Robert Hickmott 97
67 OCEANOGRAPHER (GB) G 5 Charlie Appleby
68 62x083111x O’LONERA G 4 Cindy Alderson 81
69 7x23240x6x ORBEC (FR) G 6 John P Thompson
70 2111x11x1x ORDER OF ST GEORGE (IRE) H 5 Aidan O’Brien
71 9230x5501x OUR IVANHOWE (GER) H 7 Lee & Anthony Freedman
72 x131130x9x PEMBERLEY (NZ) G 5 Ciaron Maher 82
73 x00111132x PENTATHLON (NZ) G 5 John Wheeler
74 615x05212x PLYMOUTH ROAD (NZ) G 4 Lee & Anthony Freedman 66
75 1907x4110x PREFERMENT (NZ) H 5 Chris Waller 115
76 55821x2x0x PRINCE OF PENZANCE (NZ) G 7 Darren Weir 113
77 x0800x111x PROTECTIONIST (GER) H 7 Andreas Wohler
78 416x411x0x PROVOCATIVE (NZ) M 4 Tony Pike 102
79 03x165x17x QEWY (IRE) G 7 Charlie Appleby
80 x232x1114x RAW IMPULSE (GB) H 5 Darren Weir 90
81 333132114x REAL LOVE M 6 Darren Weir 108
82 22x1113x RED CARDINAL (IRE) G 5 Andreas Wohler
83 6x94121x REPLIQUE (NZ) M 4 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
84 x063540x2x RISING ROMANCE (NZ) M 6 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 107
85 675462102x ROSE OF VIRGINIA (NZ) M 7 Lee & Shannon Hope 88
86 817x9x399x RULING DYNASTY H 5 James Cummings
87 816113x88x SACRED MASTER (NZ) G 5 Chris Waller
88 3x1412x SARRASIN (GB) H 5 Lee & Anthony Freedman 95
89 33x153413x SCHERZOSO G 5 Tony McEvoy 89
90 2251x3121x SCOTTISH (IRE) G 5 Charlie Appleby
91 122x323x5x SECOND BULLET G 6 Danny O’Brien 93
92 213141x24x SECOND WAVE (IRE) G 5 Charlie Appleby
93 5361x2x12x SECRET NUMBER (GB) G 7 Saeed Bin Suroor 105
94 0x25305x9x SET SQUARE M 5 Ciaron Maher 105
95 2x2124x00x SHAMKIYR (FR) G 6 Darren Weir 90
96 1x2110x0x SHIMRANO (GER) H 5 Lee & Anthony Freedman
97 4x8xD21x0x SIGNOFF (IRE) G 7 Darren Weir 107
98 32x145x22x SINGING (FR) H 7 Kris Lees
99 4212x1322x SIR JOHN HAWKWOOD (IRE) G 8 John P Thompson
100 6xD1x1x20x SKY HUNTER (GB) G 7 Saeed Bin Suroor
101 447204x77x SPIRITJIM (FR) H 7 Chris Waller
102 34x29x STONE WARRIOR (NZ) G 4 Lee & Anthony Freedman
103 32314x797x STORM THE STARS (USA) H 5 Chris Waller
104 2157134x6x SWACADELIC (GER) G 6 Aaron Purcell 94
105 3x213115x SWORD FIGHTER (IRE) H 4 Aidan O’Brien
106 4821x7x00x TALL SHIP (IRE) G 6 Darren Weir 100
107 5x11113x0x TALLY H 4 John O’Shea 98
108 31x4214x8x TARZINO (NZ) H 4 Mick Price 109
109 2113061x TAVAGO (NZ) G 4 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young 108
110 410x81642x THE BANDIT (JPN) H 5 John Sadler 78
111 x43114326x THE MAJOR GENERAL (IRE) H 4 Aidan O’Brien
112 2610x5212x THE UNITED STATES (IRE) H 7 Robert Hickmott 111
113 004451176x THUNDER DOWN UNDER H 4 Chris Waller
114 171x110x2x TOM MELBOURNE (IRE) G 6 Lee & Anthony Freedman 97
115 5x0x51709x TOSEN STARDOM (JPN) H 6 Darren Weir 108
116 135240x34x TRIP TO PARIS (IRE) G 6 Ed Dunlop
117 121x TRIP TO RHODOS (FR) G 8 Pavel Tuma
118 026850555x TUNES G 8 Grant Young
119 UNICORN (IRE) H 4 Aidan O’Brien
120 x2x1145x5x VENGEUR MASQUE (IRE) G 5 Michael Moroney 78
121 124x91259x WHITE DOLLAR SIGN G 5 John Thom 65
122 1x90324x6x WHO SHOT THEBARMAN (NZ) G 8 Chris Waller
123 3333x2643x WICKLOW BRAVE (GB) G 8 William Mullins
124 2x0071x07x ZANTECA (NZ) M 7 Darren Weir 93

About The Author

Jared Timms

Jared graduated with a journalism degree in 2011. He is a keen sports fan and has enjoyed many accolades for his lively writing style and comprehensive coverage of major sporting events and horse racing. Today, you can find Jared cheering on his beloved Manchester City with a beer in hand.