The 2015 Melbourne Cup nominations have been released and 140 horses have been included in the initial entries for the Group 1 event that will be held at Flemington on November 3.
Protectionist will have the chance to defend his title in the 2015 Melbourne Cup. Photo by: Steve Hart
The Melbourne Cup has been dominated by international stayers in recent years and that is set to continue in 2015 after 31 internationals entries were taken for ‘the race that stops a nation.’
Leading Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien has not had a runner in the Melbourne Cup since Bart Cummings won the 2008 edition of the race with Viewed, but he has included four horses in this year’s nominations.
Kingfisher, Bondi Beach, Order Of St George and Field Of Athenry are all a chance to make the trip to Australia for the Melbourne Cup, but Kingfisher is the most likely runner and he finished second behind Trip To Paris in the Group 1 Gold Cup (4023m) during the 2015 Royal Ascot Meeting.
The 2015 Gold Cup was won by Ed Dunlop-trained Trip To Paris and the tough stayer has also been included in the 2015 Melbourne Cup nominations.
Trip To Paris finished a credible third behind Big Orange in the Group 2 Goodwood Cup (3218m) on July 30, but he was slightly disappointing when fifth behind Max Dynamite in the Group 2 Lonsdale Cup (3299m) at York on August 21.
Ed Dunlop has been a regular to visitor to Australia for the Melbourne Cup and his veteran stayer Red Cadeaux remains a chance to contest the Melbourne Cup for the fifth year in a row.
Red Cadeaux made his Melbourne Cup debut in 2011 when he was beaten by a pixel by Dunaden and he finished second behind Fiorente in 2013 before he chased Protectionist home in the $6 million event last year.
Protectionist failed to fire during his autumn campaign, but the Monsun entire will be given the chance by connections to become the first horse since Makybe Diva to win the Melbourne Cup in back-to-back years.
The German import suffered an injury when he finished seventh behind Grand Marshal in the Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m) at Royal Randwick on April 11, but he has recovered from the injury and will return to the races in either the Group 2 Tramway Stakes (1400m) or the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) this weekend.
No locally-bred stayer has won the Melbourne Cup since Shocking took out the 2009 edition of the race, but there is set to be a strong hands of Australian and New Zealand bred gallopers in the upcoming Melbourne Cup.
Leading the charge will be Murray Baker-trained Mongolian Khan, who stamped himself as the most promising stayer in Australasian after he took out both the Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) and Group 1 Australian Derby (2400m) earlier this year.
Mongolian Khan has looked extremely impressive in two recent jump-outs and he is set to start his 2015 Spring Racing Carnival campaign in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington next Saturday.
Preferment is another Derby winner that has been included in the 2015 Melbourne Cup nominations, while Crown Oaks winner Set Square, Australian Oaks winner Gust Of Wind and Queensland Oaks winner Winx all remain in the Melbourne Cup picture.
No Japanese stayer has won the Melbourne Cup since Delta Blues and Pop Rock quinelled the race in 2006, but Fame Game and Hokko Brave are both set to represent the land of the rising sun in 2015.
Fame Game will make the trip to Australia for both the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) and the Melbourne Cup and he has form around some of the best horses in Japan after he finished a narrow second behind Gold Ship in the Group 1 Tenno Sho (3200m) at Kyoto on May 3, while Hokko Brave has similar form lines to that of Admire Rakti, who won the Caulfield Cup last year before tragically suffering a heart attack after he finished at the tail of the field in the Melbourne Cup.
Macedon Lodge won the 2012 Melbourne Cup with Green Moon and they have included Amralah, Carlo Bugatti, Divan, Doumaran, Foundry, Gallante, Observational and The United States in the nominations for the Group 1 event.
Beaten Up, Brown Panther, Complacent, Criterion, Ethiopia, Grand Marshal, Happy Trails, Kirramosa, Magicool, Opinion, Our Ivanhowe, Pornichet, Rising Romance, Royal Descent, The Offer and Who Shot Thebarman are among a host of other Group 1 winners that have been included in the 2015 Melbourne Cup nominations.
| # | Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1x | AGENT MURPHY (GB) | H | 5 | Brian Meehan | – |
| 2 | 1346Lx644x | ALBONETTI | M | 6 | Sue Jaensch | 83 |
| 3 | x015416x5x | ALMOONQITH (USA) | H | 6 | David Hayes & Tom Dabernig | 101 |
| 4 | 36211x0x0x | AMRALAH (IRE) | H | 6 | Robert Hickmott | 101 |
| 5 | 4111x4119x | ASTRONOMOS (GB) | H | 5 | David Vandyke | – |
| 6 | 343x034x3x | AWESOME ROCK | H | 4 | Leon & Troy Corstens | 87 |
| 7 | x800530x4x | BEATEN UP (GB) | G | 8 | Chris Waller | – |
| 8 | 115x47117x | BIG ORANGE (GB) | G | 5 | Michael Bell | – |
| 9 | 88174x | BIKILA | G | 4 | Pat Carey | 74 |
| 10 | 0154x2121x | BOHEMIAN LILY (NZ) | M | 4 | Gai Waterhouse | – |
| 11 | 7x32303x8x | BOLD SNIPER (GB) | G | 6 | David Hayes & Tom Dabernig | 96 |
| 12 | 3x21172x0x | BONDEIGER | H | 4 | Danny O’Brien | 98 |
| 13 | – | BONDI BEACH (IRE) | H | 4 | Aidan O’Brien | – |
| 14 | x2237x421x | BONFIRE (GB) | G | 7 | Gai Waterhouse | – |
| 15 | 64x0726x7x | BRIGANTIN (USA) | H | 9 | Jim Litt | – |
| 16 | 8x09115x0x | BRING SOMETHING | G | 5 | Ken Keys | 97 |
| 17 | 132310x12x | BROWN PANTHER (GB) | H | 8 | Tom Dascombe | – |
| 18 | 2x61337x8x | CAFE SOCIETY (FR) | G | 6 | Gai Waterhouse | – |
| 19 | 1x4872x31x | CARLO BUGATTI (IRE) | G | 5 | Robert Hickmott | 83 |
| 20 | 122x96834x | CELTIC PRINCE (NZ) | G | 6 | Bjorn Baker | – |
| 21 | – | CLONDAW WARRIOR (IRE) | G | 9 | William Mullins | – |
| 22 | 221112x0x | COMPLACENT | H | 5 | John O’Shea | 104 |
| 23 | 5x070x099x | COUNT OF LIMONADE (IRE) | H | 6 | Darren Weir | 87 |
| 24 | 425618418x | CRAFTY CRUISER | G | 8 | Bryce Stanaway | 99 |
| 25 | 3x32135x6x | CRITERION (NZ) | H | 5 | David Hayes & Tom Dabernig | – |
| 26 | 25x6624x0x | DANDINO (GB) | H | 9 | Darren Weir | 105 |
| 27 | 113x34441x | DE LITTLE ENGINE | G | 5 | Danny O’Brien | 90 |
| 28 | 3144273x0x | DESERT ROAD | G | 5 | Robbie Laing | 63 |
| 29 | 7x2x9x005x | DIAGHAN (FR) | G | 5 | Peter G Moody | 77 |
| 30 | 43352x0x3x | DIBAYANI (IRE) | G | 6 | David Hayes & Tom Dabernig | 105 |
| 31 | 00755x996x | DISCLAIMER (GB) | G | 6 | Peter & Paul Snowden | – |
| 32 | 111122x24x | DISPOSITION | G | 4 | Lee & Anthony Freedman | 96 |
| 33 | 3x10x | DIVAN (NZ) | G | 4 | Robert Hickmott | 65 |
| 34 | 1x07130x4x | DON DOREMO (NZ) | G | 5 | Robbie Laing | 90 |
| 35 | 11x245x0x | DOUMARAN (FR) | G | 5 | Robert Hickmott | 84 |
| 36 | 80x1x | ELHAAME (IRE) | G | 6 | Saeed Bin Suroor | – |
| 37 | x530x4311x | EMERALD CITY | G | 5 | David Vandyke | – |
| 38 | 3621120x8x | EPSOM HILL (SWE) | H | 5 | David Hayes & Tom Dabernig | 78 |
| 39 | 5200281x9x | ESCADO | G | 6 | Matt Laurie | 100 |
| 40 | 4700x88x0x | ETHIOPIA | G | 7 | Pat Carey | 98 |
| 41 | 715x11x57x | EXCESS KNOWLEDGE (GB) | H | 6 | Gai Waterhouse | 101 |
| 42 | 641846x97x | FALAMONTE (NZ) | M | 5 | Henry Dwyer | 65 |
| 43 | 6x61x01x2x | FAME GAME (JPN) | H | 6 | Yoshitada Munakata | – |
| 44 | 1x | FIELDS OF ATHENRY (IRE) | H | 4 | Aidan O’Brien | – |
| 45 | 241411x82x | FLAMINGO STAR (GER) | H | 6 | Chris Waller | – |
| 46 | 31x | FOREVER NOW (GB) | H | 5 | Martyn Meade | – |
| 47 | x12x009x8x | FOUNDRY (IRE) | G | 6 | Robert Hickmott | 99 |
| 48 | 111x41x28x | GAILO CHOP (FR) | G | 5 | Antoine de Watrigant | – |
| 49 | x3311x6x0x | GALLANTE (IRE) | H | 5 | Robert Hickmott | 105 |
| 50 | 3322211x0x | GENUINE LAD | G | 5 | Robert Smerdon | 95 |
| 51 | x0x0083x5x | GERONTIUS | G | 6 | David Hayes & Tom Dabernig | 71 |
| 52 | 58x813111x | GESEMI (NZ) | M | 5 | Murray Baker | – |
| 53 | 6x0547871x | GHOST PROTOCOL (IRE) | G | 7 | Paul Perry | – |
| 54 | 11x889431x | GRAND MARSHAL (GB) | G | 6 | Chris Waller | – |
| 55 | x57x157x8x | GUARDINI (FR) | H | 5 | Paul Harley | – |
| 56 | 4x1141x9x | GUST OF WIND (NZ) | M | 4 | John Sargent | – |
| 57 | 140x030x3x | HAPPY AS HELL | G | 5 | Terry & Karina O’Sullivan | 84 |
| 58 | x62307x60x | HAPPY TRAILS | G | 8 | Paul Beshara | 112 |
| 59 | 1167x2114x | HARTNELL (GB) | G | 5 | John O’Shea | – |
| 60 | 11x60212x | HAURAKI | G | 4 | John O’Shea | – |
| 61 | 13x443960x | HAVANA BEAT (IRE) | G | 6 | Andrew Balding | – |
| 62 | 33x362Lx6x | HAVANA COOLER (IRE) | G | 6 | John O’Shea | – |
| 63 | 14x2111x5x | HI WORLD | H | 4 | Peter G Moody | 100 |
| 64 | 111x35x23x | HIDDEN GOLD (IRE) | M | 5 | Saeed Bin Suroor | – |
| 65 | 5104110x | HIGH MIDNIGHT | G | 4 | James Cummings | – |
| 66 | 238x05x36x | HOKKO BRAVE (JPN) | H | 8 | Yasutoshi Matsunaga | – |
| 67 | 750840x47x | IHTSAHYMN | G | 5 | Patrick Payne | 99 |
| 68 | x00x86123x | KAPOUR (IRE) | G | 6 | Ciaron Maher | – |
| 69 | 4117x28x1x | KING KINSHASA (GB) | G | 5 | Gai Waterhouse | – |
| 70 | x125236x3x | KINGDOMS (NZ) | G | 6 | Brian Smith | – |
| 71 | x510266x2x | KINGFISHER (IRE) | H | 5 | Aidan O’Brien | – |
| 72 | 11x6650x5x | KIRRAMOSA (NZ) | M | 5 | John Sargent | – |
| 73 | 23x8761x0x | LA AMISTAD | M | 6 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | 99 |
| 74 | 357x214x0x | LET’S MAKE ADEAL | M | 6 | Nigel Blackiston | 97 |
| 75 | – | LIBRAN (IRE) | G | 5 | Alan Swinbank | – |
| 76 | 51362x893x | LIKE A CAROUSEL | G | 6 | Ken Keys | – |
| 77 | 5x1519125x | LORD VAN PERCY (GB) | G | 6 | Darren Weir | 100 |
| 78 | 3955x1431x | MAGIC HURRICANE (IRE) | G | 6 | John O’Shea | – |
| 79 | 4618411x0x | MAGICOOL | G | 4 | Mark Kavanagh | 101 |
| 80 | 842494x11x | MAGNAPAL | G | 6 | Terry & Karina O’Sullivan | 95 |
| 81 | x574x5421x | MANALAPAN (IRE) | G | 6 | Dermot K Weld | – |
| 82 | 3142x5x36x | MANNDAWI (FR) | G | 6 | Ed Dunlop | – |
| 83 | 13213x | MASTER OF ARTS (NZ) | H | 4 | Darren Weir | – |
| 84 | 214x21221x | MAURUS (GB) | G | 5 | David Vandyke | – |
| 85 | 1244F7221x | MAX DYNAMITE (FR) | G | 6 | William Mullins | – |
| 86 | 1212146x0x | MAYGROVE | G | 5 | Murray Baker | 96 |
| 87 | 88x007141x | MISTER IMPATIENCE (GB) | G | 6 | Michael Moroney | 85 |
| 88 | 101111151x | MONGOLIAN KHAN | H | 4 | Murray Baker | – |
| 89 | 222x131x0x | MUTUAL REGARD (IRE) | G | 7 | John Sadler | 102 |
| 90 | 6315x | NAZIR (NZ) | G | 4 | James Cummings | – |
| 91 | 2x21x67x1x | OBSERVATIONAL (GB) | G | 5 | Robert Hickmott | 98 |
| 92 | 50160x82Px | OPINION (IRE) | G | 7 | Chris Waller | – |
| 93 | 24211x7x2x | ORBEC (FR) | H | 5 | John P Thompson | – |
| 94 | – | ORDER OF ST GEORGE (IRE) | H | 4 | Aidan O’Brien | – |
| 95 | 5x612x3x | ORIENTAL FOX (GER) | G | 8 | Mark Johnston | – |
| 96 | 16x1016x7x | OUR IVANHOWE (GER) | H | 6 | Lee & Anthony Freedman | 112 |
| 97 | 0673510x0x | PONDAROSA MISS (NZ) | M | 5 | Peter Hollinshead | – |
| 98 | 524005102x | POP ’N’ SCOTCH | G | 5 | Liam Birchley | – |
| 99 | x951511x2x | PORNICHET (FR) | H | 5 | Gai Waterhouse | – |
| 100 | 27x0556x5x | PRECEDENCE (NZ) | G | 10 | James Cummings | – |
| 101 | 2421x0628x | PREFERMENT (NZ) | H | 4 | Chris Waller | 107 |
| 102 | 116x684x4x | PRINCE CHERI (FR) | H | 7 | David Vandyke | 99 |
| 103 | 8782123x8x | PRINCE OF PENZANCE (NZ) | G | 6 | Darren Weir | 104 |
| 104 | 1141x6857x | PROTECTIONIST (GER) | H | 6 | Kris Lees | – |
| 105 | 212216x04x | PURPLE SMILE | G | 5 | David Hayes & Tom Dabernig | 67 |
| 106 | 2201x2112x | QUEST FOR MORE (IRE) | G | 6 | Roger Charlton | – |
| 107 | 726x52073x | RED CADEAUX (GB) | G | 10 | Ed Dunlop | – |
| 108 | 15x453210x | REFECTORY (IRE) | G | 6 | Richard Laming | 73 |
| 109 | 226x122x6x | RISING ROMANCE (NZ) | M | 5 | David Hayes & Tom Dabernig | 110 |
| 110 | 20x7433x1x | ROYAL DESCENT | M | 6 | Chris Waller | – |
| 111 | 4612156x | RULING DYNASTY | H | 4 | James Cummings | – |
| 112 | 1586x7x | SAN PADRE | H | 4 | Michael Kent | 67 |
| 113 | 3983211x7x | SASENKILE | G | 5 | Tony McEvoy | – |
| 114 | 1x1x2x | SECRET NUMBER (GB) | H | 6 | Saeed Bin Suroor | – |
| 115 | 036x12212x | SENSE OF OCCASION | G | 5 | Joseph Pride | – |
| 116 | 6798x21x0x | SERTORIUS | G | 8 | Jamie Edwards | 106 |
| 117 | 111x230x2x | SET SQUARE | M | 4 | Ciaron Maher | 102 |
| 118 | x21141x62x | SILVERBALL (FR) | G | 7 | Chris Waller | – |
| 119 | 3405x5064x | SIMENON (IRE) | G | 9 | William Mullins | – |
| 120 | 336151471x | SIR MAKO (NZ) | G | 8 | Chris Waller | 90 |
| 121 | 1x1xDx | SKY HUNTER (GB) | G | 6 | Saeed Bin Suroor | – |
| 122 | 123x7x116x | SNOW SKY (GB) | H | 5 | Sir Michael Stoute | – |
| 123 | 111112x70x | TAIYOO | G | 6 | Darren Weir | 104 |
| 124 | 1x81111x8x | TALL SHIP (IRE) | G | 5 | Darren Weir | 98 |
| 125 | x5960x8x1x | THE OFFER (IRE) | G | 7 | Gai Waterhouse | – |
| 126 | 1x4x3x0x1x | THE UNITED STATES (IRE) | H | 6 | Robert Hickmott | 94 |
| 127 | 2x0535x86x | THUNDER LADY (NZ) | M | 4 | John Sargent | – |
| 128 | 005694771x | THUNDER SET | G | 7 | Vince Jones | – |
| 129 | x41112135x | TRIP TO PARIS (IRE) | G | 5 | Ed Dunlop | – |
| 130 | x68121x96x | TURNER BAYOU (NZ) | G | 7 | Patrick Payne | 87 |
| 131 | 10320x2x5x | VELOX (GB) | G | 6 | David Hayes & Tom Dabernig | 79 |
| 132 | 2x | WADI AL HATTAWI (IRE) | G | 6 | Saeed Bin Suroor | – |
| 133 | 130082x24x | WEARY (FR) | G | 6 | Chris Waller | 107 |
| 134 | 1103x5442x | WHO SHOT THEBARMAN (NZ) | G | 7 | Chris Waller | – |
| 135 | 1x | WICKLOW BRAVE (GB) | G | 7 | William Mullins | – |
| 136 | 3x31159x6x | ZADON | G | 5 | Robbie Griffiths | 74 |
| 137 | 1x3x | ZAFAYAN (IRE) | G | 5 | Dermot K Weld | – |
| 138 | 114x23314x | ZANTECA (NZ) | M | 6 | Darren Weir | 73 |
| 139 | 63115734x | ZARZALI | M | 4 | James Cummings | – |
| 140 | 52x6105x4x | ZEE ZEELY (GB) | G | 5 | Gai Waterhouse | – |
