Champion jockey Kerrin McEvoy will saddle the favourite Tiger Moth in today’s $7.5 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) hoping to win the great race for a fourth time aboard Aidan O’Brien’s Irish import.

The four-year-old son of Galileo is making his first appearance downunder off a last start win in the Group 3 Kilternan Stakes at Leopardstown and will step out as the $6.50 favourite at Flemington.

McEvoy has won the time-honoured race twice in the last four years aboard Cross Counter and Almandin and, not surprisingly, thinks Tiger Moth is ready to peak on his run.

“Confidence is Aidan O’Brien, I think he’s really pinned this horse as the target after he beat those older horses earlier in the year” McEvoy told Sky Radio this morning.

“There was a heap of races he could have ran in, he could have ran in the St Leger, he could have run against the older horses in races back home. He’s brought him out here for this race, so he’s got that three-year-old profile, I’m hoping he’s still on that upward curve.”

Tiger Moth drifted earlier in the week after drawing barrier 23, a gate that has produced six total winners in the past.

McEvoy didn’t deny the fact he’d have work to do from out wide but said if he can find some cover early and settle into the race, the pair should be tough to hold out late.

“From that gate I’m just going to see how the cards fall and how they unfold, but I think he’s a versatile type horse and I just have to get it right early and maybe get a bit of cover, get him to relax” McEvoy went on to say.

“You’ve got to get into a rhythm in a Melbourne Cup, if you have to work too long to the winning post the first time, no matter what way you come in, you’re fried. It’s all about getting into a spot and preserving that energy for when it matters.”

McEvoy overcame a similar wide draw aboard Cross Counter two years ago and is more than capable of timing his run to perfection if he can shuffle back early.

It’s always hard to determine the speed in a Melbourne Cup, but the early pace should be set from Dashing Willoughby and Master of Reality this year, leaving the likes of Tiger Moth, Russian Camelot, Surprise Baby and Warning to fight it out late.

Ladbrokes’ complete Melbourne Cup market can be viewed here, with an updated version of the final field available below.

Updated final field and barrier draw for the 2020 Melbourne Cup (3200m)

No Last 10 Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight Penalty Hcp Rating
1 0330x25x12 ANTHONY VAN DYCK (IRE) Aidan O’Brien Hugh Bowman 3 58.5kg 122
2 54533×4626 AVILIUS James Cummings John Allen 10 57kg 116
3 21x395x900 VOW AND DECLARE Danny O’Brien Jamie Mott 4 57kg 115
4 3354x6221x MASTER OF REALITY (IRE) Joseph O’Brien Ben Melham 11 56kg 113
5 44x2x222x1 SIR DRAGONET (IRE) Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Glen Boss 14 55.5kg 121
6 x70x7x2113 TWILIGHT PAYMENT (IRE) Joseph O’Brien Jye McNeil 12 55.5kg 115
7 42212×1411 VERRY ELEEGANT (NZ) Chris Waller Mark Zahra 15 55.5kg  0.5kg 116
8 x1225x0098 MUSTAJEER (GB) Kris Lees Michael Rodd 2 55kg 114
9 2104xPx72x STRATRUM ALBION (GB) Willie Mullins Jordan Childs 9 55kg 114
10 14579×1140 DASHING WILLOUGBY (GB) Andrew Balding Michael Walker 19 54.5kg 112
11 x51257x335 FINCHE (GB) Chris Waller James McDonald 6 54.5kg 112
12 20x3x36x34 PRINCE OF ARRAN Charllie Fellowes Jamie Kah 1 54.5kg 112
13 132x415x29 SURPRISE BABY (NZ) Paul Preusker Craig Williams 7 54.5kg 113
15 2x411x2123 RUSSIAN CAMELOT (IRE) Danny O’Brien Damien Oliver 16 53.5kg 118
16 x4679x0331 STEEL PRINCE Anthony & Sam Freedman WilliamPike 21 53.5kg  1.0kg 111
17 38572×1873 THE CHOSEN ONE Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman Daniel Stackhouse 5 53.5kg 111
18 853x5x2241 ASHRUN (FR) Declan Bates Declan Bates 24  53kg  110
19 755633×769 WARNING Anthony & Sam Freedman Luke Currie 8 53kg 115
20  6416341×04 ETAH JAMES (NZ) Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Billy Egan 22 52.5kg 106
21 3x12x1 TIGER MOTH Aidan O’Brien Kerrin McEvoy 23 52.5kg  2.5kg 114
22 07511×0003 OCEANEX Mick Price & Michael Kent Jr Dean Yendall 17 51.5kg 108
23 1x84x40661 MIAMI BOUND Danny O’Brien Daniel Moor 13  51kg  111
24 3121112121 PERSAN Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Michael Dee 20  51kg  1.0kg  107

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