A capacity field of 24 will line up in Tuesday’s $7.5 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) hoping to etch their name among the immortals in the famous race that stops a nation.

This year’s field will feature a German flavour after the Andreas Wohler-trained Ashrun earned the final slot by winning Saturday’s Group 2 Hotham Stakes (2500m) thanks to a patient ride from Kerrin McEvoy.

Wohler won the 2014 Melbourne Cup with fellow German raider Proectionist, while McEvoy is searching for his second Cup aboard early favourite Tiger Moth.

The Aidan O’Brien-trained Irish raider finished second in the Group 1 Irish Derby back in June, but will have plenty of work to do after drawing barrier 23 – a gate that hasn’t produced a winner since Van der Hum’s triumph way back in 1976.

Early Ladbrokes betting has seen Tiger Moth drift from $6.50 out to $8.00 with money instead coming for last start Caulfield Cup second place-getter, Anthony Van Dyck.

Verry Elleegant aims to cap off an incredible Spring with a seventh Group 1 in Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup, Photo: Steve Hart.

Tiger Moth’s stablemate was huge in his Australian debut when second to Verry Elleegant and seemingly had luck on his side when drawing barrier three on Saturday, a gate that has produced six total winners in the past.

Speaking of Verry Elleegant, Chris Waller’s now six-time Group 1 winner will make her Melbourne Cup debut from the awkward barrier 15 – a draw that seemingly hasn’t fazed the bookies with her price firming from $13 into $11.

Trainer Danny O’Brien is shooting for back-to-back Melbourne Cup’s following last year’s Australian triumph with home grown stayer, Vow and Declare.

After overcoming the wide draw last year, the five-year-old will have less work to do this time around having drawn barrier 4, but still remains out of sorts with the bookies at $41 following a disappointing preparation.

Fortunately, O’Brien’s best chance comes in the form of Russian Camelot, who will need to follow in Vow and Declare’s footsteps by overcoming the sticky draw.

The South Australian Derby winner drew barrier 16 on Saturday, leaving plenty of questions left to be answered regarding race tactics after the son of Camelot struggled from the carpark when third in the Cox Plate.

Of the internationals, Dashing Willoughby will slot in from gate 19 with Stratum Albion drawing the favourable barrier number 9, a gate that has produced four winners in the past including Efficient back in 2007.

An interesting subplot to follow leading into Tuesday’s is that of Prince Of Arran.
The Charlie Fellowes-trained eight-year-old has found the placings in back-to-back Melbourne Cup’ and has drawn the same gate namesake Prince of Penzance famously won from back in 2015.

A win for Prince of Arran would make him the 10th horse to win the Cup after placing in one previously and he certainly showed plenty of merit when fourth in his retune to Australia behind Verry Elleegant in the Caulfield Cup.

The final point of interest is of course, Sir Dragonet.

Ciaron Maher and David Eustace are hoping to not only win their first Melbourne Cup, but also follow in Makybe Diva’s footsteps by becoming just the sixth trainers to win the Cox Plate – Melbourne Cup double.

Jockey Glen Boss, who famously rode Makybe Diva to that double, said last week that he feels the son of Camelot could be even better over further. In an ironic twist of fate, Sir Dragonet has drawn the same gate Makybe Diva won from in barrier 14.

Ladbrokes’ complete 2020 Melbourne Cup market can be viewed here. 

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
14 9x211x2x03 KING OF LEOGRANCE (FR) Danny O’Brien Damian Lane 18 53.5kg 109
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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