The Chris Waller trained European import Finche sits at the top of the betting for the 2019 Group 1 $8m Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 5 after second acceptances were taken today.

Finche, above, is the favourite for the 2019 Melbourne Cup after 2nd acceptances. Photo by Steve Hart.

Finche, above, is the favourite for the 2019 Melbourne Cup after 2nd acceptances. Photo by Steve Hart.

A total of sixty-four stayers remain in contention for the ‘Race That Stops A Nation’ with Finche being one of the seven horses from the Waller stable in the list.

Waller’s other Melbourne Cup hopefuls are Oaks winners Verry Elleegant and Youngster, 2019 Sydney Cup winner Shraaoh, Turnbull Stakes winner Kings Will Dream and 2018 Metropolitan quinella Patrick Erin and Brimham Rocks.

Finche had three wins on his record in Europe prior to being taken over by Waller before running fourth to Cross Counter in the 2018 Melbourne Cup and is currently the $9 favourite for this year’s race on the first Tuesday in November.

The six year old son of Frankel has already found winning form during the 2019 Spring Carnival with a second up win in the Group 3 $160,000 The Agency Real Estate Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on September 21.

Finche then took that good form into the Group 1 $500,000 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 5 for a nose second to his stablemate King’s Will Dream.

Last year’s winner, the Charlie Appleby trained Cross Counter, and stablemate Ispolini are two of 19 internationally trained horses among the second acceptances for the 2019 Melbourne Cup.

The Paul Preusker trained Surprise Baby is on the second line of betting at $10 and heads the order of entry for the Melbourne Cup and is exempt from the ballot for his win in the Group 3 $500,000 The Bart Cummings (2520m) at Flemington on October 5.

The Hughie Morrison trained English stayer Marmelo was runner up to Cross Counter last year and will be trying to go one better at Flemington on November 5.

“I’m pretty realistic and everything went perfectly for him last year as he got there in tip-top condition, he was working really well and the rain came in time for him,” Morrison told the Racing Post.

“He ran a magnificent race, but to go one better this year would be a surprise, although that’s our goal. To finish in the first four in that race is an achievement in itself.”

Third acceptances for the Melbourne Cup will close at 10am (AEDT) on Monday, 28 October.

Early betting for the 2019 Melbourne Cup at Ladbrokes.com.au: $9 Finche, $10 Surprise Baby, $13 Mermelo, $15 Constantinople, $16 Cross Counter, $17 Vow And Declare, $18 Master Of Reality, $19 Il Paradiso, Prince Of Arran, $21 Ispolini, Mustajeer, Raymond Tusk, $26 Mer De Glace, Southern France, The Chosen One, $31 Rostropovich, Steel Prince, $34 Gold Mount, Kings Will Dream, Latrobe, Magic Wand, Twilight Payment, $51 or better the rest.

Second acceptances for the 2019 Melbourne Cup

# Last 10 Horse Sex Age Trainer Ballot Weight Hcp Rating
1 1514132×41 SURPRISE BABY (NZ) G 5 Paul Preusker 1= 53.5kg 7
2 2x11111x46 STEEL PRINCE (IRE) G 6 Anthony Freedman 1= 52.5kg 6
3 12x1x1x434 CROSS COUNTER (GB) G 5 Charlie Appleby 3 57.5kg 2
4 11511×4214 AVILIUS (GB) G 6 James Cummings 4 57.5kg 2
5 2x2x15521x MARMELO (GB) H 7 Hughie Morrison 5 56kg 3.5
6 6x2172x126 HOMESMAN (USA) G 6 Liam Howley 6 56kg 3.5
7 37×3264413 SOUTHERN FRANCE (IRE) H 5 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 7 55.5kg 4
8 12x0x1322x MIRAGE DANCER (GB) H 6 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young 8 55.5kg 4
9 7250×14335 MASTER OF REALITY (IRE) H 5 Joseph O’Brien 9 55.5kg 4
10 531x21222x CONSTANTINOPLE (IRE) H 4 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 10 52.5kg 4
11 322×17135 IL PARADISO (USA) H 4 Aidan O’Brien 11 52.5kg 4
12 220×344216 LATROBE (IRE) H 5 Joseph O’Brien 12 55kg 4.5
13 x16511x658 ANGEL OF TRUTH G 4 Gwenda Markwell 13 53.5kg 4.5
14 4x1x72351x MUSTAJEER (GB) G 7 Kris Lees 14 55kg 4.5
15 2251557×79 ROSTROPOVICH (IRE) G 5 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 15 55kg 4.5
16 44x21124x1 ISPOLINI (GB) G 5 Charlie Appleby 16 55kg 4.5
17 7x2111x941 VERRY ELLEEGANT (NZ) M 4 Chris Waller 17 52kg 4.5
18 x2x5322022 MAGIC WAND (IRE) M 5 Aidan O’Brien 18 53.5kg 4.5
19 x334446588 HUNTING HORN (IRE) H 5 Aidan O’Brien 19 55kg 4.5
20 423x2411x7 TWILIGHT PAYMENT (IRE) H 7 Joseph O’Brien 20 55kg 4.5
21 6013x10x07 YUCATAN (IRE) H 6 Liam Howley 21 54.5kg 5
22 41x9x00x80 MUNTAHAA (IRE) G 7 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 22 54kg 5.5
23 x112131x30 MR QUICKIE G 4 Phillip Stokes 23 52.5kg 5.5
24 5x1x34x512 FINCHE (GB) G 6 Chris Waller 24 54kg 5.5
25 14941×2058 QAFILA M 4 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 25 51kg 5.5
26 500x15610x RED VERDON (USA) G 7 Ed Dunlop 26 54kg 5.5
27 1x6x237x4x RAYMOND TUSK (IRE) H 5 Richard Hannon 27 54kg 5.5
28 546884x12x GOLD MOUNT (GB) G 7 Ian Williams 28 54kg 5.5
29 x92321x000 SHRAAOH (IRE) G 7 Chris Waller 29 53.5kg 6
30 02113×5559 GLORY DAYS (NZ) M 7 Bill Thurlow 30 52kg 6
31 2008326×75 BIG DUKE (IRE) G 8 Kris Lees 31 53.5kg 6
32 6x059x8787 YOUNGSTAR M 5 Chris Waller 32 52kg 6
33 12x30x8070 NEUFBOSC (FR) G 5 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 33 53.5kg 6
34 x00x048x07 SOUND (GER) H 7 Michael Moroney 34 53.5kg 6
35 470141×591 THE CHOSEN ONE (NZ) H 4 Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman 35 52kg 6.5
36 11x36621x4 VOW AND DECLARE G 4 Danny O’Brien 36 52kg 6
37 71x196112x DOWNDRAFT (IRE) H 5 Joseph O’Brien 37 53.5kg 6
38 38x49x5832 PRINCE OF ARRAN (GB) G 7 Charlie Fellowes 38 53kg 6.5
39 43236Px581 KINGS WILL DREAM (IRE) G 6 Chris Waller 39 53kg 6.5
40 46797×9006 PATRICK ERIN (NZ) G 8 Chris Waller 40 53kg 6.5
41 x111x1276x TRUE SELF (IRE) M 7 William Mullins 41 51.5kg 6.5
42 54x44x2396 RAHEEN HOUSE (IRE) G 6 William Haggas 42 53kg 6.5
43 44740×7053 SIR CHARLES ROAD G 6 Lance O’Sullivan & Andrew Scott 43 52.5kg 7
44 0x5516x042 GALLIC CHIEFTAIN (FR) H 7 Archie Alexander 44 52.5kg 7
45 322287182x RED GALILEO (GB) G 9 Saeed Bin Suroor 45 52.5kg 7
46 2468223×76 DAL HARRAILD (GB) G 7 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 46 52.5kg 7
47 1x6112x940 GREY LION (IRE) G 8 Matthew Smith 47 52.5kg 7
48 8112×51320 HAKY (IRE) G 6 John Hammond 48 52kg 7.5
49 87400×0919 BRIMHAM ROCKS (GB) G 6 Chris Waller 49 51.5kg 8
50 11890×8390 ETYMOLOGY G 7 James Cummings 50 50.5kg 9
51 8830611×05 AZURO (FR) G 6 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 51 50.5kg 9
52 239×166218 HUSH WRITER (JPN) G 5 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 52 50kg 9.5
53 772231×671 VALAC (IRE) G 8 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 53 50kg 9.5
54 56252×9923 SULLY (NZ) G 5 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young 54= 50kg 9.5
55 12x216x202 SUPERNOVA (GB) H 5 Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes 54= 50kg 9.5
56 3531320×56 TOP OF THE RANGE (NZ) G 6 Michael Moroney 56 50kg 9.5
57 1x211x1853 WOLFE (JPN) G 5 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 57 50kg 9.5
58 3145×14327 ATTENTION RUN (GER) M 5 Kris Lees 58 50kg 9.5
59 17333×0005 HUMIDOR (NZ) G 7 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 59 56kg 3.5
60 x211x11x1x MER DE GLACE (JPN) H 5 Hisashi Shimizu 60 55kg 4.5
61 300x1170x5 RED CARDINAL (IRE) G 8 Kris Lees 61 52.5kg 7
62 x4614x9317 ALFARRIS (FR) G 6 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 62= 50kg 9.5
63 92x322x231 MASTER OF WINE (GER) G 5 Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes 62= 50kg 9.5
64 20x0404x84 WALL OF FIRE (IRE) G 7 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 62= 50kg 9.5

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.