A full field of 24 are set to line up for the “Race That Stops A Nation” as the Melbourne Cup is hosted at Flemington on Tuesday, 5th November. The race takes place in the early hours UK time, with the runners due to depart the starting stalls at 4am, so set your alarms in plenty of time. The build-up has been somewhat marred due to St Leger winner Jan Breughel being ruled out on veterinary advice for Aidan O’Brien.
The horse on a retrieval mission in the race is Vauban, who carried enormous hopes of being a seminal winner for Willie Mullins last year, only to disappoint as the 9/2 favourite and having to settle for 14th. However, another season in which he has competed at a high level among the British and Irish staying ranks has connections dreaming again.
Mullins’ hand is doubly strong this year though, as former Ebor winner Absurde is also in the line-up. Also a winner of the County Hurdle at this year’s Cheltenham Festival, the six-year-old arrives on the high of a Listed success at Chester, and could love conditions.
He and Buckaroo sit at the top of the weights, and indeed the market. Chris Waller’s charge used to be trained by Joseph O’Brien, for whom he won twice at Listed level, but has reached new heights this term by winning his first Group 1 in the Underwood Stakes at Caulfield. Connections will be hoping he stays the trip.
From a travelling perspective, British hopes are carried by the admirable Onesmoothoperator, who won impressively on his first start in Australia in the Geelong Cup. He is up a little in the weights for that success, but we know he stays well from his success in the Northumberland Plate. Sea King is the other hopeful for British yards, representing Harry Eustace after joining from Sir Mark Prescott; he also won on his debut down under last week.
Japan are the other nation represented away from the hosts with Warp Speed their contender, though he will have to improve on his first start in Australia when down the field in the Caulfield Cup. The home challenge meanwhile is largely headed by Waller and Ciaron Maher, who run nine between them with Land Legend and Okita Soushi the standouts for each below Buckaroo, both of whom were imports from the UK.
Melbourne Cup 2024 Runners
| Number | Horse | Trainer |
| 1 | Vauban | Willie Mullins |
| 2 | Buckaroo | Chris Waller |
| 3 | Circle Of Fire | Ciaron Maher |
| 4 | Warp Speed | Noboru Takagi |
| 5 | Kovalica | Chris Waller |
| 6 | Sharp ‘N’ Smart | Graeme & Deborah Rogerson |
| 7 | Just Fine | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott |
| 8 | Land Legend | Chris Waller |
| 9 | Absurde | Willie Mullins |
| 10 | Athabascan | John O’Shea & Tom Charlton |
| 11 | Knight’s Choice | John Symons & Sheila Laxon |
| 12 | Okita Soushi | Ciaron Maher |
| 13 | Onesmoothoperator | Brian Ellison |
| 14 | Zardozi | James Cummings |
| 15 | Sea King | Harry Eustace |
| 16 | Valiant King | Chris Waller |
| 17 | Fancy Man | Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald |
| 18 | Interpretation | Ciaron Maher |
| 19 | Manzoice | Chris Waller |
| 20 | Mostly Cloudy | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young |
| 21 | Positivity | Andrew Forsman |
| 22 | Saint George | Ciaron Maher |
| 23 | The Map | Dan Clarken & Oopy Macgillivray |
| 24 | Trust In You | Bruce Wallace & Grant Cooksley |