Journalists Wandering Eyes Posted September 6, 2023 Journalists Share Posted September 6, 2023 Fifteen international raiders feature in the official nominations taken on Tuesday for this year’s Group 1 $8.41 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m). Reigning Melbourne Cup hero Gold Trip is among the 132 nominations for this year’s edition of the ‘race that stops a nation’. Photo: Steve Hart. The world’s richest handicap runs for the 163rd time at Flemington on Tuesday the 7th of November, 2023 and 132 early entries were received by the Victoria Racing Club (VRC) this week. Heading updated Melbourne Cup odds online at Ladbrokes at $8 is Vauban from the stables of Irish horseman Willie Mullins. Mullins has nominated for both the French-bred chestnut Vauban who is a multiple Group 1 winning hurdler over two miles and further along with Ebor Handicap winner Absurde. For the first time this year’s Ebor Handicap offered a golden ticket into the 24-horse Melbourne Cup field down under, and odds on the winner Absurde to travel to Australia and beat home the locals are currently at $21. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Dermot Weld-trained Vintage Crop (1993) becoming the first international Melbourne Cup winner. Weld returns this spring entering his ultra-consistent Nathaniel four-year-old Harbour Wind who was last seen winning the Listed Vinnie Roe Stakes, a race named in honour of Weld’s dual Melbourne Cup runner Vinnie Roe (4th in 2002 and 2nd in 2004). The other top-fancied of the international Melbourne Cup nominees in 2023 are the William Haggas-trained English stayer Desert Hero and Japanese raider Breakup. Four-year-old Sea The Stars entire Desert Hero is unbeaten with a flawless three-from-three record at time of publish, and he is being kept safe in all-in Melbourne Cup markets at $13. Breakup is also rated at $13 shot in pre-field Melbourne Cup betting with the classy Novellist entire having run fourth in this year’s Group 1 Tenno Sho over the 3200m back home. Delta Blues (2006) is the only Japanese-trained Melbourne Cup winner to date. Trainer Chris Waller famous won the Melbourne Cup in 2021 with his since retired mare Verry Elleegant, and the master Sydney-based horseman has 14 nominees this season. The best fancied of the Waller clan is Frankel five-year-old Soulcombe ($9) who was last seen winning the Listed Heatherlie Handicap (1700m) fresh at Caulfield on September 2. Other headline entries for Waller include another son of Frankel Francesco Guardi, his Queensland Derby winner Kovalica, and last spring’s VRC Derby champ Manzoice. The reigning Melbourne Cup hero Gold Trip is one of a bumper 17 nominees for trainers Ciaron Maher & David Eustace this year along with 2022 third-placed mare High Emocean. The other past Melbourne Cup winner back this November is the Danny O’Brien-trained Vow And Declare who won the race back in 2019 at 10/1. Vow And Declare returns as an eight-year-old this season and is currently at $51 Melbourne Cup odds to become the first dual winner on non-successive years Peter Pan (1932, 1934). Ten years ago, Gai Waterhouse won her first and to date only ‘Loving Trophy’ with Fiorente. Waterhouse and co-trainer Adrian Bott have nine Melbourne nominees in 2023 led by Kiwi expat Goldman who secured his spot in the event via a win in the Roy Higgins on March 25. Another hopeful well-supported in early markets is a daughter of Fiorente, the Grahame Begg-trained eight-year-old mare Lunar Flare who is free from ballot after her 5.5 length demolition job in the Listed Andrew Ramsden (3200m) in May. Melbourne Cup first acceptances are open until midday (local time) on Tuesday the 3rd of October, 2023. 2023 Melbourne Cup Nominations Last 10 Horse Sex Age Trainer Hcp Rating 1 3243x1337x ABERFELDIE BOY G 4 Robbie Griffiths & Mathew de Kock 2 3127x1261x ABSURDE (FR) G 6 Willie Mullins 3 57x31115x AFFAIRE A SUIVRE (NZ) M 4 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 4 x60847x72x ALASKAN GOD G 5 Daniel Morton 5 106x74x60x ALEGRON G 5 James Cummings 6 616x69x00x ALENQUER (FR) G 6 Michael Moroney 7 1x ALEXANDROUPOLIS (IRE) H 4 Aidan O’Brien 8 045x83300x AMADE (IRE) G 10 Phillip Stokes 9 820x77114x ARAPAHO (FR) G 7 Bjorn Baker 10 3x5x22410x ASHRUN (FR) G 8 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 11 8537Px991x ATHABASCAN (FR) G 5 John O’Shea 12 8x27410x8x BANK MAUR H 4 Richard Laming 13 52x1x00x0x BEAR STORY (IRE) G 6 Clinton McDonald 14 994658101x BENAUD G 5 John O’Shea 15 211416x43x BERKELEY SQUARE G 4 Dan O’Sullivan 16 13x212213x BRAYDEN STAR (GB) H 5 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young 17 2x110x340x BREAKUP (JPN) H 6 Tatsuya Yoshioka 18 68x513075x BROOME (IRE) H 8 Aidan O’Brien 19 11011x060x BUSTER BASH G 6 David Harrison 20 31115x2x3x CARINI (FR) G 5 Danny O’Brien 21 1226x50x4x CLEVELAND (IRE) H 6 Kris Lees 22 11622x219x CONVENER (FR) H 5 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 23 0706x0x00x DAQIANSWEET JUNIOR (NZ) G 6 Phillip Stokes 24 214x1x060x DARK DESTROYER (NZ) G 5 Lance O’Sullivan & Andrew Scott 25 DENMARK (GB) H 4 Aidan O’Brien 26 2415931x1x DENY KNOWLEDGE (IRE) M 6 Michael Kent 27 1x11x DESERT HERO (GB) H 4 William Haggas 28 x486x6356x DILLIAN (IRE) H 5 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 29 880x43x79x DUAIS M 6 Edward Cummings 30 2x131x8x0x DUKE DE SESSA (IRE) H 5 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 31 5977x0841x DUKE OF HASTINGS (NZ) G 5 Simon Zahra 32 3x3x907x0x EL BODEGON (IRE) G 5 Chris Waller 33 81x847014x EL PATRONESS M 5 Danny O’Brien 34 812x530x9x EMISSARY (GB) G 7 Michael Moroney 35 4313141x6x ESS VEE ARE (NZ) G 5 Darryn & Briar Weatherley 36 22x641127x FAME G 4 Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman 37 02x858x58x FANCY MAN (IRE) G 6 Annabel Neasham 38 231x23136x FERAGO G 7 Patrick F Ryan Jnr 39 x694341x8x FIREBURN M 4 Gary Portelli 40 1x7111011x FIRST IMMORTAL G 4 Mark & Levi Kavanagh 41 324x47x51x FLOATING ARTIST (GB) G 8 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 42 23x9901x FOREIGN RAIDER M 4 John Sadler 43 1232821x0x FRANCESCO GUARDI (IRE) G 6 Chris Waller 44 1894340x7x FULL OF SINCERITY (NZ) G 4 Andrew Forsman 45 61154x721x FUTURE HISTORY (GB) G 6 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 46 455x65x63x GARACHICO (GB) G 5 Leon & Troy Corstens 47 214x380x0x GEAR UP (IRE) H 6 Annabel Neasham 48 5291x2570x GOLD TRIP (FR) H 7 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 49 17x31x111x GOLDMAN (NZ) G 5 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 50 2414x31x4x GREENLAND (IRE) H 4 Aidan O’Brien 51 2x13x4321x GREGOLIMO (FR) G 6 Michael Moroney 52 1211x HARBOUR WIND (IRE) G 4 Dermot K Weld 53 x5x8313x0x HASTA LA WAR G 8 Sue Murphy 54 13x5840x7x HIGH EMOCEAN (NZ) M 7 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 55 936614215x HIGHLAND JAKK (NZ) G 7 Robert Hickmott 56 8x26844x4x HINGED M 5 Chris Waller 57 3223180x5x HOO YA MAL (GB) G 5 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 58 0x6x82419x HOSIER (IRE) G 7 Mark Minervini 59 14x311x INSULATION (GB) G 5 Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman 60 x6536Px32x INTERPRETATION (IRE) G 6 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 61 x386061x1x JUST FINE (IRE) G 6 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 62 921213x3Lx KALAPOUR (IRE) G 7 Kris Lees 63 11x1430x0x KING FRANKEL (IRE) G 6 Annabel Neasham 64 39x8663x0x KNIGHTS ORDER (IRE) G 9 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 65 1111x3131x KOVALICA (NZ) G 4 Chris Waller 66 7131413x3x LADIES MAN (NZ) G 6 Allan Sharrock 67 x51210x04x LINDERMANN H 4 Chris Waller 68 2x318x3x LIONEL (GB) G 5 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 69 6612x7931x LUNAR FLARE M 8 Grahame Begg 70 2115x0x06x MAGICAL LAGOON (IRE) M 5 Chris Waller 71 30234x0x5x MAHRAJAAN (USA) G 6 Shaune Ritchie 72 x11421x02x MAJOR BEEL (NZ) G 4 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 73 281x860x8x MANZOICE H 4 Chris Waller 74 5333x MEDATSU (NZ) G 3 Chris Waller 75 95319x920x MILITARY MISSION (IRE) G 6 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 76 0x5229x86x MONTEFILIA M 6 Chris Waller 77 15x033236x MOSTLY CLOUDY (IRE) G 5 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young 78 13x9x0050x MOUNT POPA (IRE) G 9 Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes 79 433x35162x MOYA LASS M 4 Julius Sandhu 80 23x21x MR BUSTER (IRE) G 4 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 81 2312x18x7x MR WATERVILLE (IRE) G 5 Chris Waller 82 1725x900x MURAMASA G 4 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young 83 421222x01x NAVAJO PEAK G 5 David Payne 84 122x08831x NOAH ’N’ A DEEL M 4 Les Kelly 85 00x11x513x OKITA SOUSHI (IRE) H 6 Joseph O’Brien 86 498419128x OUTLANDOS G 7 John Sargent 87 28177x476x PESHMERGA (GER) M 5 Robert Quinn 88 747905926x PESTO (GB) G 8 Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes 89 11x90x4x0x POINT NEPEAN (IRE) H 6 Ben, Will & JD Hayes 90 2111263x6x POUNDING G 5 Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman 91 x92291124x PROMISES KEPT G 4 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 92 102x100x2x PROTAGONIST (FR) G 7 Kris Lees 93 43x1610x9x QUEEN AIR M 4 Lindsey Smith 94 67720x004x RAGING BULL G 5 David Payne 95 9322110x8x REBEL RACER G 7 Amy & Ash Yargi 96 x46x70x05x REGAL POWER G 8 John Leek (Jnr) 97 611x192x8x REO M 4 Richard Laming 98 1111121x2x RIGHT YOU ARE G 7 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 99 11265x728x SCRIPTWRITER (IRE) G 5 Milton Harris 100 020x129x2x SERPENTINE (IRE) G 7 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 101 4x11x7161x SHAIYHAR (IRE) G 5 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young 102 1112x2114x SHARP ’N’ SMART (NZ) G 4 Graeme & Deborah Rogerson 103 472x295x0x SHERAZ (FR) G 7 Chris Waller 104 2311320x5x SHE’S FIT M 4 Daniel Morton 105 80x1390x7x SIR LUCAN (IRE) G 6 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 106 177x884x6x SMOKIN’ ROMANS (NZ) G 7 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 107 1x1x682x1x SOULCOMBE (GB) G 5 Chris Waller 108 x78x000x0x SOUTHERN FRANCE (IRE) G 9 Matthew Smith 109 x34x339x3x SPANISH MISSION (USA) H 8 Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman 110 3616x3x ST VINCENTS GARDEN (IRE) H 4 Joseph O’Brien 111 972764x08x STAFFORD’S LAD G 9 Daniel Morton 112 1102330x8x SUIZURO G 4 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young 113 41281x558x THE MAP M 5 Dan Clarken & Oopy MacGillivray 114 5x7043100x TIMOUR (FR) G 6 Chris Waller 115 5x3x TOKYO RUN (NZ) G 3 Dean Mirfin 116 601x060x0x TORRENS H 7 Marc Chevalier 117 15x6112x TOWER OF LONDON (IRE) H 4 Aidan O’Brien 118 2302813x8x TRUE MARVEL (FR) G 8 Matthew Smith 119 151x86x80x UNCLE BRYN (GB) G 6 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young 120 17x41x952x UNITED NATIONS (IRE) H 5 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 121 34x2122x VALIANT KING (GB) H 4 Joseph O’Brien 122 11x234211x VAUBAN (FR) G 6 Willie Mullins 123 0x0x09413x VERONA (NZ) M 5 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 124 x132x8802x VIRTUOUS CIRCLE (NZ) H 4 Liam Howley 125 601x22460x VOW AND DECLARE G 8 Danny O’Brien 126 613x31232x WEST WIND BLOWS (IRE) G 5 Simon & Ed Crisford 127 x54920x09x WIN O’CLOCK (GB) G 7 Matthew Williams 128 4216x4221x WINEGLASS BAY (IRE) G 5 Chris Waller 129 311x20x11x WITHOUT A FIGHT (IRE) G 7 Anthony & Sam Freedman 130 x56507056x YAPHET G 5 Cliff Brown 131 5x48x7425x YOUTH SPIRIT (IRE) G 6 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 132 x121735x4x ZEYREK (FR) G 7 Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes Table Credit: Racing Australia The post 132 Melbourne Cup 2023 Nominations Feature 15 Raiders appeared first on HorseRacing.com.au. 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