Fifty-seven stayers remain in the mix to contest the 2022 Melbourne Cup following Tuesday’s official second declarations for the 162nd edition of the world’s richest handicap race.
Duais is the best fancied of the Aussie-trained stayers among the 2022 Melbourne Cup second acceptances. Photo: Steve Hart.
The Group 1 $7.75 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) runs at Flemington on the first Tuesday of November and the race to make the 24-horse final field is heating up.
Originally there were 58 second acceptors for the two-mile classic before news broke that last year’s third place-getter, Spanish Mission, was out of the spring due to a tendon injury.
Four internationals remain in the hunt for this year’s ‘Loving Trophy’ including the equal $8 co-favourites in all-in Melbourne Cup betting at Ladbrokes.com.au.
Heading the updated markets are James Ferguson’s UK raider Deauville Legend (55kg) and the German raider Loft (55.5kg) for Marcel Weiss.
The other international Melbourne Cup hopefuls are the David Simcock-trained Rodrigo Diaz (50.5kg) who is already in Australia and Without A Fight (55.5kg) for Simon & Ed Crisford.
Aside from Rodrigo Diaz, the other raiders are all currently in quarantine in the UK ahead of their flight to Melbourne that is due to arrive on October 11.
Hoo Ya Mal and Camorra are also in quarantine in the UK ahead of their arrival when they will join the stables of Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott and Ben & JD Hayes respectively.
Anthony Cummings’ three-time Group 1 winning mare Duais is the best fancied of the Australian contingent occupying the second line of all-in Melbourne Cup betting at $13.
She is expected to race in Melbourne this Saturday at Flemington in the Group 1 $1 million Turnbull Stakes (2000m).
The Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained Gold Trip with 57.5kg now heads the Melbourne Cup weights following the withdrawal of original top-weight Spanish Mission.
Gold Trip was last seen running third in the Group 3 Naturalism Stakes and is also among the Turnbull Stakes nominees for HQ this weekend.
The Lloyd Williams-owned Point Nepean meanwhile heads the latest Melbourne Cup order of entry after his victory in the Lexus Andrew Ramsden (2800m).
His trainer, Robert Hickmott, chases a third Melbourne Cup victory having won in 2016 with Alamandin and 2012 with Green Moon.
Point Nepean will continue his Melbourne Cup lead-up on Turnbull Stakes Day lining-up in the Group 3 $750,000 The Lexus Bart Cummings (2510m).
A host of other The Bart Cummings nominees are already assured of a start in the Melbourne Cup field including Sheraz (Chris Waller), Tralee Rose (Symon Wilde), Daqiansweet Junior (Phillip Stokes) and Lunar Flare (Grahame Begg).
Melbourne Cup second acceptors sitting outside the Top 24 on the order of entry needing to win the ballot exemption on offer in The Bart Cummings should they accept include the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained trio Smokin’ Romans, Interpretation, and High Emocean; Waller duo Durston and Surefire; the Matt Cumani-trained stablemates San Huberto and Team Captain; Realm Of Flowers (Anthony and Sam Freedman); Serpentine (Hickmott); The Good Fight (Mike Moroney); and the 2019 Melbourne Cup winner Vow And Declare (Danny O’Brien).
O’Brien has also paid second acceptances for a total of five runners including Young Werther and Inspirational Girl who are both down to run second-up in the Turnbull.
Tavistock five-year-old Young Werther raced for the first time since October 2021 when carrying 61kg to an eye-catching fourth at Flemington over 1700m earlier in the month.
Inspirational Girl was also good fresh when finishing second to Mr Brightside at The Valley in the Group 2 Feehan Stakes (1600m).
Other potential Turnbull runners among the Melbourne Cup second acceptors for November include the Waller-trained Great House, Knights Order for Waterhouse & Bott, and the James Cummings-trained Alegron who won the Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) in a Sydney upset last time out.
Melbourne Cup 2022 third acceptances close at 12pm (AEST) on Tuesday October 11.
Click here for the latest all-in markets courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.
2022 Melbourne Cup Second Acceptances
| Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Ballot | Weight | Penalty | Hcp Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7x7x2111x9 | POINT NEPEAN (IRE) | H | 5 | Robert Hickmott | 1 | 51kg | 8.5 | |
| 2 | 4x2x12121x | DEAUVILLE LEGEND (IRE) | G | 4 | James Ferguson | 2 | 55kg | 1.5 | |
| 3 | 34x52x3x33 | GOLD TRIP (FR) | H | 6 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | 3 | 57.5kg | 2 | |
| 4 | 0x96117x06 | DUAIS | M | 5 | Edward Cummings | 4 | 55.5kg | 2.5 | |
| 5 | 3214x718x4 | MONTEFILIA | M | 5 | David Payne | 5 | 55.5kg | 2.5 | |
| 6 | 312×322318 | HOO YA MAL (GB) | H | 4 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 6 | 53.5kg | 3 | |
| 7 | 70x3521x13 | KNIGHTS ORDER (IRE) | G | 8 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 7 | 55.5kg | 4 | |
| 8 | 3122x11x2x | LOFT (GER) | G | 5 | Marcel Weiss | 8 | 55.5kg | 4 | |
| 9 | 11x20311x2 | WITHOUT A FIGHT (IRE) | G | 6 | Simon & Ed Crisford | 9 | 55.5kg | 4 | |
| 10 | 3217x551x8 | CAMORRA (IRE) | G | 6 | Ben & JD Hayes | 10 | 55kg | 4.5 | |
| 11 | 2x80314x71 | ALEGRON | G | 4 | James Cummings | 11 | 53kg | 5 | |
| 12 | 5232x528x4 | YOUNG WERTHER (NZ) | G | 5 | Danny O’Brien | 12 | 54kg | 5.5 | |
| 13 | 4x0127x964 | STOCKMAN (NZ) | G | 6 | Joseph Pride | 13 | 54kg | 5.5 | |
| 14 | x0x6472x29 | SHERAZ (FR) | G | 6 | Chris Waller | 14 | 53.5kg | 6 | |
| 15 | x3730x9x03 | PERSAN | G | 6 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | 15 | 53.5kg | 6 | |
| 16 | 5054x1017x | LE DON DE VIE (GB) | G | 7 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | 16 | 53.5kg | 6 | |
| 17 | 0x438240x3 | GREAT HOUSE (IRE) | G | 6 | Chris Waller | 17 | 53kg | 6.5 | |
| 18 | 112516x7x5 | GRAND PROMENADE (GB) | G | 7 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | 18 | 53kg | 6.5 | |
| 19 | x33219x70x | TRALEE ROSE (NZ) | M | 6 | Symon Wilde | 19 | 51.5kg | 6.5 | |
| 20 | 1111213×07 | DAQIANSWEET JUNIOR (NZ) | G | 5 | Phillip Stokes | 20 | 53kg | 6.5 | |
| 21 | 221156×466 | LUNAR FLARE | M | 7 | Grahame Begg | 21 | 51kg | 7 | |
| 22 | 2251212×92 | NERVE NOT VERVE (NZ) | M | 7 | Michael Moroney | 22 | 51kg | 7 | |
| 23 | 4127217123 | ARAPAHO (FR) | G | 6 | Bjorn Baker | 23 | 52.5kg | 7 | |
| 24 | 2214×11215 | MANKAYAN (IRE) | G | 7 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | 24 | 52.5kg | 7 | |
| 25 | x211119x90 | CRYSTAL PEGASUS (GB) | G | 6 | Chris Waller | 25 | 52kg | 7.5 | |
| 26 | x41431x428 | MIDNIGHT BLUE | G | 6 | Danny O’Brien | 26 | 52kg | 7.5 | |
| 27 | 112219×921 | SMOKIN’ ROMANS (NZ) | G | 6 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | 27 | 51.5kg | 1.5kg | 8 |
| 28 | 078x5311x9 | MILFORD (NZ) | G | 5 | Michael Moroney | 28 | 51.5kg | 8 | |
| 29 | 8x4x1x7011 | DURSTON (GB) | G | 7 | Chris Waller | 29 | 51.5kg | 1.5kg | 8 |
| 30 | 251x006x03 | REALM OF FLOWERS | M | 6 | Anthony & Sam Freedman | 30 | 50kg | 8.5 | |
| 31 | 2753x35x15 | EMISSARY (GB) | G | 6 | Michael Moroney | 31 | 51kg | 8.5 | |
| 32 | 24x69x320x | RODRIGO DIAZ (GB) | G | 6 | David Simcock | 32 | 50.5kg | 9 | |
| 33 | 11x120x155 | SUREFIRE (GB) | G | 5 | Chris Waller | 33 | 50.5kg | 9 | |
| 34 | 21117220×8 | TIGERTIGER (NZ) | G | 7 | Rob Blacker | 34 | 50kg | 9.5 | |
| 35 | 013x321x60 | THE AMAZONIAN | M | 4 | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | 35 | 50kg | 9.5 | |
| 36 | 1557320×01 | REGAL LION (NZ) | G | 4 | Annabel Neasham | 36 | 50kg | 9.5 | |
| 37 | x454160x53 | WYCLIF (GB) | G | 6 | Danny O’Brien | 37 | 50kg | 9.5 | |
| 38 | 4x11144x65 | INTERPRETATION (IRE) | H | 5 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | 38 | 50kg | 9.5 | |
| 39 | x432164x76 | KING OF THE CASTLE (IRE) | G | 5 | Robert Hickmott | 39 | 50kg | 9.5 | |
| 40 | 2x529302x2 | LUNCIES (GB) | G | 6 | Kris Lees | 40 | 50kg | 9.5 | |
| 41 | x7x60211x2 | NUMERIAN (IRE) | G | 7 | Annabel Neasham | 41 | 55.5kg | 4 | |
| 42 | 2x5x6160x2 | INSPIRATIONAL GIRL (NZ) | M | 7 | Danny O’Brien | 42= | 53kg | 5 | |
| 43 | 6x71324x53 | HINGED | M | 4 | Chris Waller | 42= | 51.5kg | 5 | |
| 44 | 00x8x00x53 | VOW AND DECLARE | G | 7 | Danny O’Brien | 44 | 54kg | 5.5 | |
| 45 | 44x786x0x0 | SERPENTINE (IRE) | G | 6 | Robert Hickmott | 45 | 53.5kg | 6 | |
| 46 | 90x0036x84 | CHAPADA | G | 7 | Michael Moroney | 46 | 52.5kg | 7 | |
| 47 | 13883x28x6 | SAN HUBERTO (IRE) | H | 7 | Matt Cumani | 47 | 51.5kg | 8 | |
| 48 | 080537×608 | ATTORNEY (FR) | G | 8 | Matthew Smith | 48= | 50kg | 9.5 | |
| 49 | 42547×5133 | HARMYSIAN (GB) | G | 6 | Clayton Douglas | 48= | 50kg | 9.5 | |
| 50 | x796x13212 | HEZASHOCKA (NZ) | G | 5 | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | 48= | 50kg | 9.5 | |
| 51 | 829x25x341 | HIGH EMOCEAN (NZ) | M | 6 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | 48= | 50kg | 9.5 | |
| 52 | 4262116×78 | JEKYLL’N’HYDE | G | 6 | Simon Morrish | 48= | 50kg | 9.5 | |
| 53 | 121x01x914 | MAKRAM (IRE) | G | 6 | Ben & JD Hayes | 48= | 50kg | 9.5 | |
| 54 | 08x45743x3 | PALE KING (FR) | G | 6 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | 48= | 50kg | 9.5 | |
| 55 | x3346x81x9 | SCHABAU (GER) | G | 8 | Robert Hickmott | 48= | 50kg | 9.5 | |
| 56 | 0071113×06 | TEAM CAPTAIN (IRE) | G | 7 | Matt Cumani | 48= | 50kg | 9.5 | |
| 57 | 51447×0407 | THE GOOD FIGHT (NZ) | G | 8 | Michael Moroney | 48= | 50kg | 9.5 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
