Trainer Chris Waller has kept punters’ hopes alive that Via Sistina will take her spot in the 24-horse Melbourne Cup 2024 field on Tuesday November 5 with the eight-length Cox Plate winning mare‘s name among the 35 third acceptors for the 164th running of the famous Flemington Race 7.

The latest round of acceptances, and the last before the final field is announced post-racing on Victoria Derby Day on Saturday, for this year’s Group 1 $8.56 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) have revealed a clearer picture as to which horses will contest the ‘Race That Stops a Nation’.

Via Sistina, who will carry the 56kg topweight if accepted, is one of eight still in the mix for Waller who won the race back in 2021 with the ill-fated Verry Elleegant.

Waller looks to saddle-up a very strong contingent this year with his potential runners including Buckaroo and Land Legend who ran second and third respectively in the Caulfield Cup earlier this month.

Buckaroo is the equal $5.50 favourite in the latest Melbourne Cup odds online at Ladbrokes.com.au, while Land Legend is at a generous $21 and will be ridden by Zac Purton.

Among the more notably non-acceptors were Eliyass and Point King.

The Anthony & Sam Freedman-trained Lexus Archer Stakes winner Point King was to have been ridden by Jamie Kah.

News that the horse would not be a third acceptor left Kah briefly without a booking before she was snapped up by connections of Friday night’s Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup winner Okita Soushi.

The Ciaron Maher-trained Okita Soushi is at $21 to do the double for the first time since Kingston Rule back in 1990.

Maher has five third Melbourne Cup acceptors with other standouts for the in-form horseman including Saint George who was making up ground when fifth in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup and his Sydney Cup winner Circle Of Fire.

There are six international Melbourne Cup hopefuls still in contention with the unbeaten Aidan O’Brien-trained Irish raider Jan Brueghel the best supported at $8.

Ryan Moore will ride the St. Leger winning Galileo entire on 54kg.

The other internationals are: Absurde (Willie Mullins) who ran seventh in last year’s race, his stablemate Vauban (Willie Mullins) out to improve on his 14th in 2023, Sea King (Harry Eustace), the Japanese galloper Warp Speed (Noboru Takagi) who ran a disappointing 13th in the Caulfield Cup, and Onesmoothoperator (Brian Ellison).

Onesmoothoperator, who will be ridden by Craig Williams, has firmed into $8.50 in the markets following his impressive Ladbrokes Geelong Cup victory.

The 2024 Lexus Melbourne Cup final acceptances close at 4:30pm (AEDT) on Saturday with the field and barrier draw to take place following the last on Derby Day.