The Melbourne Cup field is getting closer to be finalised with 29 horses remaining in contention.
After third declarations were taken on Monday, 35 gallopers remained in the hunt for the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on Tuesday.
Since Monday however, Jan Brueghel, Via Sistina, Brayden Star, Muramasa, Le Don De Vie and Whiskey On The Hill have been withdrawn from the Flemington feature.
New Zealand-trained Trust In You is now number 24 in the Order Of Entry into the Cup with imported galloper Saint George number 25.
The safety limit is 24 with the final field and barriers to be announced on Saturday evening.
Following the news on Tuesday that Jan Brueghel would miss the race following the results of CT scans taken at Werribee last week, the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young pair of Brayden Star and Muramasa are the latest to fall victim.
Both stayers were withdrawn on the advice of an expert panel of internationally renowned equine surgeons and diagnostic imaging specialists after viewing their CT scans which indicated the pair were at a heightened risk of injury.
Meanwhile, impressive Bendigo Cup winner Sea King was penalised 0.5kg for his win in the 2400m race on Wednesday, taking his weight to 50.5kg.
UK rider Holly Doyle will make the trip to Melbourne to partner the Harry Eustace-trained stayer.
Racing Victoria Head Of Handicapping David Hegan said he was impressed with Sea King’s victory.
“The decisive nature of his victory warrants a penalty and a key line of relativity in the Melbourne Cup is Onesmoothoperator who sits on 51kg after receiving a 1kg penalty following his Geelong Cup win last week,” Hegan said.
“The two horses met recently in the Ebor Handicap in the UK where they crossed the line together. Sea King carried 1kg less than Onesmoothoperator that day but now moves to within 0.5kg of him.
“In relative terms to the benchmark, Onesmoothoperator was effectively given a 2.5kg increase on his overseas mark for the Geelong win so Sea King now moves 3kg up on his previous best form.”
Melbourne Cup Likely Field:
| 1 | VAUBAN (FR) | 55.5kg | Willie Mullins |
| 2 | CIRCLE OF FIRE (GB) | 54.5kg | Ciaron Maher |
| 3 | BUCKAROO (GB) | 54.5kg | Chris Waller |
| 4 | WARP SPEED (JPN) | 54.5kg | Noboru Takagi |
| 5 | SHARP ‘N’ SMART (NZ) | 53.5kg | G & D Rogerson |
| 6 | KOVALICA (NZ) | 53.5kg | Chris Waller |
| 7 | JUST FINE (IRE) | 53kg | Waterhouse & Bott |
| 8 | LAND LEGEND (FR) | 53kg | Chris Waller |
| 9 | ABSURDE (FR) | 52.5kg | Willie Mullins |
| 10 | ATHABASCAN (FR) | 52kg | O’Shea & Charlton |
| 11 | MAHRAJAAN (USA) | 52kg | Ritchie & Murray |
| 12 | KNIGHT’S CHOICE | 51.5kg | Symons & Laxon |
| 13 | ZARDOZI | 51kg | James Cummings |
| 14 | OKITA SOUSHI (IRE) | 51kg | Ciaron Maher |
| 15 | ONESMOOTHOPERATOR (USA) | 51kg | Brian Ellison |
| 16 | MURAMASA | 51kg | Busuttin & Young |
| 17 | VALIANT KING (GB) | 50.5kg | Chris Waller |
| 18 | THE MAP | 50kg | Dan Clarken & Oopy MacGillivray |
| 19 | INTERPRETATION (IRE) | 50kg | Ciaron Maher |
| 20 | FANCY MAN (IRE) | 50kg | Neasham & Archibald |
| 21 | MOSTLY CLOUDY (IRE) | 50kg | Busuttin & Young |
| 22 | POSITIVITY (NZ) | 50kg | Andrew Forsman |
| 23 | MISSION OF LOVE | 50kg | Symons & Laxon |
| 24 | SEA KING (GB) | 50kg | Harry Eustace |
| NEXT IN LINE | |||
| 24 | TRUST IN YOU (NZ) | 50kg | Wallace & Cooksley |
| 25 | SAINT GEORGE (GB) | 50kg | Ciaron Maher |
| 26 | BRAYDEN STAR (GB) | 50kg | Busuttin & Young |
| 27 | MANZOICE | 50kg | Chris Waller |
