Trish Dunell Photography
Reigning Melbourne Cup champion Almandin is among 140 entries for the 2017 Melbourne Cup (3200m), which will take place at Flemington on November 7.
Trainer Robert Hickmott has a further 11 entries for the race as he aims to deliver a sixth Cup to owner Lloyd Williams.
Australia’s leading trainer Darren Weir has entered 17 horses including the former Kiwi Humidor, who went on to win the Australian Cup for Weir, in addition to South Australian Derby winner Volatile Mix and Japanese import Admire Deus.
A total of 10 New Zealand-trained horses have been nominated for the $A6 million feature headed by a trio of Group One winners from the stable of champion trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman in Bonneval, Jon Snow and Lizzie L’Amour.
Te Akau Racing’s Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards have nominated dual Group One winner Gingernuts and Sydney Cup fifth placegetter Chance To Dance.
Other Kiwi-trained nominations include Charles Road (Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott), Chocante (Stephen Marsh), Megablast (Nigel Tiley), Pentathlon (John Wheeler) and Rock On (Gary Vile).
A total of 26 New Zealand-bred horses are entered. Among them is the Wanganui-owned galloper Who Shot Thebarman, who is nominated for his fourth Cup after running third (2014), 10th (2015) and fifth (2016). – NZ Racing Desk.