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Verry Elleegant (Photo: Steve Hart) | Races.com.au

Likely Melbourne Cup 2021 Field: Verry Elleegant Confirmed to Run, McDonald Rides

Lucy Henderson October 30, 2021

Likely Melbourne Cup 2021 Field: Verry Elleegant Confirmed to Run, McDonald Rides

Below we have the likely Melbourne Cup 2021 field ahead of Saturday afternoon’s final acceptances at 4:30pm (AEDT) following the news that UK raider Spanish Mission has ed his third examination and has been cleared to run and trainer Chris Waller will run his Australian Racehorse of the Year Verry Elleegant.

Verry Elleegant (Photo: Steve Hart) | Races.com.au

Verry Elleegant will be accepted into the 2021 Melbourne Cup final field. Photo: Steve Hart.

The 161st edition of the ‘race that stops a nation’ is due to run as Flemington Race 7 at 3:00pm (AEDT) on Tuesday, November 2nd, and the make-up of the 24 Melbourne Cup horses for the $8 million showdown is taking shape.

A decision was made around 3:30pm (AEDT) on Saturday by Waller confirming Verry Elleegant will run, jockey James McDonald securing that mount after his original ride Away He Went was withdrawn earlier in the week due to a tendon injury.

“Following a nice piece of work this morning with James McDonald in the saddle, we have made the decision to run Verry Elleegant on Tuesday in the Melbourne Cup with James booked to ride,” the stable confirmed on Twitter.

Also 50/50 to line up in the Group 1 two-mile classic at HQ this year was Andrew Balding‘s UK raider Spanish Mission who has been under an injury cloud all week.

The last start Lonsdale Cup runner-up was re-examined for a third time early on Saturday afternoon Racing Victoria vets after suffering from swelling in his leg.

Trainer Tony Noonan has been looking after the horse in Australia and confirmed Spanish Mission had been treated overnight with antibiotics for a minor skin infection.

The confirmation that Spanish Mission has ed fit to run has seen the raider firm back into $7 second favouritism in the markets at Ladbrokes.com.au.

Waller could be represented by four horses in the Melbourne Cup field after his Newcastle Gold Cup winner Great House won today’s ‘win and you’re in’ Melbourne Cup ballot-exempt Group 3 Lexus Hotham Stakes (2500m).

Great House was already 24th on the order of entry but further secured his position denying a trio of other Cup-nominated stayers victory and will be ridden in his Grand Final by Michael Dee.

The Lexus Stakes results also saw Fun Fact fade to finish dead last and trainer Bjorn Baker subsequently confirm the grey’s non-acceptance for next Tuesday.

Fun Fact was 22nd on the order of entry prior to their withdrawal, paving the way for the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained Floating Artist who was 25th on the ballot to secure a run with Teo Nugent securing the ride.

Click here for the latest all-in Melbourne Cup betting odds courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.

2021 Melbourne Cup Field

No. Form (Last 10) Horse Sex Age Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight
1 1131×33912 TWILIGHT PAYMENT (IRE) G 9 Joseph O’Brien Jye McNeil 2 58kg
2 111111×111 INCENTIVISE G 5 Peter G Moody Brett Prebble 16 57kg (1.5kg penalty)
3 17x2513x2x SPANISH MISSION (USA) H 6 Andrew Balding Craig Williams 14 57kg
4 x3112x2143 VERRY ELLEEGANT (NZ) M 6 Chris Waller James McDonald 19 57kg
5 132113×950 EXPLOSIVE JACK (NZ) H 4 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace John Allen 4 57kg
6 x2606x3420 THE CHOSEN ONE (NZ) H 6 Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman Damian Lane 5 54kg
7 111x6x4210 DELPHI (IRE) H 5 Anthony & Sam Freedman Damien Oliver 3 53.5kg
8 1x610x5059 OCEAN BILLY (NZ) G 6 Chris Waller 13 53.5kg (1.0kg penalty)
9 86541×0840 SELINO (GB) G 6 Chris Waller Ron Stewart 24 53.5kg
10 29431×0090 JOHNNY GET ANGRY (NZ) G 4 Denis Pagan Lachie King 22 53kg
11 3x8511x909 KNIGHTS ORDER (IRE) G 7 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Daniel Stackhouse 9 53kg
12 5x1244x373 PERSAN G 5 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Luke Currie 11 53kg
13 07422×4747 CARIF G 6 Peter & Paul Snowden Blaike McDougall 8 52.5kg
14 x663x00030 MASTER OF WINE (GER) G 7 Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes Fred Kersley 6 52.5kg
15 x22x722x54 PONDUS (GB) G 6 Robert Hickmott Rachel King 1 52.5kg
16 x221211251 GRAND PROMENADE (GB) G 6 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Kerrin McEvoy 21 52kg (1.0kg penalty)
18 78333×0095 MIAMI BOUND (NZ) M 5 Danny O’Brien Patrick Moloney 17 52kg
18 x1510x0600 PORT GUILLAUME (FR) G 5 Ben & JD Hayes Harry Coffey 23 52kg
19 2324×37197 SHE’S IDEEL M 6 Bjorn Baker Craig Newitt 20 52kg
20 3x6133x086 FUTURE SCORE (IRE) G 7 Matt Cumani Dean Yendall 15 51.5kg
21 12114×3321 TRALEE ROSE (NZ) M 5 Symon Wilde Dean Holland 12 51kg
22 x55x011132 FLOATING ARTIST (GB) G 6 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Teo Nugent 10 50kg
23 4×13275155 GREAT HOUSE (IRE) G 5 Chris Waller Michael Dee 7 50kg
24 x41x81x248 SIR LUCAN (IRE) H 4 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Glen Boss 18 50kg

Racing fields and data are copyright 2011-2021 © Racing Australia Pty Ltd (RA) (and other parties working with it).
Racing materials, including fields, form and results, is subject to copyright which is owned by RA and other parties working with it. Full copyright notice.

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