The Melbourne Cup is one of the world's premier horse races, and is the 'race that stops the nation' in Australia.

This year's event is to be run on November 1, just over two weeks away.

At present there are still over 70 horses vying for the last 24 starting spots; that number will be finalised a few days before the race. You can check out the full list here .

The rules and conditions are the same as usual, viz,

RULES


Pick ten horses in the order of finishing.

Points will be allocated for the first five horses on a 10-6-3-2-1 basis.

Tiebreaker will be the order of the picks, ie, if you have the winner as yout third pick, you will beat anyone that has that horse or fourth (or higher).

Entries close just before the race, at 2.59pm Melbourne time.
___________________________________________________

Can YOU win the four-legged lottery? Get your name down and see.

Melbourne Cup 2011 dates:

• Nominations: 2 August 2011
• Late Nominations: 9 August 2011
• Handicaps Declared: 31 August 2011
• First Declaration: 6 September 2011
• Second Declaration: 4 October 2011
• Third Declaration: 24 October 2011
• Final Declaration: 29 October 2011
• Barrier Draw: 29 October 2011
• Race Day: 1 November 2011
http://www.cupinfo.com.au/cup-race-dates/

This site has a count-time timer to the start of the race: http://www.melbournecup.com/

I'll go again

I'll try.

Please count me in

More guessing - so I'm in

I will be in again this year

Quote:
Monday 24.10.2011
47 Remain In Cup Contention

Second acceptances closed today for the Emirates Melbourne Cup with 13 internationals still in contention The dream of having a Melbourne Cup (3200m) runner remains alive for the connections of 47 horses following today's closure of second acceptances for next Tuesday's race at Flemington.

As expected, Saturday's Cox Plate winner Pinker Pinker has been withdrawn along with injured stars Descarado, December Draw and Alcopop, whilst Hong Kong entrant Mighty High is returning home after failing in the BMW Caulfield Cup.

A total of 13 internationally-trained horses remain in contention with 10 currently inside the top 24 ranked horses. The Brian Ellison-trained pair Moyenne Corniche and Saptapadi and Luca Cumani's 2008 runner-up Bauer now occupy positions 27-29 following the second acceptances.

Cumani could have as many four runners in this year's race should Bauer sneak into the field. His Caulfield Cup runners Drunken Sailor and Manighar are guaranteed a start, whilst Sahara Sun (24th) is on the cusp of starting if he impresses in Wednesday's Bendigo Cup.

Headlining the international contingent is France's defending champion Americain, Geelong Cup winner Dunaden and Irish St Leger winner Jukebox Jury who sit at the top of the weights.

Three-time Melbourne Cup-winning owner Lloyd Williams and his private trainer Robert Hickmott have the biggest representation with six runners, including Linton who was scratched from last Saturday's Drake International Cup at Moonee Valley. The stable's other acceptors are Midas Touch, Mourayan, At First Sight, Tanby and Caulfield Cup runner-up Green Moon.

Despite the scratching of Descarado, Sydney's first lady of racing Gai Waterhouse is still poised to have a presence on the first Tuesday in November with four second acceptors headlined by Caulfield Cup placegetter Tullamore (25th).

Master trainer Bart Cummings, who boasts a record 12 Melbourne Cup victories, still has three horses entered with German import Illo, third in the Drake International Cup at his Australian debut, and Precedence both guaranteed a start.

http://www.racingvictoria.net.au/MelbCup-2nd acceptances

I am in

The field of 24 runners has been announced

2011 Melbourne Cup Odds
   
Americain          4.0
Dunaden            7.5
Jukebox Jury       11
Lucas Cranach      11
At First Sight     14
Mourayan           15 - SCRATCHED
Niwot              17
Illo               20
Fox Hunt           26
Modun              26
Moyenne Corniche   26
Red Cadeaux        26
Tullamore          26
Unusual Suspect    26
Glass Harmonium    31
Shamrocker         31
Drunken Sailor     35
Lost In The Moment 41
Manighar           41
Precedence         41
Hawk Island        61
Saptapadi          71
Older Than Time   101
The Verminator    101

Melbourne Cup Field

#	Horse (Barrier)	Trainer	Weight (Penalty)
1	AMERICAIN (USA) (15)	Alain de Royer Dupre	58kg
2	JUKEBOX JURY (IRE) (6)	Mark Johnston	57kg
3	DUNADEN (FR) (13)	Mikel Delzangles	54.5kg (0.5kg)
4	DRUNKEN SAILOR (IRE) (8)	Luca Cumani	54kg
5	GLASS HARMONIUM (IRE) (23)	Michael Moroney	54kg
6	MANIGHAR (FR) (21)	Luca Cumani	54kg
7	UNUSUAL SUSPECT (USA) (7)	Michael Kent	54kg
8	FOX HUNT (IRE) (19)	Mark Johnston	53.5kg (0.5kg)
9	LUCAS CRANACH (GER) (11)	Anthony Freedman	53.5kg
10	MOURAYAN (IRE) (14)	Robert Hickmott	53.5kg
11	PRECEDENCE (NZ) (2)	Bart Cummings	53.5kg
12	RED CADEAUX (GB) (16)	Ed Dunlop	53.5kg
13	HAWK ISLAND (IRE) (18)	Chris Waller	53kg
14	ILLO (GER) (1)	Bart Cummings	53kg
15	LOST IN THE MOMENT (IRE) (3)	Saeed Bin Suroor	53kg
16	MODUN (IRE) (5)	Saeed Bin Suroor	53kg
17	AT FIRST SIGHT (IRE) (10)	Robert Hickmott	52.5kg
18	MOYENNE CORNICHE (GB) (17)	Brian Ellison	52kg
19	SAPTAPADI (IRE) (22)	Brian Ellison	52kg
20	SHAMROCKER (NZ) (24)	Danny O’Brien	52kg
21	THE VERMINATOR (4)	Chris Waller	52.kg (2.0kg)
22	TULLAMORE (NZ) (12)	Gai Waterhouse	52kg
23	NIWOT (9)	Micahel, Wayne & John Hawkes	51kg
24	OLDER THAN TIME (20)	Gai Waterhouse	51kg

http://www.races.com.au/melbourne-cup-field

23 NIWOT 
12 RED CADEAUX  
 3 DUNADEN 
 2 JUKEBOX JURY 
16 MODUN 
 1 AMERICAIN
14 ILLO 
18 MOYENNE CORNICHE 
17 AT FIRST SIGHT 
 9 LUCAS CRANACH 

Replace scratching

1. At First Sight
2. Jukebox Jury
3. Nitwot
4. Americain
5. Fox Hunt
6. Lucas Cranech
7. Unusual Suspect
8. Dunaden
9. Red Cadeaux
10. Illo

Americain
Dunaden
Jukebox Jury
Lucas Cranach
Niwot
At First Sight
Bauer
Green Moon
Mourayan
Illo
Midas Touch

1. LUCAS CRANACH (GER)
2. AMERICAIN (USA)
3. NIWOT
4. DUNADEN (FR)
5. TULLAMORE (NZ)
6 GLASS HARMONIUM (IRE)
7. JUKEBOX JURY (IRE)
8. AT FIRST SIGHT (IRE)
9. UNUSUAL SUSPECT (USA)
10. MANIGHAR (FR)

1-Jukebox Jury
2-At First Sight
3-Unusual Suspect
4-Drunken Sailor
5-Americain
6-Fox Hunt
7-Illo
8-Niwot
9-Dunaden
10-Shamrocker

Only three Aussie horses, and two of them are at 100/1!

EDITED to replace scratching.

Dunaden
Jukebox Jury
Fox Hunt
Lucas Cranach
Americain
Manighar
Red Cadeaux
At First Sight
Moyenne Corniche
Niwot

1. Americain
2. Dunaden
3. Precedence
5. Lucas Cranach
6. Precedence
7. Jukebox Jury
8. Illo
9. Red Cadeaux
10. Modun

Edited to replace Mourayan that was scratched

1 Americain
2 Dunaden
3 Lucas Cranach
4 Niwot
5 At First Sight
6 Fox Hunt
7 Illo
8 Lost in the Moment
9 Unusual Suspect
10 Jukebox Jury

1-Dunaden
2-Americain
3-At First Sight
4-Niwot
5-Jukebox Jury
6-Tullamore
7-Illo
8-Lucas Cranach
9-Unusual Suspect
10-Mourayan

10- Mourayan was scratched this morning. If you tipped it, please adjust your selections.

The favourite and last year's winner gave the front-runners a bit too much of a start, but still managed to finish in fourth after losing out a photo-finish to third-placed Lucas Cranach. All interest, however, was at the head of the field. In one of the closest Melbourne Cup finishes ever, French horse Dunaden edged out the Brit, Red Cordeaux, by the width of half a whisker. Manighar came fifth.

In our little comp (only 9 starters this year), everyone picked the winner, and everyone also picked the favourite. Eight tipsters had Lucas Cranach on their list. Only three people picked the runner-up, and only two picked the fifth-placed horse.

N-Bomb picked the first five places and rightly wins a gold trophy (and 6 million FT dollars!). In a photo-finish for the minors, gtho4 tipped out George95. Tiebreakers were also used to separate fifth to eighth places.

Dunaden Red Cadeaux Lucas Cranach Americain Manighar Tips 9 3 8 9 2 1 N-Bomb 10 + 6 + 3 + 2 + 1 = 22 2 gtho4 10 + 6 + 3 + 2 = 21 3 George95 10 + 6 + 3 + 2 = 21 4- BxBarracuda 10 + 3 + 2 + 1 = 16 5- Howie72 10 + 3 + 2 = 15 6- Sypher 10 + 3 + 2 = 15 7- paper_aero 10 + 3 + 2 = 15 8- szabs 10 + 3 + 2 = 15 9- ozzz2002 10 + 2 = 12

WTG N-Bomb, perfect picks.

Congrats gtho4 and George95.

Thanks Ozzz

Congrats to N-Bomb and gtho4.

Also thanks to ozzz for the quick writeup.