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It's the biggest race on the Australian sporting calendar but who'll take top spot? Here are your latest best bets to take the top prize.

It’s almost time to giddy up.Source:AAP

The Melbourne Cup is nearly upon us. Here’s what many of the key connections are saying ahead of the race that stops the nation.

SURPRISE BABY — Jockey Craig Williams

“I think it’s really important to have a good barrier draw. I spoke to (rainer) Paul (Preusker) yesterday (Sunday), and he’s really delighted by the way Surprise Baby’s trained on,” Williams told RSN radio. “I’m really looking forward to tomorrow.

“It’s an amazing achievement for all of the trainers and staff to get these horses ready for this gruelling challenge.

“When I’ve ridden him these two runs this preparation at a mile and 2000m, he really didn’t have the gate speed — but now out to two miles, it’s a completely different race. I’ve been on him enough times now to have a good understanding of him.

In the history of the Melbourne Cup there have been 32 favourites to win the race. In the past 10 years only one the Gai Waterhouse trained Fiorente has been able to win the Cup after jumping as favourite. Weight: 54.5kg/Age: 6yo/Jockey: TBC/Trainer: Paul Preusker. Despite only managing. Only two horses have been the Melbourne Cup favourite three years in a row. Trafalgar in 1909, 1910 and 1911, who didn't win in any of those years, and Phar Lap in 1929, 1930 and 1931, who won.

“But he did put himself closer in the first 300m when he got into the Melbourne Cup last year when winning the Bart Cummings.

“I hope I have those options (early in the race) — if I don’t, then we’ll be a bit further back.”

Trainer Paul Preusker

“Like last year, you think, ‘I don’t know if I want to do this to myself again’ but here we are,” Preusker told RSN.

“It’s all good, that’s where you want to be, you’re on the ball the whole time, I get told to stop checking him quite a bit.

“Absolutely perfect (barrier draw). I got my wishes. To draw 7-10 leaves our options open. He’s not in the gates for long, it’s all less pressure on the animal.

“I’m sure Craig (Williams) will run through it (the tactics). The only thing I’ll remind him is to ride your horse. We all get too involved a lot of the time, thinking how a race is going to unfold … I’m sure Craig will have everything spot on.

“Last year he was quite new on the scene, and holding a lot of nerves still. This year he’s more of a V8 diesel, he’s more relaxed and a lot better horse to train this year.

“For sure (he’s better for last year’s experience). It’s great exposure, and when you race them over that distance, you get quite a few minutes of learning time, they come out a fair bit wiser, and hopefully we’ve made the right call.”

SIR DRAGONET, ETAH JAMES, PERSAN — Trainer Ciaron Maher

On Sir Dragonet: “He’s in great order, Winksy (James Winks) strode a lap of the track with him on Monday morning, then we took him down to Mordialloc for a walk in the water. He’s nice and bright and well, now he’s got his feet up waiting for tomorrow.

“I think his second-highest rating — the Cox Plate was his highest — was on a firm deck over in Europe, so I’m confident … obviously he does love a shower of rain, but I’m confident he’ll handle it no problems.

“He’s had the right foundation, which is key going into a Melbourne Cup. He’s looked better and moved better the longer he’s been here, and since the Cox Plate run … on the day of the Cox Plate, his recovery was almost instant.

“In what is a testing WFA race, he could’ve picked grass when we were putting the rug on him. There wasn’t the flare of a nostril, there wasn’t anything. His coat has definitely come on from that race, they’re all the little indicators you look for, he’s certainly ticking all the boxes for me heading to a race like that.

On his other pair: “Persan’s got a big chance I reckon. He’s in on the right weight. Talking about foundations, he’s been racing all year, he’s had his runs spaced, he loves Flemington, it is a handicap and as you see year in, year out, the ones down in the handicap tend to figure providing they’ve got the right formlines, right ability and get a nice enough run. He’s drawn out quite wide which’ll make the job a bit more difficult for (jockey) Micky (Dee), but he could definitely run a big race.

“Etah James, a genuine two-miler, if she can finish in the first half (of the field), I’d be rapt with her.”

ANTHONY VAN DYCK, TIGER MOTH — TJ Comerford (trainer Aidan O’Brien’s stable representative)

“Anthony Van Dyck has probably a better draw, Tiger Moth is drawn the one from the outside. It’s better that way around than Anthony Van Dyck being out there again. These are the draws you get but I still think that Tiger Moth still has his chance from out there. It’s not the end of the world.

“This morning they worked over 1500 metres on the sand. (Jockey) Hugh Bowman is coming in tomorrow to sit on Anthony Van Dyck to do the same.

On two live chances in the race: “It’s great. To have one runner is great, to have two in it is better again. It’s grand, it’s a great race. We’ve always run well in the race, our horses have competed well. It’d be great to win it but it’s not as simple as that.

“Hopefully we can have a good chance on Tuesday.”

Compared to previous teams they’ve brought out: “It’s hard to compare them, but we’ve always brought horses that we thought would do well here. Horses that would have done well in English St Legers. Anthony Van Dyck is an English Derby winner and Tiger Moth has run second in an Irish Derby at only his third run. At the same time his last run was an impressive win in a Group 3 at Leopardstown.

“The ground seems all in their favour as well. They’re two good chances.

“I wouldn’t like to separate them. Anthony Van Dyck is a class horse but he has to give a lot of weight away to Tiger Moth. But then Tiger Moth is drawn 23 so he’ll have to be able to negotiate from out there — I’m sure (jockey) Kerrin McEvoy will have a plan. We probably don’t know enough about the three-year-old, really, but I do know that he’s going well enough while here and he’s doing everything right and he’s enjoying himself — he’s fresh and he’s well and he’s fit.

“I just think they’re two good chances. I wouldn’t have one over the other even if you give me a free bet there I might struggle. Can I do a reverse forecast?”

Jockey Hugh Bowman (pre-barrier draw)

On Anthony Van Dyck towards Melbourne Cup: “He’s certainly one of the leading chances, there’s no doubt about that. There’s two ways of looking at it, I guess.

“You could say he’s got too much weight. If it’s not run to suit, the weight will be an issue, but if he gets the right run on a nice pace, and it’s a genuinely run race, that will suit him. I think he can win with that weight. I just hope they don’t go as slow as they did in the Derby.”

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Anthony Van Dyck is looking good.Source:Getty Images

MASTER OF REALITY, TWILIGHT PAYMENT — Mark Power (Joseph O’Brien’s stable representative)

On their pair’s work on Sunday: “They didn’t do anything too serious. Nice strong building canter. They both did it within themselves.

“Perfect. Couldn’t be any happier. Happy with the draws yesterday. We’ll probably roll forward from there. Horses outside of us, Miami Bound and Sir Dragonet, we probably couldn’t ask for a better draw.”

Melbourne Cup Horses

Do barriers play a part? Plus comments on other runners: “For Tiger Moth, Vow And Declare was drawn similarly last year so that’s not to say that they can’t be overcome. Three-year-olds from the northern hemisphere, they seem to be taking some beating lately. Rekindling, Cross Counter and Il Paradiso — I suppose, they have a great record in the race.

Horse to beat: “You’d have to think that Anthony Van Dyck would have a great chance. He’s the class horse in the race even though it is a race with plenty of depth in it. Tiger Moth being a northern hemisphere three-year-old, they’re two of them to fear.”

PRINCE OF ARRAN — Aled Beech (trainer Charlie Fellowes’ stable representative)

On Prince Of Arran’s work: “Yesterday he had a breeze, he felt good. Just asked him to stretch along the last two furlongs he rode out nicely. Felt good this morning.”

On barrier one: “Happy enough. It’s much better than drawing out wide like we have the previous few years. It just gives us more options and makes her life easier.

“He’s feeling great in himself. What he feels like at home, he feels even better here.”

What makes the horse different here: “Honestly, I’m not sure what it is. He just thrives. He loves the climate, the style of racing. It suits him down to the ground. The racecourses over here, he just loves the Australian style of racing.”

How special would winning a Melbourne Cup be after quarantine? “It’d make it so worth it. If we could win it would be incredible. You think about it (winning) over and over in your head (winning).”

ASHRUN — Trainer Andreas Wohler

Ashrun after Saturday’s win in the Lexus Hotham Stakes: “Really well. I’m surprised the way he is. Such a race takes out of it (takes something out of the horse) but he’s eaten up, looks great. Very happy.”

On the quick back-up: “Normally you don’t do that but we didn’t have any other choice but to run him on Saturday. Lucky he went really well.”

On wide barrier: “We shouldn’t have any interference for the first 1000 metres (laughing).”

On his confidence in the horse for him to come here despite COVID obstacles: “We always thought that he might get into the Cup straight away but unfortunately we didn’t so we had to run yesterday. That worked out, luckily.

“It’s a strange journey these days. I’m in awe of the Cup so much — we’ve had great success — and when you have a good runner you want to be there.

“The way he ran on Saturday then he should have a chance of being in very good money.”

Jockey Kerrin McEvoy (pre-barrier draw)

On Ashrun’s chances on Tuesday: “He’s a good stayer. Good in the wind. He didn’t have a lot of favours in the run (on Saturday). You can’t be taking him lightly on Tuesday. He’ll stay the trip and has a bit of class about him.”

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Ashrun was warmed up nicely with a win in Saturday’s Lexus Hotham Stakes at Flemington.Source:Getty Images

STRATUM ALBION — Dave Casey (Trainer Willie Mullins’ stable representative)

On Stratum Albion: “We’ve been delighted with him, very good. He did his last work on Saturday — delighted with him. He’s got a decent enough draw so hoping for a bit of luck with him on Tuesday.

“I think in the last week he’s come on plenty. Barrier nine is good, gives us options and there’s a couple of fancied horses around him. Anthony Van Dyck isn’t far away, so is Surprise Baby, that’ll give us options to go forward or go back.

“Anthony Van Dyck deserves to be favourite — English Derby winner and he ran so well in the Caulfield Cup. The likes of Prince Of Arran, brilliant form here. His (Stratum Albion) form doesn’t stand out for a lot of it — mixing with jumping as well. We don’t mind being the underdog.

“He’s a horse that can get quite stuffy and takes a lot of work but he’s enjoying it out there. Very happy with his work out there.”

What it would mean to win a Melbourne Cup: “It’d be unbelievable. Obviously Willie has gone very close in the past. It’d be amazing to win the race and to be associated with Willie doing that would be brilliant. Hopefully we might do it on Tuesday and if we don’t we’ll keep trying.”

Jordan Childs — how many calls did the jockey make to get the ride: “I’ll say three. But I’ve been watching him. I think it was Damian Lane who recommended him and I saw him riding Surprise Baby, who I fancied last year, who I’ve been watching him riding. Obviously with two weeks in quarantine in Sydney there wasn’t a lot to do so I’ve been watching plenty of racing.

“I thought he’s been riding well and with good confidence. He’s got the pedigree there as well. I think Stratum will give him a good ride and hopefully it’ll all work out.”

VERRY ELLEEGANT, FINCHE — Trainer Chris Waller

On Verry Elleegant’s re-handicap after Caulfield: “It’s a concern but it’s not something to dwell on, it’s probably an honour, to tell you the truth.

“We have to remember what she has won and that’s the reason she has that weight.

“She is a very good horse with a big heart but she will need that heart on the first Tuesday in November.

“I’ve always said the Caulfield Cup is traditionally the best lead-up race. It might have changed a little bit in recent years but at least we have the Caulfield Cup winner going into the Melbourne Cup.

“For the last three seasons she has won over 2400m at Group 1 level and I don’t think the distance is a problem, although we have to make sure she switches off and settles.

“We respect every runner but let’s hope there is not a superstar in the race to beat her.

“Finche hasn’t had much luck in his two Melbourne Cup runs.

“The effort told last year when he just had to do a bit too much work and, from memory, it wasn’t much better the year before.”

Melbourne Cup Horses Favorites To Windows

“If he can draw a barrier and get a nice run he will be fighting out the finish.

“I had a look at him on a video call the other day and he’s very fit.”

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Verry Elleegant will fly the New Zealand flag on Tuesday.Source:Getty Images

Waller’s assistant trainer Charlie Duckworth on Finche

“Chris had Finche so fit for the Cup last year but if there was a race after it, he would not have been running,’’ Duckworth said.

“This spring, Chris has followed almost the same program but with one less lead-up race.

“Finche is slightly heavier than last year but is as fit as we can get him.

“He does have genuine two-mile form, too.”

(Quotes via Ray Thomas, The Daily Telegraph)

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Jockey James McDonald — Finche

On Finche drawing barrier six: “Obviously drawing a good gate’s a big help for him, he can get into a rhythm pretty quickly and obviously (with) a long run down to the first corner, we can just put him where we really want to.

Melbourne Cup Horses 2019 Favorites To Win

“He hasn’t really drawn a gate this preparation but he’s run really well, so now he’s drawn a gate, there’s no excuses.

Melbourne Cup Horses Favorites To Win

On his work during the week: “He’s in really good form, he’s actually really fresh.

“He’s only had a couple of prep runs leading into this. Chris and the team are very happy with him, and he looks really well.

“Hopefully the big striding chestnut can salute.”

(Quotes via Channel 10)

This story first appeared on punters.com.au and was reproduced with permission