Kerrin McEvoy bids to ride the winner of this for the third time in four years. He’s been jocked off last year’s winner Cross Counter by William Buick but that one will have to defy top weight to record back-to-back victories. McEvoy’s mount this year, Finche, was second in the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington before swamped close home in the Caulfield Cup behind prolific Japanese raider Mer De Glace. Vow And Declare, Mirage Dancer, Constantinople and Mustajeer also finished close up in that important trial and punters have latched on to David Hayes and Tom Dabernig's three-year-old, who didn't get much of a run. Last year's runner-up Prince Of Arran won the Geelong Cup last month and Aidan O'Brien will be hoping for better luck than last year with his three runners. Ryan Moore rides Magic Wand but she's on a long losing run and will have her stamina to prove. Joseph O'Brien had a winner at the Breeders' Cup on Saturday and has quickly become a master of his art. He won this in 2017 with Rekindling and his entries this year include last year's Irish Derby winner Latrobe and Frankie Dettori's mount Master Of Reality, who finished ahead of the aforementioned in this year's Irish St Leger but was behind Southern France and Cross Counter. DOWNDRAFT easily won the Grade 3 Hotham Stakes at Flemington on Saturday and he's twice run well over 1m6f this year. The step up to 2m could bring about further improvement and he could go close if a second run in a short space of time doesn’t prove too much.
Cross Counter Teofilo gelding out of Waitress.
Mer De Glace (AUS) Rulership H out of Glacier Blue.
Master Of Reality (IRE) Frankel gelding out of L'ancresse.
Mirage Dancer Frankel H out of Heat Haze.
Southern France (IRE) Galileo colt out of Alta Anna.
Hunting Horn (IRE) Camelot colt out of Mora Bai.
Latrobe (IRE) Camelot colt out of Question Times.
Mustajeer Medicean gelding out of Qelaan.
Rostropovich (IRE) Frankel colt out of Tyranny.
Twilight Payment (IRE) Teofilo gelding out of Dream On Buddy.
Finche Frankel H out of Binche.
Prince Of Arran Shirocco gelding out of Storming Sioux.
Raymond Tusk (IRE) High Chaparral colt out of Dancing Shoes.
Downdraft (IRE) Camelot colt out of Cinnamon Rose.
Magic Wand (IRE) Galileo filly out of Prudenzia.
Neufbosc (FR) Mastercraftsman colt out of Nonsuch Way.
Sound (AUS) Lando H out of Sky Dancing.
Surprise Baby (AUS) Shocking gelding out of Bula Baby.
Constantinople (IRE) Galileo colt out of One Moment In Time.
Il Paradiso (USA) Galileo colt out of Famous.
Steel Prince (IRE) Nathaniel H out of Steel Princess.
The Chosen One (AUS) Savabeel H out of The Glitzy One.
Vow And Declare (AUS) Declaration Of War gelding out of Geblitzt.
Youngstar (AUS) High Chaparral M out of Starspangled.
