Australian Racing: Melbourne Cup latest

The Melbourne Cup is fast approaching and excitement is continuing to build for Australia’s most famous thoroughbred horse race.

As always, the race that stops a nation, takes place on the first Tuesday of November, which will be the 7th November in 2023.

The second round of Melbourne Cup acceptances is complete and 51 horses remain in contention to race in the big one.

Third acceptances will be released on 30th October as we get closer to finding out which 24 horses will start the Melbourne Cup.

Here is the very latest betting and news ahead of the Melbourne Cup.

What	Melbourne Cup
Where	Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne
When	Tuesday 7th November 2023
How to watch	Channel 7
Odds	Vauban 4.50, Gold Trip 5.50, Soulcombe 8.00

Gold Trip paid up for Caulfield Cup

Vauban remains the hot fancy at 4.50 to win the 2023 edition of the Melbourne Cup.

Gold Trip, who won the Melbourne Cup in 2022, can be backed at 5.50 to win it again, with Soulcombe available at 8.00.

Much could change after the running of the Caulfield Cup, which is one of the major lead-up races to the Melbourne Cup.

Gold Trip has been paid up for Saturday’s race, but trainer Ciaron Maher has revealed he is no certainty to run.

The condition of the track on Saturday will be key to the decision, but as things stand Gold Trip is priced at 5.00 to win the Caulfield Cup after finishing runner-up last year.

Just Fine ruled out of Melbourne Cup

Just Fine will not race in the 2023 Melbourne Cup after he was a notable absentee from the second round of acceptances.

Trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, Just Fine had been in great form in Australia when picking up three straight wins.

The stayer looked to be one of the hot fancies for the Melbourne Cup, but following a disappointing run in the Might And Power Stakes, connections have pulled him out of contention.

Just Fine finished 10 lengths behind the winner, stablemate Alligator Blood, and that could have convinced Waterhouse and Bott that the Cup is not the way forward this year.

Shinn on a Spanish Mission

Top jockey Blake Shinn has landed the ride of Spanish Mission for the 2023 Melbourne Cup.

Frankie Dettori was also in the hunt to take the ride, but Shinn has got the nod instead.

Spanish Mission can be backed at 51.00 to win the Melbourne Cup, and Shinn will have the responsibility of getting the job done.

Spanish Mission will not race in the Caulfield Cup this weekend and will instead use the Geelong Cup as his lead-up race.

As for Dettori, the Italian could now be struggling to get a booking for the Melbourne Cup, due to the limited amount of horses around his weight range.