Derby day at Flemington is arguably Australia's best day of racing and the nominations for Saturday's nine races are now online.
The $1.5 million Victoria Derby is the most valuable of four Group I races on the card and 37 three-year-olds are left vying for the final 16 starting places including Saturday's Moonee Valley Vase winner Sacred Elixir and Caulfield Guineas runner-up Seaburge, also nominated for the Cantala Stakes.
The $1 million Cantala Stakes, recently run as the Emirates Stakes, will be run one week earlier than in previous years and has attracted 40 nominations for the 1600m sprint, the highest-rated entry Saturday's Cox Plate fourth Vadamos ahead of Group I winners Palentino and The United States.
There are 16 three-year-olds nominated for the Group I Coolmore Stud Stakes over the straight 1200m with last start Moir Stakes winner Extreme Choice the highest rated entry ahead of the John O'Shea-trained Astern, Hawkes Racing-trained Star Turn and the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Capitalist.
Last start Tristarc Stakes winner First Seal is the highest rated mare in the Group I Myer Classic over 1600m where the 18 entries also include Group I winners Rising Romance and Abbey Marie.
The last chance for a horse to win its way into the Melbourne Cup is in the Group III Lexus Stakes and nominations have been extended to 10.00am Thursday after 13 entries were received for the $300,000 event over 2500m.
The rail on Saturday will be in the true position with the track rated good (4) on Monday morning.
Click here to view the nominations for Saturday's Flemington meeting.
