When entries closed Tuesday for the $6 million Cup, the Queen's horse Estimate was among the 148 entries, reports Racing Network.
If the Sir Michael Stoute-trained horse makes it to Flemington on the first Tuesday in November he will be the second horse to represent the Queen in the Melbourne Cup.
The Queen’s sole Cup runner was Harbour Dues, who ran fourth in the 1997 Cup won by Might And Power.
Estimate, whose last-start second behind Pale Mimosa in the Lonsdale Cup at York on August 22 provided renewed optimism that the six-year-old would make the trip to Melbourne, is one of 31 internationally trained horses in the Cup entries.
Those nominations spread across six countries — England (17), Ireland (5), Germany (4), Japan (2), the United Arab Emirates (2) and France (1).
For the first time in nine years Luca Cumani will not be among the internationals bidding for the Cup, but Godolphin returns for the 15th time.
And, for the first time since Delta Blues and Pop Rock provided the quinella to the 2006 Melbourne Cup, Japan has two nominations — Admire Rakti and Bande . Both horses are expected when the first shipment arrives on September 27.
Aidan O’Brien, already committed to bringing Adelaide to Melbourne for the Cox Plate, has entered Kingfisher for the Cup.
Dermot Weld, the first overseas trainer to win back in 1993 with Vintage Crop, has put Lonsdale Cup winner Pale Mimosa in the entries. It’s his sole nomination.
Red Cadeaux, twice a runner-up in the Cup, is among the entries and expected to make a fourth assault on the race that now stops the world.
Overseas entries rose by three from last year and it’s the highest number since 2010, when there were 45. (Entries closed a month earlier back then.)
Lloyd Williams and Chris Waller head the locals with the most entries. Each has 12 while Peter Moody has seven, Ciaron Maher and Darren Weir each five.
Melbourne Cup favourite The Offer is one of three Gai Waterhouse-trained horses while James and Bart Cummings nominated veteran Precedence.