Is the Melbourne Cup becoming a picnic for international stayers? The evidence is pointing that way - so much so that in years to come we may see only 'invited' foreign horses allowed to compete. This year, latest reports say more than half the 24-runner field will comprise international horses! The Age says: 'Officials yesterday predicted the internationals for the $6.2 million race on November 1 to be in ''double digits'', but when factoring in the countless fully qualified former overseas hor

Is the Melbourne Cup becoming a picnic for international stayers? The evidence is pointing that way - so much so that in years to come we may see only 'invited' foreign horses allowed to compete. This year, latest reports say more than half the 24-runner field will comprise international horses! The Age says: 'Officials yesterday predicted the internationals for the $6.2 million race on November 1 to be in ''double digits'', but when factoring in the countless fully qualified former overseas horses now trained in Australia and bought specifically to run in the Cup, it seems there will be a record low number of locally bred contenders.'

The picture really is a bit grim. With weights released, only seven Australian-bred stayers are estimated to be weighted high enough to make it into the Melbourne Cup field of 24 seven weeks out from the race. The Age says: 'While others can make it through a variety of qualifying races, only Absolutely (at 5kgs under the benchmark weight), Dreamaway (5.5kgs), Playing God (5.5kgs), Once Were Wild (5.5kgs), Alcopop (6kgs), Linton (6kgs) and Trusting (6.5kgs) were the Australian-breds with the credentials to make the final field....As many as 16 Melbourne Cup hopefuls are either in quarantine or expected to enter quarantine in England at the end of the month. The first planeload of contenders is expected on September 24 and the second wave on October 15. A handful of those, such as Bauer, Moyenne Corniche and Saptapadi, must still qualify for the race.'

The Irish grouch Dermot Weld is most unlikely to be seen at this year's Melbourne Cup. The two-time Cup winner is represented by Galileo's Choice on 52.5kgs (8st 4lb) and Sense Of Purpose on 51.5kgs (8st 2lb) - but Sense Of Purpose has been essentially ruled out for the season after returning lame from Doncaster, while Galileo's Choice has yet to pass the first ballot and, in fact, faces what seems like a hopeless cause to qualify.