Efficient is the first casualty of owner Lloyd Williams' squad of Melbourne Cup prospects with the grey missing when first declarations were taken on Tuesday.Williams recently warned punters not to back the 2007 Melbourne Cup winner in this year's race, fearing that he would not make it to the 3200m feature for the third year in a row.He was also scratched from the 2006 Melbourne Cup as a three-year-old after winning the Victoria Derby (2500m).Efficient has not raced due to injury since winning

Efficient is the first casualty of owner Lloyd Williams' squad of Melbourne Cup prospects with the grey missing when first declarations were taken on Tuesday.

Williams recently warned punters not to back the 2007 Melbourne Cup winner in this year's race, fearing that he would not make it to the 3200m feature for the third year in a row.

He was also scratched from the 2006 Melbourne Cup as a three-year-old after winning the Victoria Derby (2500m).

Efficient has not raced due to injury since winning his third Group One race at Flemington in the Turnbull Stakes (2000m) last October.

His absence from the list of 151 horses who remain in contention for the Melbourne Cup leaves stablemate Alandi as sole topweight in both the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups.

Efficient is also out of the Cox Plate.

He was one of 105 nominations not to accept for the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday along with Japanese stayers Jaguar Mail and Meiner Kitz, Godolphin's 2009 English St Leger winner Mastery and 2007 Cup runner-up Purple Moon who have either succumbed to injury or whose connections elected to keep them in the northern hemisphere.

Locally-trained trio Littorio, Shamoline Warrior and Kutchinsky have not accepted owing to injury or illness while Sirmione has been reserved for shorter races over the spring.

Those horses have also been withdrawn from the Caulfield Cup along with injury-plagued Predatory Pricer, Toorak Handicap winner Allez Wonder and the evergreen Zipping who is still in the Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup.

With first acceptors for the Melbourne Cup up from 141 in 2009 and the Caulfield Cup up from 100 to 109, the quality of contenders is exceptionally high with defending Melbourne Cup champion Shocking, Shoot Out, So You Think, Metal Bender, Monaco Consul, Alcopop, Moudre, Linton and Zabrasive heading the local entries for both events.

A strong contingent of international runners also remains in contention with representatives from France, the UK, UAE, Ireland, Hong Kong, Japan and Macau featuring among the first acceptors for Victoria's three marquee races.

A total of 28 internationals, including Akzar and Imposing who will both join the Williams Racing stable at Macedon Lodge, and Laristan who is bound for the David Hayes stable, were paid up as first declarations for the Melbourne Cup, up from 18 in each of the past two years.

While global racing giant Godolphin has elected to bypass the Caulfield Cup for the first time in several years, the number of international first acceptors for the world's richest 2400m turf handicap has risen from six to nine.

The internationals entered for both the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups are Americain (France), Tokai Trick (Japan), Mr Medici (Hong Kong), Stanstill (UK) and the Luca Cumani-trained UK trio Becqu Adoree, Drunken Sailor and Manighar, along with Imposing (UK) and Laristan (France).

A number of high-profile international first declarations for the Melbourne Cup, including Ascot Gold Cup winner Rite Of Passage and stablemate Profound Beauty, are scheduled to clash in the Irish St Leger on Saturday night.

The plans for the Dermot Weld-trained pair as well as Sans Frontieres, Eastern Aria and Tactic will be finalised after the 2800m Group One feature.

Second declarations for the Caulfield Cup will be taken on September 21 with second declarations for the Melbourne Cup on October 5.