The final make-up of the Melbourne Cup field will be known after Saturday's racing at Flemington with some facing a nervous afternoon.Caulfield Cup third placegetter Vigor is on the borderline to get a run and is scheduled to start in the Mackinnon Stakes with the winner assured of a berth.Doubts remain over 2007 winner Efficient who will undergo a veterinary examination on a recurring leg injury before a decision is made on a Cup start.He has slipped down the markets with last year's winner Vie
The final make-up of the Melbourne Cup field will be known after Saturday's racing at Flemington with some facing a nervous afternoon.
Caulfield Cup third placegetter Vigor is on the borderline to get a run and is scheduled to start in the Mackinnon Stakes with the winner assured of a berth.
Doubts remain over 2007 winner Efficient who will undergo a veterinary examination on a recurring leg injury before a decision is made on a Cup start.
He has slipped down the markets with last year's winner Viewed and emerging star Alcopop sharing favouritism.
Alcopop had a light workout on his home track at Strathalbyn in South Australia on Friday before making the trip to Melbourne with rookie trainer Jake Stephens happy with his preparation.
"He's pretty cool and calm," Stephens said.
"He's one of those horses that's a pleasure to have in the stable, he's very relaxed.
"Often the good ones can be a bit of a handful and harder to train, but he's just a pleasure to have around."
While Stephens is heading to his first Melbourne Cup, Viewed's trainer Bart Cummings is aiming for his 13th win.
Allez Wonder and Roman Emperor will also represent the master trainer with Dandaad and Naval Escort trying to join the team via the Lexus Stakes.
Corey Brown will ride Dandaad in the Lexus but has a booking for Vigor if he gets into the Cup.
"I'm booked to ride Vigor as long as he gets a start," Brown said.
"Now I'm riding Dandaad who is a good chance to get in and no-one is doing better than Bart."
The international contenders continue to please in their work at the Sandown quarantine centre.
Changingoftheguard and Warringah will remain in Australia after the Cup having joined the David Hayes and Chris Waller stables respectively.
Mourilyan, the most favoured of the Europeans, has pleased trainer Herman Brown with his work over the past couple of weeks while Munsef's English trainer Ian Williams has arrived and is pleased with his charge and excited about Tuesday.
"The horse just looks great and Dawn (handler Dawn Oxley) must take full credit for the way she's looked after him," Williams said.
"For the first time since we decided to bring him to Australia, the Melbourne Cup now seems very real.
"Naturally we've all heard about the Melbourne Cup and I've read a couple of books about it but now that we've got the horse here fit and ready to run, it's all very exciting."
The winners of the Lexus Stakes (2500m) and Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) gain automatic entry to the Cup provided they are among the third acceptors.
None of the Victoria Derby contenders have been paid up for the Cup.