International trainers have accepted the challenge to try to win the 150th Melbourne Cup with a star-studded entry for the $6 million race.Cups legend Bart Cummings has 12 nominations in his attempt to win the race for the 13th time but his job looks harder than ever with 45 European, Japanese and Hong Kong raiders entered.Heading Cummings' armoury are his Cox Plate winner So You Think, VRC Oaks winner Faint Perfume and Queensland Derby winner Dariana.Key overseas nominations include this year's
International trainers have accepted the challenge to try to win the 150th Melbourne Cup with a star-studded entry for the $6 million race.
Cups legend Bart Cummings has 12 nominations in his attempt to win the race for the 13th time but his job looks harder than ever with 45 European, Japanese and Hong Kong raiders entered.
Heading Cummings' armoury are his Cox Plate winner So You Think, VRC Oaks winner Faint Perfume and Queensland Derby winner Dariana.
Key overseas nominations include this year's Ascot Gold Cup winner Rite Of Passage, Goodwood Cup winner Illustrious Blue and Japanese stars Jaguar Mail and Meiner Kitz who were first and second in Japan's top staying race, the Tenno Sho.
RVL racing operations manager Leigh Jordon said the quality of international entries was unsurpassed.
"It is definitely the best set of nominations we have received from overseas," Jordon said.
Victoria Racing Club chief executive Dale Monteith was even more enthusiastic about the 253 Cup nominations, 22 more than last year.
"The entries are spectacular and the Melbourne Cup is truly the international staying championship of the world," Monteith said.
Global powerhouse Godolphin hasn't got its largest entry but its nine nominations are outstanding and include last year's English St Leger and Italian Derby winner Mastery, 2009 Arc De Triomphe placegetter Cavalryman and Group One winner Campanologist.
All three are also entered for the Caulfield Cup.
While All The Good won the 2008 Caulfield Cup for Godolphin, the stable has finished second in the Melbourne Cup with Central Park (1999), Give The Slip (2001) and Crime Scene (2009).
Luca Cumani has had a similarly frustrating experience with second placegetters Purple Moon (2007) and Bauer (2008) who are again both entered this year.
Cumani's other hopefuls are Drunken Sailor and Australian-owned duo Manighar and Becqu Adoree, with the latter also entered for the Cox Plate.
Dual Cup-winning Irish trainer Dermot Weld trains Rite of Passage who, like his 1993 Melbourne Cup winner Vintage Crop, has successfully mixed jumps and flat racing.
Weld, who also won the Cup with Media Puzzle (2002), is planning to return with Profound Beauty who was fifth in 2008.
Respected English trainer Sir Mark Prescott lodged his first Cup entry with Fortuni while French gallopers Americain and Laristan are both nominated for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups.
Last year's Melbourne Cup winner Shocking and Shamoline Warrior are Mark Kavanagh's leading Cup hopes.
Lloyd Williams' international search for Melbourne Cup horses has been rewarded with him nominating 20 stayers for the big race including 2009 Irish St Leger winner Alandi and 2009 Irish Derby placegetter Mourayan.
Old stager Zipping and emerging star Linton are among Williams' other entries.
South Australian Alcopop, who tried for a fairytale win in the Melbourne Cup last year, is again nominated for the Cups and the Cox Plate.
The Caulfield Cup has attracted 235 nominations including 36 internationals, double last year's tally of 18, while the Cox Plate entry of 186 is 10 less than last year and includes 10 overseas raiders.
Jordon said it was particularly pleasing to see Hong Kong's best stayer, Mr Medici, targeting the Caulfield Cup and he has also been entered for the Melbourne Cup.
Another Hong Kong star, Able One, will be the first horse to arrive at Werribee's new quarantine centre at the end of August and the dual Champions Mile winner is being aimed at the Cox Plate.
Peter Moody's glamour mare Typhoon Tracy also has the Cox Plate as her ultimate spring goal.
An interesting Cox Plate nomination is Macau's first Triple Crown winner Luen Yat Forever who is likely to run in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) in September before the Moonee Valley weight-for-age championship.