Anthony Cummings has spent a lifetime watching and learning what it takes to win a Melbourne Cup and on Tuesday will saddle his first runner in the race his father Bart has won a record 11 times.A successful Group One trainer in his own right, Anthony Cummings has had a few problems getting Red Lord to the Cup but is supremely confident he has him back to his peak.Cummings took the gamble not to run him in Saturday's Saab Quality won by the his father's stayer Moatize, ensuring that horse a run.

Anthony Cummings has spent a lifetime watching and learning what it takes to win a Melbourne Cup and on Tuesday will saddle his first runner in the race his father Bart has won a record 11 times.

A successful Group One trainer in his own right, Anthony Cummings has had a few problems getting Red Lord to the Cup but is supremely confident he has him back to his peak.

Cummings took the gamble not to run him in Saturday's Saab Quality won by the his father's stayer Moatize, ensuring that horse a run.

With the defections of a couple of others, Red Lord made the field and will be ridden by leading Victorian apprentice Nicholas Hall whose father Greg won the 1992 Melbourne Cup on Subzero.

"He is an aggressive young rider and has got enough of his old man in him to make sense of it all," Cummings said.

"He is pretty relaxed and won't be over-awed by the occasion.

"Red Lord is healthy and well ahead of the biggest day of his career.

"I'm mildly excited. It doesn't feel that much different today but I expect it will race day.

"It's pretty exciting to be there and have a real chance on your own."

"I can say on balance Red Lord is racing better going into this Tuesday than for the same Tuesday a year ago."

Red Lord won the race generally considered the Cup consolation, the Lavazza Long Black (2800m), 12 months ago after failing to make the Cup field.

At the second start of his preparation for this year's Cup, Red Lord won over 1500 metres at Rosehill on August 16 and came back to the track two weeks later to win the Listed Premier's Cup (1800m) before just failing to catch Hurrah in the Group Three Kingston Town (2000m).

He failed to run a place in his next three starts - the Metropolitan, the David Jones Cup and Moonee Valley Cup - but Cummings said he there had been excuses.

"I understand what has happened in each of the races from the Metropolitan until here and I'm happy with where he is," he said.

"He needs a bit of luck in the run but I think he's a lightweight chance."

Red Lord was at $101 on Tuesday and will jump from gate 13 following the scratching of Zarita due to a virus.

Moatize was at $26 with his stablemate Viewed, who prefers a wet track, at $31 to give Bart Cummings a 12th Cup while English horse Mad Rush remained favourite.