Racing Victoria is pleased with the response from international trainers with 25 northern hemisphere horses nominated for the Melbourne Cup including defending champion Americain.Nominations for the $6.2 million Cup on November 1 closed on Thursday, a month later than has been traditional, with a total of 163 horses entered.Prepared in France by Alain de Royer-Dupre, Americain will be striving to join Archer, Rain Lover, Think Big and Makybe Diva as the only horses to go back-to-back after becom

Racing Victoria is pleased with the response from international trainers with 25 northern hemisphere horses nominated for the Melbourne Cup including defending champion Americain.

Nominations for the $6.2 million Cup on November 1 closed on Thursday, a month later than has been traditional, with a total of 163 horses entered.

Prepared in France by Alain de Royer-Dupre, Americain will be striving to join Archer, Rain Lover, Think Big and Makybe Diva as the only horses to go back-to-back after becoming the fourth internationally-trained winner of the Cup in 2010.

There are two French entries for this year's race with trainer Mikel Delzangles, a long-time pupil of de Royer-Dupre, nominating the talented Dunaden, a recent Group Three winner who has missed a place just twice in his past 13 starts.

While one of the world's greatest trainers, Ireland's Aiden O'Brien, doesn't have an entry fellow countryman and dual Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Dermot Weld has entered two horses.

He nominated highly-rated last-start Ballyroan Stakes winner Sense Of Purpose and the unheralded Galileo's Choice who, like Weld's 1993 Cup winner Vintage Crop, was a winner over jumps two starts back.

Racing Victoria's international recruiting officer Leigh Jordon said he was pleased with the international nominations which, as expected, have less speculative entries with the change in entry dates.

"With nominations closing a month later, the entries are more indicative of which internationals are likely to come or are genuinely interested in doing so if they perform in their homeland this month," Jordon said.

"Last year there were eight internationals that started in the Cup following the morning scratching of Bauer and we expect six to eight internationals to contest this year's 151st edition."

Global racing giant Godolphin and head trainer Saeed bin Suroor, who have finished runner-up three times, have entered Cavalryman and Lost In The Moment.

UK trainer Luca Cumani, who trained the runner-up in 2007 (Purple Moon) and 2008 (Bauer), has entered four horses including last year's seventh placegetter Manighar.

Despite the tragedy of previous visits with Carte Diamond and Bay Story, UK trainer Brian Ellison is Melbourne-bound with Ebor Handicap winner Moyenne Corniche and Saptapadi.

Classy Hong Kong stayer Mighty High arrives in Australia on September 6 and will contest the Caulfield Cup en route to the Melbourne Cup.

Imported German stayer Illo and last year's Moonee Valley Cup winner Precedence spearhead Bart Cummings' assault on a 13th Melbourne Cup win.

The 83-year-old has entered five horses.

Leviathan owner Lloyd Williams and his private trainer Robert Hickmott have the most entries of any stable with 12 headlined by Linton and imported gallopers Alandi and Midas Touch.

Premier Sydney trainer Chris Waller has 10 entries led by The Queen's former horse, AJC Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner My Kingdom Of Fife, and Sydney Cup winner Stand To Gain.

Gai Waterhouse has entered nine horses in pursuit of her first Cup including reigning Caulfield Cup winner Descarado and Brisbane Cup winner Tullamore.

Victoria's premier trainer Peter Moody has five entries including the current favourite Lights Of Heaven, Memsie Stakes winner King's Rose and Caulfield Guineas winner Anacheeva.

Last year's Melbourne Cup runner-up Maluckyday is back for another tilt, as is New Zealand's Harris Tweed who has finished fifth in the past two Melbourne Cups.