A worrying surge in COVID-19 case numbers in Melbourne has left the Victoria Racing Club bracing for a potential reduction in its tentative plans to stage the Melbourne Cup in front of more than 10,000 spectators.

The VRC has lodged its plans with state government authorities for crowd numbers of up to 11,500 at Flemington - a best-case scenario - for each of the four days of the Melbourne Cup carnival. It is desperately trying to avoid staging the Cup at a crowd-less Flemington for a second straight year.

Thursday’s sudden increase in case numbers - 1438 new local cases - has cast a shadow over Melbourne life and the VRC, which organises the Melbourne Cup on the first Tuesday of November, are anxiously monitoring the situation and hope that tentative plans to race in front of owners and members will still come to fruition.

Last year the Cup was run in front of empty grandstands, and there is a fierce determination to do everything possible to ensure that even limited crowds will be able to enjoy one of the signature days in Australian life in safety.

However, there is likely to be stiff competition among members to attend on their preferred day.

The VRC has around 30,000, and some may have to go racing on a day which may not be their first choice, depending on how the club’s leaders decide to allocate race day passes.

“We have lodged plans with the appropriate state government authorities for a crowd plan across the Cup carnival, for up to 11,500 on each day,” CEO Steve Rosich explained in a media briefing on Thursday.

“We are very comfortable in being able to execute (those plans) and to be able to deliver a safe environment for every one on course.

Rosich said that discussions with the Victorian government are ongoing but given the nature of the pandemic were subject to change.