Racing Victoria has introduced tougher tests and more stringent veterinary checks ahead of this year’s Melbourne Cup in a bid to cut down on the number of fatalities, with community concerns reaching a crescendo in 2020 when former Epsom Derby winner Anthony Van Dyck died mid-race.

After the declarations on Monday it looks as though Incentivise is set to start the shortest-priced Cup favourite as he bids to become the 12th horse to land the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup double in the same year. None since Ethereal in 2001 have managed the feat.

The number of foreign challengers is well down on normal, as the coronavirus pandemic and Racing Victoria’s stricter veterinary protocols, which ruled out Young Werther, have restricted numbers.

Last year’s winner Twilight Payment, a stablemate of Joseph O’Brien’s Cox Plate winner State Of Rest, will attempt to carry top weight and repeat his victory. Two other English runners are Spanish Mission, from the stable of Andrew Balding, and Away He goes, who is trained by Ismail Mohammed.

One three-year-old, Forgot You, trained by Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young, remains in the race and if he can win the Victoria Derby on Saturday is a live chance to back up on Tuesday, and try to become the first Derby victor since Skipton in 1941 to land the Cup.

The last to try was Arena in 1998, although Nothin’ Leica Dane finished second after winning the Derby in 1995.

Grand Promenade, who secured ballot exemption by winning the group 3 The Bart Cummings earlier this month, is one of seven entries remaining for Victoria’s leading stable of Ciaron Maher and David Eustace. Chris Waller has four entries, headed by nine-time group 1 winner Verry Elleegant, who was third at the Cox Plate.

Last year’s fourth, The Chosen One (Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman) and fifth, Persan (Maher and Eustace) could also start again.

Loading

Leigh Jordon, the VRC’s general manager of racing, says this year’s Cup, while down on international numbers, has all the elements to make it the iconic Australian event it has become over the last 150 plus years.

“A stayer from Toowoomba in Incentivise, rising through the grades to tackle the best that the country and the world has to offer, is quintessentially Australian,” he said.

“Every Lexus Melbourne Cup is a great narrative, and it is this rich tapestry of stories that will once again bring the nation to a halt on the first Tuesday in November.”

Meanwhile, top Sydney rider Rachel King has been booked to ride Pondus for Team Williams in the Cup. It will be her first ride in the race but Lloyd Williams’ famous blue colours with a white hoop and armlets have been successful seven times, most recently last year with Twilight Payment and Jye McNeil.

That duo top the weights this year with 58 kilos but Pondus will have to carry only 52. King is one of a number of English or Irish riders who have made Sydney their base in recent years, and she has enjoyed great success since doing so.