First acceptances hit 10-year high for Australia's iconic race

A total of 82 locally-trained horses and 12 international raiders have their sights set on Flemington on the first Tuesday in November after first acceptances for the 160th Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) closed at 12pm today (Tuesday, 29 September).

In a sure sign the ‘race that stops a nation’ has lost none of its lustre for horse racing connections across the globe, the overall figure of 94 is well up on last year’s total of 80 and is the highest number of first acceptors since 2010, when the deadline closed three weeks earlier.

As a result of the additional restrictions imposed on travelling horses and their handlers due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of overseas competitors still committed to taking their place in the Melbourne Cup field is down slightly on an average of 16 over the past five years, but the quality remains exceptionally high.

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