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7:22pm - Vespertine pays $9.10/$2.80, with Shelby Sixtysix ($3.90) and Crestani ($5.10) paying for places.
That's the end of the Melbourne Cup carnival for this year. Thanks for joining us and if you had a piece of Gold Trip in the big race, congratulations.
7:10pm - And it's actually hailing for the final race on the card at Flemington, as the field parades before the start of the MSS Security Sprint over 1200m.
Pioneer River jumps best, with Zethus and Amish Boy prominent...
Verspertine rockets down the outside to trounce the field, winning from Shelby Sixtysix and Crestani.
Jockey Michael Dee had Melbourne Cup ride Luna Flare scratched this morning, so this is some consolation for him.
6:26pm - Race Nine is only a few minutes away...
Another Award leads them into the turn and Promise of Success has faded back through the field.
Larkspur Run holds on to win, while the favourite made a bid on the inside and faded into the pack, so another of the less fancied horses prevails on an unpredictable day.
Larkspur Run pays $16.90/$5.10, with Literary Magnate ($2.30) second and Mac 'N' Cheese ($6) third.
Last race is timed to run at 7:15pm, with several scratching weakening the field. Zethus ($3.80) and Nicolini Vito ($4) are favoured.
5:55pm - Detonator Jack provides the Maher/Eustace stable with another winner, hot on the heels of their Melbourne Cup triumph, with victory in Race Eight.
Detonator Jack has paid $7.40/$2.30, with Nugget ($2.80) second and favourite Munhamek ($1.70) third.
Next race is timed for 6:35pm - the Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes, with Promise of Success the favourite at $5.50.
5:36pm - Just a reminder there are still three races on the card at Flemington with the next a tribute to Queen Elizabeth, who died last month, but was a huge horseracing fan. Muhamek is the favourite at $3.60, with Minsk Moment paying $5.
On a more sombre note, several horses failed to finish the course in the main race - one of those was Interpretation, which had to pass a late vet's check to take its place in the field.
5:11pm - Another outsider comes through at Flemington on raceday, with Gold Trip paying $19.40 at the TAB and $5.50 for a place, while second-placed Emissary returns $7.40 for second and High Emocean $9 for third.
Favourite Deauville Legend finishes fourth, after leading briefly down the straight. Read the race wrap here.
5pm - Realm of Flowers and Montefilia are the big movers late, as the field approaches the gates for the big race...
Knights Order the last to enter the gates... Smokin' Romans among the early leaders, with Camorra and Without A Fight.
The field starts to string out as they pass the finishline for the first time and a lap to go...
Tralee Rose makes a big run around the outside to take the lead down the backstraight, but Serpentine is right there...
Smokin' Romans is sitting pretty in third, with Knights Order closing...
Knights Order has bolted to the lead, with Smokin' Romans going with it.
Deauville Legend has hit the lead down the homestraight, but Gold Trip comes through to win it...
4:46pm - Horses are parading before the start of the big race. Rain seems to have eased, but it's already had its affect on the track, softening it from 5 to 7.
4:30pm - Only 30 minutes until the Melbourne Cup and here are the latest odds on the big race...
1 Gold Trip - $18 win, $5.50 place
2 Duais - $21 win, $6 place
3 Knights Order - $14 win, $4.20 place
4 Montefilia - $9 win, $3 place
5 Numerian - $31 win, $8 pace
6 Without A Fight - $11 win, $3.50
7 Camorra - $41 win, $9 place
8 Deauville Legend - $4.20 win, $1.80 place
9 Stockman - $21 win, $6 place
10 Vow and Declare - $21 win, $6 place
11 Young Werther - $26 win, $7 place
12 Hoo Ya Mal - $16 win, $4.80 place
13 Serpentine - $31 win, $8 place
14 Daqiansweet Junior - $41win, $9 place
15 Grand Promenade - $51 win, $13 place
16 Arapaho - $41 win, $9 place
17 Emissary - $26 win, $7 place
19 Smokin' Romans - $18 win, $5.50 place
20 Tralee Rose - $41 win, $9 place
22 High Emocean - $26 win, $7 place
23 Interpretation - $31 win, $8 place
24 Realm of Flowers $8.50 win, $2.80 place
Deauville Legend still the favourite, but has fallen away from $3.60 at the start of the day. Realm of Flowers has been the bigger improver, after it opened at $14, now at $8.50.
3:54pm - Race Six about to jump at Flemington, Bermadez and Just Folk neck and neck in the betting...
Sharper is the early leader, with Noname Lane on alongside... they have a couple of lengths on the rest of the field down the backstraight.
Estifeny becomes a factor on the outside, as the field bunches down the straight... Bartholomeu Dias takes it on the outside and that's another outsider prevailing.
The winner pays $26/$6, with Just Folk ($2.30) second and Lord Vladivostok ($3) third.
Next up, the Melbourne Cup at 5pm...
3:28pm - Next race on the card is Race Six, the Furphy Plate, with Bermadez paying $5.50 for the win and Just Folk $6. timed for 3:55pm.
Then, the big race - the Melbourne Cup at 5pm.
3:20pm - Field is away at Flemington, with Alpha Flight one of the first to show...
They're across the track, with Renosu ($32.70/$10.20) winning from Kin ($2.40) and Boldinho ($3.60).
3:16pm - After opening the day at Soft 5, the track has now been downgraded to a 7, with rain now falling at Flemington.
Moments away from the next race, the Schweppervescence Plate...
3:02pm - Finalising the result of Race Four at Flemington, High Approach paying $17.90/$4.90, with Lindermann ($4) and Dream Hour ($3).
The next race is the Schweppervescence Plate at 3:20pm, with Alpha Flight paying $6 for the win and Boldinho at $9.
2:40pm - The field is entering the stalls for Race Four at Flemington - the TAB Trophy. Dashing takes the early running, with High Approach and Zoe's Promise...
Zoe's Promise takes the field into the homestraight, but fades down the inside. High Approach holds off Linderman by about a head.
2:25pm - The rain at Flemington is getting heavier... how will that affect the Melbourne Cup?
Some movement in the odds, with Deauville Legend softening a bit at $3.60 - still a clear favourite - but Young Wether ($21) and Arapaho ($41) big movers.
And actually, the rain is sideways, as punters scurry for cover...
Deauville Legend apparently does not like the wet, while Realm of Flowers does - it's paying $10/$3.30.
2:09pm - Just to formalise the result of Race Three at Flemington, Love Tap paid $9.70 for the win, $3.20 for the place, with Kooled ($3.60) and Struck By ($2.50) next.
Race Four is the TAB Trophy, with Quang Tri paying $2.30 as favourite, timed for 2:40pm
2:01pm - Race Three is underway with Struck By taking an early lead...
Entering the homestraight, Naval Envoy leads with Excelman, but they're bunching up... and Love Tap wins it with a late run.
1:54pm - The Aussie TAB has just taken a $9000 bet on Emissary to win the Melbourne Cup, currently paying $18 to win and $5.50 in NZ.
Minutes away from Race Three at Flemington, the Resimax Group Subzero Handicap, with Criminal Code and Ascension paying $4.80 to win. Unlucky jockey James McDonald is aboard Criminal Code.
1:41pm - Meanwhile, a protestor has invaded the Flemington track to pour oil on the racing surface, reportedly a problem gambler protesting the "toxic" racing industry.
The weather seems to be closing in on Melbourne, with this raceday expected to be the coldest in almost three decades. After a year without fans on course, thanks to COVID-19, 80,000 punters are still expected at the venue.
1:31pm - Final results of Race Two at Flemington see White Marlin paying just $2.40 for the win and $1.40 for the place, with Protection Money ($14.50) second and Caboche ($2.40) third.
About 30 minutes away from Race Three - the Resimax Group Subzero Handicap - with Ascension and Struck By both paying $4.80 to win, and Criminal Code at $5.50.
1:18pm - Lining up for The Macca's Run at Flemington, where a bit of rain has started falling. White Marlin is still the white-hot favourite at $2.40 to win.
White Marlin leads early, but settles back in the field, with Vermili leading through the finish line for the first time...
White Marlin is poised on Vermili's shoulder down the backstraight... Noonday Gun gets involved too.
Last year's winner Team Capgain has made a run around the outside, as they enter the home straight...
White Marlin takes the lead and bolts away, winning going away by five lengths.
12:46pm - First race of the day is underway with Krakarib the early leader...
Krakarib leads the entire 1000m and holds on by about half a length from Little Brose, with Awestruck third. Jockey Damien Thornton will ride Realm Of Floers in the big race later.
Krakarib pays $28.60 for the win, $6.10 place, with Little Brose $2.90 and Awestruck $2.
Next race is timed for 1:20pm - The Macca's Run, with White Marlin a red-hot favourite at $1.90/$1.25.
12:19pm - Less than half an hour away from the opening race of the day - the Darly Maribyrnong Plate (1000m), with Zulfiqar the favourite at $3.20 to win and $1.35 a place.
12:11pm - Latest odds for the Melbourne Cup have Deauville Legend a big favourite to win, paying only $3.50 at the TAB. If you're looking for more of a roughie, Vow and Declare won this race in 2019 and is paying $18 to win it again...
1 Gold Trip - $21 win, $6 place
2 Duais - $18 win, $5.50 place
3 Knights Order - $16 win, $4.80
4 Montefilia - $11 win, $3.50
5 Numerian - $31 win, $8 pace
6 Without A Fight - $11 win, $3.50
7 Camorra - $31 win, $8 place
8 Deauville Legend - $3.50 win, $1.65 place
9 Stockman - $18 win, $5.50 place
10 Vow and Declare - $18 win, $5.50 place
11 Young Werther - $26 win, $7 place
12 Hoo Ya Mal - $15 win, $4.50 place
13 Serpentine - $31 win, $8 place
14 Daqiansweet Junior - $26 win, $7 place
15 Grand Promenade - $51 win, $12 place
16 Arapaho - $51 win, $12 place
17 Emissary - $18 win, $5.50 place
19 Smokin' Romans - $16 win, $4.80 place
20 Tralee Rose - $51 win, $12 place
22 High Emocean - $21 win, $6 place
23 Interpretation - $31 win, $8 place
24 Realm of Flowers $11 win, $3.50 place
11:43am - Weather conditions for Melbourne today are 95 percent of rain through the afternoon and a maximum of 15 degrees expected. About 30mm of rain has fallen over the past week, so the track is soft... it's rated soft 5, with 1 being hard and dry, and 10 being very wet and soft.
11:37am - Bad news for connections of Lunar Flare and jockey Michael Dee, with the horse scratched from the Melbourne Cup this morning, after showing lameness. The horse was in doubt overnight and failed a final examination by vets.
Meanwhile, Interpretation was also under an injury cloud, but show improvement this morning and will contest the race, which has already lost Loft last week and Point Nepean on Monday.
*****
Kia ora, good morning and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the Melbourne Cup raceday at Flemington.
Yes, the first Tuesday of November marks the running of the 'Race That Stops A Nation'... or as we Kiwis like to think. it's a race that stops TWO nations, such is our interest in the event.
Over the years, New Zealand has provided many winning horses, jockeys and trainers of the event, but one that won't feature this year, sadly, is champion jockey James McDonald, who won aboard Verry Elleegant 12 months ago, but had this year's mount Loft fail a vet's check last week.
Away from the track, Australia's high society will gather in their finery to be seen at one of the most prestigious events on the calendar - but there will always be those that take festivities just a little too far... and we look forward to seeing them immortalised on social media as well.
There will also be the traditional protests from animal welfare groups and, to be fair, the Cup does have an unfortunate reputation for horse abuse. In 2020, Anthony Van Dyck became the seventh horse in recent years to die during the race, while jockey Jockey Kerrin McEvoy was fined $50,000 for excessive use of the whip.
While the Melbourne Cup thrives on its reputation for uniting a nation, it also divides one.
Ten races on the card today, starting at 12:45pm (NZ time), with last at 7:15pm and the Melbourne Cup times for 5pm. Get that office sweepstake going and join us for the build-up.
12:45pm - Race One: Darly Maribyrnong Plate (1000m)
1:20pm - Race Two: The Macca's Run (2800m)
2pm - Race Three: Resimax Group Subzero Handicap (1400m)
2:40pm - Race Four: TAB Trophy (1800m)
3:20pm - Race Five: The Schweppervescence Plate (1000m)
3:55pm - Race Six: Furphy Plate (1800m)
5pm - Race Seven: Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m)
5:50pm - Race Eight: In Memory Of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (1400m)
6:35pm - Race Nine: The Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes (1400m)
7:15pm - Race 10: MSS Security Sprint (1200m)
'Hopefully it's all OK': Drama surrounds Kiwi entries on Melbourne Cup eve
By Emma Cropper
Plenty of drama has surrounded the Kiwi contenders for this year's Melbourne Cup.
Jockey James McDonald will not get the chance to defend his title, after his horse was scratched in the build-up.
Two other expat Kiwi jockeys will carry New Zealand's hopes in the race that stops two nations on Tuesday.
All the fanfare of Flemington was proudly paraded through Melbourne on Monday.
Among the favourites to claim the Cup - Montefilia - whose fans weren't hard to find, but whose rider was.
"I've just landed," jockey Jason Collet told Newshub. "I flew down this afternoon and we're here now."
Collett rode the five-year-old mare to Group 1 success in March, but to win the Melbourne Cup would be even bigger... and not just for him. The Collett family have a proud history in New Zealand racing.
"It would be huge if we could get that one," he continued. "They wished me good luck.
"They were pretty quiet about it, but I'd say they're a bit nervous watching it."
A win would make New Zealand history with back-to-back Kiwi champions, after Verry Elleegant took out the Melbourne Cup in 2021.
There won't be back-to-back wins for McDonald. His dream was shattered during an equine safety scan that saw mount Loft ruled out of the race, leaving New Zealand fans with just one other chance - but Lunar Flare is now in doubt too.
"Minor lameness this morning, which is unfortunate news," said jockey Michael Dee. "Hopefully it's all OK and 100 percent in the morning."
If vets approve her to run, it could continue a remarkable run for Dee.
With wins in the Caulfield Cup and the Victoria Derby, it's been a spring to remember.
"He's been with her for most of her career, since I've had her," said trainer Graham Begg. "He's just gone to another level and he's the red-hot jockey at the moment."
Fan favourites today will become fierce rivals at Flemington come Tuesday.
