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The 2017 edition of the Melbourne Cup is drawing closer. The field announcement is set to take place at roughly 6:30pm (AEDT) on Saturday, November 4.
The 3200-metre race is the biggest horse racing event in Australia. It will be held at the Flemington Racecourse and begins at 3pm AEST.
Participants will compete for a share of the $6.2 million prize pool. The winner will take home $3.6 million. There are only four other horse races in the world that offer more money than the Melbourne Cup.
Last year’s event saw Almandin edge Heartbreak City in a thrilling finish. At this point in time, Almandin and Humidor are the favoured horses for the 2017 race. Others to watch include Johannes Vermeer, Marmelo and Hartnell.
Anticipation is growing ahead of the final declarations on Saturday, November 4.
The first nominations list had 140 horses, but the field will be trimmed down to just 24 for race day. You can view the current order of entry and other Melbourne Cup information on The Roar right here.
Monday, October 30 saw the second declarations announced, reducing the field to 36 horses. One notable change was Boom Time gaining ballot exemption after his victory in the Caulfield Cup on October 21. He joins Amelie’s Star as the horses with a guaranteed spot in Melbourne.
Wall of Fire sits in a precarious position at 24th on the list.
A couple of the horses in the top 20, Gallante and Qewy, are listed as unlikely, which could open up spots for others in danger of missing out on the Cup.
November 4 is also the start of the four-day Melbourne Cup Carnival, which hosts fashion events and competitions, among other things. The final declarations will be released towards the end of the day, followed by the barrier draw to determine starting positions soon after.
Come back to The Roar for news and live updates on the action on November 7.
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