by Myra Lewyn

Trainer Bart Cummings has his eye on a 13th victory in the $5,001,864 Emirates Melbourne Cup (Aus-G1) on Tuesday at Flemington Racecourse, with last year’s winner and this year’s favorite, Viewed, topping his three-horse contingent.

The 81-year-old trainer has sent out 78 runners in the Melbourne Cup since 1958 and landed his first win in Australia’s most famous race in ‘65 with Light Fingers II.

Viewed is among 24 horses set for the race, which he won last year by a nose from Bauer. The six-year-old Scenic (Ire) horse makes a quick turnaround after a third-place finish under a hand ride, little more than two lengths behind winner Scenic Shot, in the LKS Mackinnon Stakes (Aus-G1) on October 31 at Flemington.

“I thought it was quite a good run, and he’ll benefit from that run,” Cummings told the BBC about Viewed’s final tune-up for the 3,200-meter (15.91-furlong) Melbourne Cup.

Cummings looks to have a strong hand in the Melbourne Cup as Viewed will be joined in the race by stablemates Allez Wonder, winner of the David Jones Toorak Handicap (G1) on October 10 at Caulfield, and Roman Emperor, who captured the David Jones AJC Australian Derby (Aus-G1) and was runner-up to Viewed in the Caulfield Cup (Aus-G1). Allez Wonder finished eighth of 18 runners in the Caulfield Cup.

Myra Lewyn is a Thoroughbred Times daily news editor

Emirates Melbourne Cup (Aus-G1)
November 3, $5,001,864, 3yo&up, 3,200mT (15.91fT), Flemington

The field in post position order, with (sire), jockey, weight, and trainer(s):

1. Changingoftheguard, (Montjeu [Ire]), Glen Boss, 111, David Hayes;

2. Leica Ding, (Redding), Craig Williams, 111, Darren Weir;

3. Zavite, (Zabeel), Mark Zahra, 117, Anthony Cummings;

4. Spin Around, (Spinning World), Mark Du Plessis, 114, Steven Cooper;

5. Munsef, (Zafonic), Zac Purton, 117, Ian Williams;

6. Gallions Reach, (Victory Dance [Ire]), Dwayne Dunn, 114, Richard Yuill;

7. C’Est La Guerre, (Shinko King), Nicholas Hall, 122, John Sadler;

8. Kibbutz, (Golan [Ire]), Chris Symons, 115, Jarrod McLean;

9. Viewed, (Scenic [Ire]), Brad Rawiller, 128, Bart Cummings;

10. Basaltico, (Shantou), Danny Nikolic, 113, Luca Cumani;

11. Crime Scene, (Royal Applause [GB]), Kerrin McEvoy, 117, Saeed bin Suroor;

12. Alcopop, (Jeune), Dom Tourneur, 115, Jake Stephens;

13. Allez Wonder, (Redoute’s Choice), Michelle Payne, 111, Bart Cummings;

14. Mourilyan, (Desert Prince [Ire]), Glyn Schofield, 120, Herman Brown;

15. Roman Emperor, (Montjeu [Ire]), Hugh Bowman, 119, Bart Cummings;

16. Master O’Reilly, (O’Reilly), Vlad Duric, 121, Danny O’Brien;

17. Warringah, (Galileo [Ire]), Damien Oliver, 115, Chris Waller;

18. Newport, (Encosta de Lago), Peter Wells, 115, Paul Perry;

19. Capecover, (Cape Cross [Ire]), Noel Harris, 113, Alexander R. Fieldes;

20. Harris Tweed, (Montjeu [Ire]), Craig Newitt, 115, Murray and Bjorn Baker;

21. Daffodil, (No Excuse Needed [GB]), Chris Munce, 113, Kevin Gray;

22. Shocking, (Street Cry [Ire]), Corey Brown, 112, Mark Kavanagh;

23. Ista Kareem, (Germano), Luke Nolan, 118, Colin Little; and

24. Fiumicino, (Zabeel), Steven King, 122, Michael, Wayne, and John Hawkes