Plenty of UK athletes have travelled down under and found the going heavy, but none more so than those targeting horse racing's Melbourne Cup.
A string of European challengers have carried home the prize ‑ from France and Germany, as well as Ireland, firstly through Vintage Crop in 1993, and most recently with Rekindling in 2017. No British trained horse, though, has ever won the 'race that stops a nation', first staged in 1861.
This year too, overseas challengers dominate the richest two‑mile handicap in the world, worth in all A$7.3m.
Yucatan, one of Irish champion trainer Aidan O'Brien's trio of raiders, heads the field, while six horses based in the UK are close up behind him in the big‑race betting market including Magic Circle, Cross Counter, Muntahaa, Best Solution, Marmelo and A Prince Of Arran. Scotland‑trained Nakeeta, fifth last year, has also made the trip.
The Melbourne Cup will begin at 5pmn today.
[Source:BBC Sports]
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