2011 MELBOURNE CUP finishing order:

1st 3 DUNADEN 2nd 12 RED CADEAUX 3rd 9 LUCAS CRANACHLast: 16 Modun

6.07pm: It wasn't just Craig Williams, deposed jockey of winner Dunaden, and unlcuky connections of narrow loser Red Cadeaux who were hit hard by the 2011 Melbourne Cup result. Spare a tear, if you are so compassionate, for the bookies.

"Devastation, that's what it was," said bagman Alan Eskander of Betstar, of the photo finish result.

"It took so long to get the result that I was leaning towards it being called a deadheat. But obviously it wasn't to be and it was an enormous difference to bookies across the board.

Eskander painted a grim picture of the fiscal carnage wrought by the 9-1 second favourite.

"The only people down here when the race was run were the bookies so it wasn't a nice place to be."

Most of the enthusiastic crowd of revellers stayed at Flemington on enjoying their Cup coup at the bookies expense until after the last race at 5.18pm. But as most of the crowd now departs, the unexpectedly fierce sun that poked out late in the afternoon has left some punters feeling like their natural enemy the bookmakers.

Burnt.

5.42pm: Adam Cooper reports that Corey Brown, jockey of third placegetter Lucas Cranach said his mount had a "perfect run" in the Melbourne Cup. Brown said that when he peeled out of the pack at the 600 metre mark, he could see Damien Oliver aboard Manighar up ahead and knew he had him covered but he wasn't sure "what was coming from behind".

That which came from behind turned out to be winner Dunaden and runner-up Red Cadeaux.

"It wasn't to be, but he had every chance," Brown said.

"Now that he's over here in Australia... (with the Freedman stable), you'll see a nice preparation from him."

Gerald Mosse, aboard fourth placed favourite Americain, said his gallant mount "tried his best".

"I thought the ground (good 3) was a bit firm for him and also not ideal the four kilos." Americain carried top weight of 58 kilos today after winning last year's Cup carrying 54 kilos.

"He still gave me good acceleration in the straight and fought to the line, but he started to get tired the last 50 yards witht he wieght and the run"

5.20pm RESULTSRACE 10: 7NEWS PLATE  1400m 1. 2 Under The Eiffel2. 11 Hood3.  7 Nicastro

5.19pm: theage.com.au hope Baron has been exceeded in his efforts by a handful of lucky thoroughbreds which probably got the benefit of the better going in the last race.... Bad luck Dan.

5.17pm:

Paramedics are on standby for excited theage.com.au identity Daniel Sankey, part-owner of Baron, #18 in the last race at Flemington on Cup Day. Good luck Dan.

5.08pm: Adam Cooper reports that Michael Rodd, the jockey beaten by a nose in today's Melbourne Cup, said after the race that he was never confident of being named the winner in the photo finish, and he was devastated at getting so close and not winning.

"I would have preferred to have got beaten by half a length than to get beaten by that," he said.

Rodd had an agonising wait while onboard Red Cadeaux after his horse and Dunaden hit the line at the same time in what was one of the closest finishes in the great race's history. The race finished in heartache for Rodd when Dunaden was named the winner. Rodd experienced the ultimate excitement when he won the Cup on Efficient in 2007, but today found it painful to get so close and not win.

"I know he's a 50-1 pop, but it hurts," he said.

"We had a beautiful run through the race, he saved all the ground and I was able to come out when I wanted to.

"He felt fantastic. I was able to hold him up to the 400, then come into it at the 350, and he showed a turn of foot I wasn't expecting.

"Normally those European horses slog away a bit, but he's really tried and it's taken a good horse to beat him."

Rodd had dreaded the photo finish decision.

"I wasn't confident because I was stopping and he was finishing," he said.

While Dunaden's win gave Christophe Lemaire the ultimate thrill, the horse's win also had a share of devastation as Craig Williams was set to ride the bay until he was suspended after an incident at Bendigo last week. he was subsequently unsuccessful in two appeals, which meant Lemaire was flown to Melbourne from Japan at short notice, arriving yesterday.

4.43pm: RESULTSRACE 9 MSS SECURITY SPRINT 1200m1. 5 Facile Tigre 10.60 3.502. 17 Top Drop 6.303. 11. Parables 2.00

4.35pm: Rain has begun falling at a grey Flemington, as the anti-climactic races following the thrilling Melbourne Cup are run. It is as if the heavens held off for the great race. At the presentation ceremony for the Melbourne Cup British connections of winner Dunaden thanked Melbourne for its hospitality being so amazing that the city organised "England weather".

4.01pm RESULTRace 81. 4 Lamasery2. 6 Extra Zero3. 17 Right Fong

3.54pm: 2011 MELBOURNE CUP finishing order:

1st DUNADEN (13) 2nd RED CADEAUX (15)  3rd LUCAS CRANACH (11)  4th AMERICAIN (14) 5th MANIGHAR (20) 6th LOST IN THE MOMENT(3)  7th FOX HUNT (18)  8th NIWOT (9) 9th UNUSUAL SUSPECT (7)  10th AT FIRST SIGHT (10)  11th PRECEDENCE (2)  12th DRUNKEN SAILOR (8)  13th THE VERMINATOR (4)   14th TULLAMORE (12)  15th MOYENNE CORNICHE (16)  16th SAPTAPADI (21)  17th OLDER THAN TIME (19)   18th HAWK ISLAND (17)   19th ILLO (1) 20th JUKEBOX JURY (6) 21st SHAMROCKER (23)22nd GLASS HARMONIUM (22) 23rd MODUN (5)

The official margins were a nose by a length and a quarter by a nose. Less than three lengths covered the first six past the post.

3.46pm:

RACE 7 2011 MELBOURNE CUP 1. Dunaden2. Red Cadeaux3. Lucas CranachLast: Modun

Dunaden's trainer Mikel Delzangles said his original choice as jockey, Craig Williams, "did a great job for the preparation of the horse". Delzangles, who described Williams as a "gentleman", said he had no doubt the jockey would one day win the Melbourne Cup "because he’s a very talented jockey".

Winning jockey Christophe Lemaire also sympathised with Williams. "I know it's hard for him, but it's part of the jockey's life.

"This day will be one of the great moments of my career".

"I hope to come for the Melbourne Cup year after year," he said.

Runner-up by the narrowest of margins, Michael Rodd said he was surprised by the turn of foot his mount Red Cadeaux showed in the finish. "I know he's a 50-1 pop, but it hurts," he said of getting so close to winning Australia's biggest race.

Glenn Boss, said the run of the race was from Americain which finished fourth. He went so far as to compare the French champion to his former mount Makybe Diva, who won the race three times.

3.35pm: RESULT

RACE 7 MELBOURNE CUP 3200 metres group 1 handicap1. Dunaden2. Red Cadeaux3. Lucas CranachLast: Modun

The Governor-General Quentin Bryce, in presenting the Melbourne Cup to the connections of Dunaden, has delivered an extraordinary speech full of emotional references to the bushranger heritage of Australian culture, spoke of racegoers as "mates, comrades and partners", and the "exciting, arousing, thrilling" race, which puts "so much wealth at risk".

3.24pm: CORRECT WEIGHT DECLARED

1. 3 Dunaden $8.20 $3.102. 12 Red Cadeaux 14.009. Lucas Cranach 4.50

3.12pm: DUNADEN HAS BEEN NAMED WINNER OF THE MELBOURNE CUP.1. Dunaden2. Red Cadeaux3. Lucas Cranach

Last: Modun

Even when viewing the official photo finish, the two internationals were incredibly difficult to separate. It surely would have been a dead heat in past decades. The winners is being greeted with delirious cheers from the huge crowd.

Jockey Christophe Lemaire was overcome with emotion straight after the result was posted, only able to say "This is unbelievable". Dunaden had been headed by Red Cadeaux in the last 100 metres before fighting back. Having regained his composure a few moments later, Lemaire paid credit to Craig Williams, who lost the ride when his appeals against a suspension for careless riding was dismissed. "I feel very sorry for him. he's a good friend of mine." Williams might have performed the unprecedented feat of winning the Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup in one spring if he had been successful with his appeal.

Gallant topweight Americain, fourth-last on the turn, ran on strongly to finish fourth.

Modun, trained by Saeed Bin Suroor and  ridden by Kerrin McEvoy, finished at the back of the field.

The race did not pan out as planned, with a slow early pace encouraging Jim Cassidy on Illo to set up a seven lengths lead at the 1300 metre mark. Expected leader Glass harmonium once again blew the start and trailed the field for much fo the race. The pace was steady from then on, with Cummings stablemate Precendence pulling his way to second. The pacesetters were overtaken around 400 metres out, when Lucas Cranach looked the likely winner. But the last wave of attack from midfield brought Red Cadeaux and Dunaden. As has occurred all day, a remarkably close finish ensued, and the horse on the inside of the middle of the track prevailed.

International horses finished 1,2,4,5,6,7, with Lucas Cranach, third, considered a local only by a technicality. This was truly the International Cup, the second consecutive year a French horse has won, and one of the great Melbourne Cups, with as thrilling a finish as the great race has ever seen.

3.10pm PHOTO ALL PLACES

Incredibly close finish in the Melbourne Cup between Dunaden and Red Cadeaux. We're dependent on the camera, its too close to call with the naked eye. This is the longest delay for a result in the modern era.

3.06pm: They're off and racing in the 2011 Melbourne Cup! Good luck!

3.03pm: Horses are entering the barriers. Red Cadeaux is unsettled. Lucas Cranach is keeping them waiting after wandering down the track.

3.02pm: Moyenne Corniche was a little fired up in the mounting Yard; favourite Americain looks sedated he is so calm.

2.59pm: The horses are behind the barriers. Seconds left to lose your money, or set up a collect...

Russian royalty, an international soccer star, Hollywood actors and a homegrown "socialite" with half her dress hacked off have failed to upstage the horses at Flemington.

The police are on the job: racegoers heading home from the Melbourne Cup along the Maribyrnong River are being warned not to drink and drive on the water as police patrol the area.2.55pm: The frenzy is all in the betting ring as the field prepares step on to the course, with calm horses riddden quietly by impassive jockeys in single file, under a grey, still sky.

2.51pm: NINE MINUTES TO GO! The horses are parading impressively, with the new chute the VRC has instituted keeping them from the massive crowd until they reach the mounting yard. They are all beautifully presented and calm, even serial rogue Glass Harmonium. The traditional pre-race bugle has sounded, to a roar from the crowd stuffed in around the mounting yard.

2.48pm The Melbourne Cup starts at 3pm. Time to get your bet on...

The horses are parading, and the money has returned to the favourites. After drifting slightly earlier in the day, Dunaden and Americain are again the top two picks as the race looms.

2.35pm: The Ten Tenors have performed the national anthem in a stirring, melodramatic rendition suitable for nervous runners and connections, and perhaps some of the punters who have large sums riding on the result of the race. The largely frivolous, festive crowd, as keen on frocking up and flirting as punting, seemed to enjoy the semi-'classical' sounds.

2.30pm: The jockeys are introduced, one by one, for once the centre of attention before a race.

MELBOURNE CUP BETTING UPDATE

Americain 5.40 5.10 5.00Dunaden 9.20 9.00 8.30Niwot 9.70 9.60 9.50 Jukebox Jury 11.10 11.00 10.90Illo 12.40 12.80 13.50Lucas Cranach 13.20 13.20 13.30At First Sight 13.20 13.10 13.10Manighar 18.70 19.80 20.50Tullamore 19.00 19.80 20.90Precedence 21.10 21.60 21.90Drunken Sailor 21.10 21.60 22.10Unusual Suspect 28.50 28.70 29.00Glass Harmonium 34.10 34.60 34.80Fox Hunt 34.50 33.30 31.90Modun 38.20 40.20 43.50Lost In The Moment 41.20 43.00 44.30Red Cadeaux 46.40 47.40 49.70Moyenne Corniche 46.60 48.20 49.40Shamrocker 50.70 52.20 53.80Older Than Time 69.80 72.10 75.10The Verminator 70.00 71.40Hawk Island 84.80 87.80Saptapadi 138.00 142.30

2.24pm: Sally Pearson, 100 metres world hurdles champion, and Cadel Evans, winner of the Tour De France, have brought the Melbourne Cup to the mounting yard. The Ten Tenors are now performing, an oddly calming sound after the clamour of raceday with such a large crowd. The skies are still a typically Melburnian grey, but the rain is holding off and the sun threatening a cameo appearance.Slow motion highlights of Cups past are showing as the music reaches a crescendo. The Tenors seem to be intoning "Here's to the heroes".

Just over half an hour to have a flutter - the Melbourne Cup is due to go at 3pm. Get on!

2.10pm: RESULTRACE 6 LEXUS HYBRID PLATE 1400metres for 3yo fillies1. 2 Combat Kitty 3.50 1.602. 7 Mabsam 5.203. 3 And Rock 6.60

Combat Kitty burst from a big pack at the 200 metres and ran clear despite a strong challenge from Mabsam. Once again, the winner was in what appears the choice position in the middle of the track.

2.05pm: Aspiring fashion designer Sarah Schofield, 24, has taken out the Fashions On The Field competition. Ms Schofield, of Bannockburn, who wore a fawn-coloured vintage outfit with a pillbox hat, said she was surprised and thrilled to win. "It was a big surprise, it’s always a very tough competition on Melbourne Cup day because people get their best outfits out, so it was really great to win," she said.

2.00pm: There is hope if you have drawn despised outsider Saptapadi (currently $146.30) in your Cup sweep. "he's a very good horse... he's run some very big races in England with some big weights on his back... don't underestimate him," ebullient trainer Brian Ellison said this morning. Saptapadi ran 14th of 18 at his last start in the Caulfield Cup, beaten 8.3 lengths, but Ellison said he was unlucky in the run that day. he has won one of 14 starts.

1.51pm: Sydneysiders are queueing up to get their bets on the Melbourne Cup. Glenn Munsie from TAB Sportsbet says $175 million will be wagered on the Cup Australia-wide, $110 million in News South Wales and Victoria.

1.35pm: Asked about the sensational plunge on his seven-year-old stayer Niwot to win the Melbourne Cup , trainer Wayne Hawkes this morning said: "I hope the punters are right!" Niwot is the only runner apart from Americain to have won at the Cup distance of 3200 metres. Hawkes said Niwot took the "back door" into the race, by winning Saturday's Lexus Stakes, rather than risking a penalty in the Bendigo Cup. The result is that his charge carries only 51 kilos in today's race. Asked what shape his horse was in after his comfortable win over 2500 metres on Saturday, Hawkes said " He's great, he's well... he's pulled up better than most people on Derby Day!" Hawkes likened Niwot to an Australian stayer from 20 years ago, before weight for age stars and classy international laid claim to the Cup. "He's the old horse that used to run... we're good enough, I really think we are."

1.30pm: RECAP:Melbourne Cup: Mourayan scratched at 10am despite presenting well to stewards in a 6am inspection. Favourite Americain's trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre has expressed concerns that the ground may be too hard for the defending champion. Niwot has been all the rage in punting, coming in from $21 on Saturday to $9.60.Weather: Overcast and cool, but fine, with little prospect of rain. Racing pattern early: Jockeys are taking their mounts to the middle of the track. The track looks fair, and without bias. Horses running on strongly in the last 400 metres have figured strongly. The best going looks to be on the inside of the middle of the track.

1.21pm: RESULT:RACE 5 SCHWEPPES TONIC 1000 1000 metres

1. 5 African Pulse 5.40 1.502. 2 Karuta Queen 1.043. 4 The Counterfeiter 4.90

The first race today with a clear margin, as the odds-on favourite Karuta Queen runs into a smart Mike Moroney sprinter, African Pulse holding his ground on the inside of the middle of the track to win by nearly two lengths. Winning jockey Lisa Cropp has the ride in the Melbourne Cup on Glass Harmonium.

1.12pm: AAP reports that Melbourne Cup favourite Americain has thrown a scare into the camp after casting a shoe at the Werribee quarantine station hours before the race.The horse was replated on arrival at Flemington and passed fit to race. But with the track rated a good three, trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre has expressed concerns to British television the ground may be too hard for the defending champion.

Glenn Boss, jockey of Makybe Diva, three-time Melbourne Cup winner, tipped Americain this morning in The Age, as did many of this year's Cup trainers yesterday.

1.00pm: The track has been upgraded to a Good 3.

12.33pm: RESULTRACE FOUR: RACE 4 HERALD SUN STAKES 1400 metres mares group three

1. 15 Sophie's Spirit 27.40 7.402. 3 Little Surfer Girl 2.903. 2 Divorces 2.20

Remarkably, another close finish, with Sophie's Spirit on the inside holding off Little Surfer Girl, which raced wide after a big run from the rear. The biggest winning margin in four races today has been a head. A hint there that the inside, with the rail out three metres, might not be as bad a place to be as thought early today. it will be interesting to see if any runners in later races choose to stick to the inside.

12.21pm MELBOURNE CUP BETTING UPDATE

Americain 5.40 5.10Dunaden 9.20 9.00Niwot 9.70 9.60Jukebox Jury 11.10 11.00Illo 12.40 12.80Lucas Cranach 13.20 13.20At First Sight 13.20 13.10Manighar 18.70 19.80Tullamore 19.00 19.80Precedence 21.10 21.60Drunken Sailor 21.10 21.60Unusual Suspect 28.50 28.70Glass Harmonium 34.10 34.60Fox Hunt 34.50 33.30Modun 38.20 40.20Lost In The Moment 41.20 43.00Red Cadeaux 46.40 47.40Moyenne Corniche 46.60 48.20Shamrocker 50.70 52.20Older Than Time 69.80 72.10The Verminator 70.00 71.40Hawk Island 84.80 87.80Saptapadi 138.00 142.30

12.12pm: Understated French jockey Gerald Mosse, who rides favourite Americain, is worried about the extra four kilograms his champ has to carry this year after winning the Melbourne Cup in 2010. However, he is not daunted by the task ahead. "We're looking for a clear run... to be in good form on the day, we're already pretty lucky so far. I'm pretty happy."

12.07pm: Designer Leona Edmiston says she wants to see "more elegance" and she wants female patrons to "dress like a lady" today. In the cool conditions, hosiery is permitted. She is effusive, however, about the "amazing" colours on display, saying tangerine and melon colours are lighting up Cup day.

11.50am: RESULTS:RACE 3 THE LAVAZZA LONG BLACK 2800 metres1. 13 Norsqui 18.60 5.302. 12 Excluded 1.703. 7 Olympic Win 5.80The result of the other distance race on todays programme apart from the Melbourne Cup may give some pointers to the big race, due at 3pm. The winner Norsqui, which held off the hot favourite Excluded, finished third in the Anrdew Ramsden Stakes over 3200 metres at Flemington in May. The resounding winner of that race was the plunge horse in today's classic, Niwot.

Again horses were able to run on from well back in race three, with Exlcuded third last at the turn before unleashing a long surge into contention. Winning rider Chris Symons, who replaced the suspended Craig Williams, will ride Saptapadi in the Cup, and showed off his talents with a well-timed run.

11.37am: Emily Dunn reports that Cups King Bart Cummings favours a Clare Valley drop when having a glass of vino. He likes his shiraz to be "about eight years old, a bit more mature," he says. "Like a horse, they get better with age. Some people do as well." Bart will permit himself a ''a little dab'' of champagne to celebrate. ''I very seldom drink at the races, I am very focused,'' he says. ''I don't drink the champagne generally but, as they say, 'a little dab will do you' and that is all I will drink on the day if I am lucky enough to win.''

11.20am: Adam Cooper reports that everything is running smoothly early on Cup Day at Flemington. Train services are running every four minutes Flinders Street and Southern Cross stations to the racecourse until 12.30pm, with 320 extra services to run today and 60,000 patrons expected to travel to the course by train throughout the day. Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Richard Carlyon said dry and light conditions were expected throughout the day. "There’s a 10 per cent of a shower but it should stay dry and mostly cloudy," he said. Police said there had been no reports of trouble at the racecourse.Reminder: no tickets are available at the gate. Buy admission tickets at Flinders Street, Southern Cross stations, and online at melbournecup.com

11.10am: RECAP:Melbourne Cup: Mourayan scratched at 10am despite presenting well to stewards in a 6am inspection.Weather: Overcast and cool, but fine, with little prospect of rain.Betting: American the favourite at good value, but Niwot the subject of the heaviest bets. $5,914,361 in the Victorian win pool for the Cup.Racing pattern early: Jockeys are taking their mounts to the middle of the track. Horses running on strongly in the last 400 metres have won the first two races.

11.04am

RESULTS: RACE 2: TAB SPORTSBET HANDICAP 1700m (mares)1. 5 Foxstar 4.30 1.902. 3 Vintedge 2.603. 6. Influential Miss 2.20

Jockey Hugh Bowman, who had wasted to ride Mourayan in the Melbourne Cup, scratched this morning, gets a small consolation with a narrow win in on Foxstar. The Guy Walter-trained five-year-old was behind a stride before the line and stride after, but put her head out at the right time to claim the tightest win possible from Damien Oliver's mount Vintedge. Influential Miss, who won on this day last year, ran on stoutly for third.

11.00am MELBOURNE CUP BETTING UPDATE

Americain 5.40Dunaden 9.20Niwot 9.70Jukebox Jury 11.10Illo 12.40Lucas Cranach 13.20At First Sight 13.20Manighar 18.70Tullamore 19.00Precedence 21.10Drunken Sailor 21.10Unusual Suspect 28.50Glass Harmonium 34.10Fox Hunt 34.50Modun 38.20Lost In The Moment 41.20Red Cadeaux 46.40Moyenne Corniche 46.60Shamrocker 50.70Older Than Time 69.80The Verminator 70.00Hawk Island 84.80Saptapadi 138.00

10.50am: Leading trainer Mark Kavanagh, without a runner in this year's Cup, has tipped lightweight Niwot to win, saying he is an "excellent chance" who has "come good at the right time".

Former champion jockey Simon Marshall is selecting At First Sight, the remaining Lloyd Williams runner.

Richard Freedman is tipping Americain to win from Dunaden and Lucas Cranach.

10.42am: Channel Seven's Bruce McAvaney pays a line and length gentleman's compliment to roving reporter Johanna Griggs and she returns with interest, saying the dimmunitive host is looking "smokin' hot!" Traditionally, the fashion on Melbourne Cup day is more garish and bold than Derby Day. The commentary might also be a little less formal today by the sounds of that introduction. For mine, Seven balanced the sport, business, self-promotion and frivolity well on Saturday in its coverage, and having a stand-alone fashion/celebrity programme following the main coverage was smart.

10.29am: Those two-year-old fillies dashed down the straight in great style in race one, but true fans of speed will be hanging on for Saturday when superstar mare Black Caviar attempts to win her 16th (and 16th consecutive) race in the $1million, group one, Patinack Farm Classic over 1200 metres.

10.23am: RESULTS: RACE 1 EMIRATES AIRLINE PLATE  1000m (two-year-old fillies)1. 2 Applegate 7.60 3.002. 14 Snitzerland 2.803. 1 Alezan Thunder 1.80

Jockey Kerrin McEvoy, Applegate's rider, says it is a "great way to start the day". He rides Modun for Saeed Bin Suroor in the Melbourne Cup.10.10am: Andrew Eddy reports that owner Lloyd Williams has lost one of his two hopes for this afternoon's Melbourne Cup when his import Mourayan was withdrawn at 10am after industry vets ruled him lame.

Mourayan, who ran a gallant second in last Saturday's group 1 Mackinnon Stakes, pulled up sore in a hoof following the performance and the six-year-old stallion had a gear change to bar-shoes in an attempt to allieviate pressure on the hoof.

But the Racing Victoria Ltd veterinary team claimed, after a 10am inspection, the horse had soreness in his hoof due to the addition of corrective shoeing?. His scratching has left the Williams team with just one Melbourne Cup runner - At First Sight - after paying up for as many as six horses at last week's second declaration stage.

The scratching of Mourayan has added further to the misery of imported galloper Bauer, who was stranded outside the Melbourne Cup field at 25th in order at final declarations. Bauer, the 2008 Melbourne Cup runner-up was scratched from the race on Cup morning last year.

Significant changes are expected to betting markets following the late scratching, with Mourayan rated as a $15 chance this morning.

9.47: Matt Jenkins from TAB Sportsbet says the money is still coming for Sydney seven-year-old Niwot, who was $101 to win the Cup before prevailing in Saturday's Lexus Stakes. After his win, he was $21, but now, you can only get $9.

9.40: Radio Sports National's Brisbane analyst Peter Bredhauer is another who has been spooked by the change of jockey on Dunaden following the failure of his jockey Craig Williams to overturn a suspension. Bredhauer has changed his tip in the race from Dunaden to Americain. Dunaden has drifted from $8 to $9 since the announcement that Christophe Lemaire, not Williams, would take the ride today.

9.34am: Sorry if you've drawn Illo in your Cup sweep - no horse has ever won the Melbourne Cup when starting from barrier one. He is trained by Bart Cummings though - if anyone can change the course of 151 years of history, it's Bart. The other Cummings roughie, Precedence has drawn barrier two.

The best barriers to draw are 5,8, 10, 11 and 14 - which have provided six winners. Barriers 6 and 19 ahve provided five Cup champions

8.50am: Andrew Eddy's tips for Flemington today:RACE 1: 14 Snitzerland, 8 Languish, 1 Alezan Thunder, 7 Kazanjian.RACE 2: 5 Foxstar, 6. Influential Miss, 8 Apennine, 11 Cold Steel Rein. RACE 3: 7 Olympic Win, 3 Above Average, 10 Western Symbol, 12 Excluded.RACE 4: 14 Neriani, 11 Zaira, 3 Little Surfer Girl, 8 Hinemoa.RACE 5: 2 Karuta Queen, 6 Shanghai Bound, 5 African Pulse, 7 Hollyweird.RACE 6: 1 Disputes, 2 Combat Kitty, 8 Secret Liaison, 7 MabsamRACE 7 (MELBOURNE CUP): 17 At First Sight, 1 Americain, 7 Unusual Suspect, 3 DunadenRACE 8: 6 Extra Zero, 8 God Has Spoken, 10 Pepperwood, 12 Lone CommandRACE 9: 2 Conservatorium, 11 Parables,10 Eclair Mystic, 16 King PulseRACE 10: 14 Too Deadly, 2 Under The Eiffel, 8 Studley Park, 16 Saint Angers

8.44am: Greg Miles, speaking on Radio Sport National, names Moyenne Corniche and Niwot as his third and fourth picks for the Melbourne Cup.

8.34am: Racecaller Greg Miles tells Radio Sport National that he's tipping Americain to go back-to-back in the Melbourne Cup. He had Dunaden on top yesterday, but has switched back to Americain with Christophe Lemaire replacing Craig Williams as the jockey. He has also been scared off Mourayan, because the Lloyd Williams runner is racing in bar plates. That's a no-no from a punting point of view, according to Miles - it shows he's been having little issues with his feet.

8.30am: A reminder that the best way to get to Flemington today is to take the train - Metro has trains running every four minutes between 9am and 12.30pm today. Full details here.

8.28am: We'll be Tweeting live from the track @agefromthetrack ... the latest betting fluctuations and results. Coverage to start before race one. Follow us and keep up to date with all the action!

8.09am: A terrific account of what it's like to own a share of Melbourne Cup runner, by The Age's Michael Sharkie, features here. Sharkie, who owns a share in $11 chance in Lucas Cranach, admits he hasn't been getting much sleep this week. "Call me excitable, all me slightly unhinged, but I guess that is the effect the Melbourne Cup can have."

8.02am: Glass Harmonium's trainer, Mike Moroney, has no doubts about the horse to beat in today's Melbourne Cup. "I still think Americain comes here with good form, I think he's the one to beat," he said. Trainer Brian Ellison warned punters not to underestimate outsider Saptapadi. "He's run some very good races with big weights (in the UK) ... he's a very good horse." Professional punter Sean Bartholomew agrees, telling Radio Sport National he's the best outsider in the race. Lee Freedman believes Flemington will suit Caulfield Cup eyecatcher Lucas Cranach, an $11 Melbourne Cup chance. "He'd never seen Caulfield before and we probably overplayed our hand in putting him into the race before the corner. He broke 46 seconds for his last half-mile (in the Caulfield Cup).

7.38am: We'll have a full field of 24 runners go around in this year's Melbourne Cup - no scratchings. Other scratchings so far are - Race 1: 17e Real Stolle, 18e Shoe's A Monet, 19e Samburu.  Race 2: 4 Royal Commands, 18e Cabasso, 19e Oriental Boy, 20e Kim Heaven. Race 3: 1 Back In Black, 2 I'm Jake, 9 Montahlia, 18 North Lodge, 21e Debecca. Race 4: 4 Banchee, 7 Ardeche, 16 Tariana, 20e Guieseppina. Race 8: 1 Linton, 2 Red Colossus, 11 Blackie, 13 Tiakinui, 20e Letchworth. Race 9: 4 Perturbo, 9 Royal Ida, 12 Stirling Grove, 24e Cascabel. Race 10: 15 Sussuro, 16 Saint Angers, 19e Goldstone, 20e Don't Wake Me.

7.10am: TAB Sportsbet's Glenn Munsie tells Radio Sport National that it stands to lose nearly $3 million if Niwot can salute in today's Melbourne Cup. Believe it or not, he was a $101 chance in the Melbourne Cup before he won the Lexus Stakes on Saturday. He's now $9 fixed odds and is easily the worst result in the race for TAB Sportsbet. Dunaden has drifted since jockey Craig Williams lost his appeal to a careless riding suspension - he was $7.50 yesterday and is now out to $8.50. Munsie predicts about $175 million will be invested on the Cup today - of which, $110 million will be from punters in Victoria and New South Wales. That's a lot of betting tickets...

7.04am: Early betting update - Defending champ Americain is a $4.80 favourite with TAB Sportsbet, ahead of fellow French stayer Dunaden ($8.50) and Aussie hope Niwot ($9.00). There's been a flood of money for Niwot since his effortless victory in the Lexus Stakes on Saturday. Others given a chance are Lucas Cranach ($11.00), the Lloyd Williams pair At First Sight ($14.00) and Mourayan ($16.00) and Bart Cummings' Illo ($19.00).

6.41am: Dean Stewart from the Bureau of Meteorology said racegoers could expect a cloudy day, with a top temperature of 19 degrees. While there's a chance of some drizzle over the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, the odds are it's going to be a dry afternoon at Flemington. Looking ahead to Oaks Day - expect a top of 19 degrees, with a slight chance of a shower in the morning but a bit more sunshine in the afternoon. Emirates Stakes Day on Saturday is shaping as a ripper, however - fine weather, with a top of 30 degrees.

6.39am: Flemington track manager Mick Goodie has told Radio Sport National 927 that the track is currently a Dead 4, with the penetrator at 4.74 overall, 4.76 on the inside and 4.78 on the outside. The rail is out three metres and three millimetres of irrigation was put on the track overnight. Unlike Derby Day on Saturday, the wind won't play as big a factor on racing. "The wind is from a different direction today, it will be slightly behind (the runners) on the turn and across their faces," Goodie said. "I wouldn't think they (runners) would need protection ... they should race a lot more normal today." Goodie said there was a chance of the track being upgraded to a good 3 later today, "but in saying that, it won't be too firm".