Ballarat stables are well represented with Matt Cumani, Archie Alexander, Michelle Payne, Mitch Freedman, Ciaron Maher/David Eustace, Symon Wilde and Henry Dwyer with runners.

We'll keep you updated on their progress through the day.

Racing Victoria stewqards advise that Rostropovich has sustained a stress fracture in its pelvis.

Rostropovich was inspected by RV veterinarians on course after finishing the Melbourne Cup and was found to be lame.

The gelding is in a stable condition, comfortable and receiving the best veterinary care.

Rostropovich will be confined to box rest for the near future and will be closely monitored over the coming days by veterinary staff.

Racing Victoria stewards report that the David Hayes, Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig-trained Rostropovich was found to be lame after finishing last in the Melbourne Cup.

After receiving veterinary care on course, the horse has been transported to the University of Melbourne Equine Centre for further assessment.

Craig Williams (Vow And Declare) 1st : "It was a privilege to ride him today. Look at him, he knows he's won. I'm so grateful to be given the opportunity. He just gave me a beautiful ride. (Trainer) Danny O'Brien and the owners gave me no instructions. He just said 'trust the horse'."

Michael Walker (Prince Of Arran) 2nd : "Charlie and the team have done a great job. I love the horse and I just wanted to win it, you know. I feel like I've let him down."

Wayne Lordan (Il Paradiso) 3rd : "He could've done with the tempo a bit quicker. We didn't get an ideal position but he ran well."

Frankie Dettori (Master Of Reality) 4th : "I want to cry."

Jordan Childs (Surprise Baby) 5th : "He ran super. I just had nothing to take me into the race from the 800 (metres) but he'll be back bigger and better next year."

Damian Lane (Mer De Glace) 6th : "He was massive. He wasn't entitled to finish off like he did after the slow tempo. Finished well late."

Kerrin McEvoy (Finche) 7th : "He ran great. The pace wasn't that strong. Would've liked them to go a bit quicker. But we presented at the top of the lane and I thought he was a real chance there at the 300 (metres). He then just levelled out the last little bit. A brave run."

William Buick (Cross Counter) 8th : "He ran a huge race ... just slowly away."

Brett Prebble (Steel Prince) 9th : "He ran super but they didn't go a gallop. He was in a nice position but he wouldn't switch the chewy off and it just took its toll late."

Ryan Moore (Magic Wand) 10th : "She had no luck. Got an early bump so we were back further than we wanted and they went too slow up front."

Hugh Bowman (Twilight Payment) 11th : "He had a really smooth run in transit. He just didn't have the sprint required to win a Melbourne Cup."

James Winks (Sound) 12th : "Tempo was ridiculous so he's run really well."

Joao Moreira (Constantinople) 13th : "Disappointing, yes. He was going to have a super run."

Ben Melham (Mirage Dancer) 14th : "He ran well. Probably didn't quite see out the last part of the race."

Seamie Heffernan (Hunting Horn) 15th : "I needed to get cover and I couldn't. The pace was too slow."

Jamie Spencer (Raymond Tusk) 16th : "Beautiful position but the race was too slow."

Tim Clark (The Chosen One) 17th : "He went alright. From that draw I had to get a long way back and the pace was no good for him. But he stayed on well."

James McDonald (Latrobe) 18th : "Just got back in a slowly run race. Hard to get into it."

Mark Zahra (Southern France) 19th : "Had a tough run ... probably didn't stay."

Tommy Berry (Youngstar) 20th : "Speed of the race didn't help her."

Luke Nolen (Neufbosc) 21st : "They went too steady for me."

John Allen (Downdraft) 22nd : "Slowly run race mightn't have suited him. Only I didn't think that he ran out the trip."

Damien Oliver (Mustajeer) 23rd : "They just went ridiculously slow and it didn't suit my horse. Probably didn't get a chance to run to his best."

Dwayne Dunn (Rostropovich) 24th : "He hasn't pulled up too well, he's obviously sustained an injury somewhere in the run."

Looking for one top follow from today.

The Michelle Payne-trained Optimizzer ($151) worked home strongly in race 5 - the Schweppervescence Plate, 1000m,

The 3yo gelding was next to last in the 15^th with 400m to run to fionish 7^th within four lengths of winner Garner.

There was no luck for Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock-raced and Ciaron Maher/David Eustace-trained Southern France. in the Melbourne Cup.

Mark Zahra was caught wide for the journey and was never in contention in finishing 19^th.

How they finish after the perotest fourth against second eas upehld:

1 VOW AND DECLARE Danny O'Brien Ciaron Maher & David Eustace - Craig Williams

2 PRINCE OF ARRAN (GB) Charlie Fellowes - Michael Walker 0.2len

3 IL PARADISO (USA) Aidan O'Brien - Wayne Lordan 0.3

THEN FOLLOWED

MASTER OF REALITY (IRE) Joseph O'Brien - Frankie Dettori 0.4

SURPRISE BABY (NZ) Paul Preusker - Jordan Childs 0.9

MER DE GLACE (JPN) Hisashi Shimizu - Damian Lane 1.2

FINCHE (GB) Chris Waller - Kerrin McEvoy 1.4

CROSS COUNTER (GB) Charlie Appleby - William Buick 1.6

STEEL PRINCE (IRE) Anthony Freedman - Brett Prebble 2.1

MAGIC WAND (IRE) Aidan O'Brien - Ryan Moore 3.6

TWILIGHT PAYMENT (IRE) Joseph O'Brien - Hugh Bowman 3.8

SOUND (GER) Michael Moroney - James Winks 3.9

CONSTANTINOPLE (IRE) David & B Hayes & T Dabernig - Joao Moreira 4.1

MIRAGE DANCER (GB) Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young - Ben Melham 4.3

HUNTING HORN (IRE) Aidan O'Brien - Seamie Heffernan 4.5

RAYMOND TUSK (IRE) Richard Hannon - Jamie Spencer 5

THE CHOSEN ONE (NZ) Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman - Tim Clark 5.2

LATROBE (IRE) Joseph O'Brien - James McDonald 6.45

SOUTHERN FRANCE (IRE) Ciaron Maher & David Eustace- Mark Zahra 6.55

YOUNGSTAR Chris Waller - Tommy Berry 7.3

NEUFBOSC (FR) David & B Hayes & T Dabernig - Luke Nolen 8.3

DOWNDRAFT (IRE) Joseph O'Brien - John Allen 8.6

MUSTAJEER (GB) Kris Lees - Damien Oliver 10.85

ROSTROPOVICH (IRE) David & B Hayes & T Dabernig - Dwayne Dunn 40.85

While Flemington is the centre of attention, there is plenty of other racing across the state.

Already with a Flemington victory under the belt, Freedman made it double for the day at Echuca.

Carmen Sandiego ($1.20 favourite) took out a maiden, 1400m.

Another Ciaron Maher and David Eustace runner in the placings.

Encouraging third for top weight Big Blue third-up this preparation in The Macca's Run, 2800m.

It is impossible to keep Ballarat's Payne family out of the spotlight in some form on Melbourne Cup Day these days.

Three-time Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Kerrin McEvoy, who is married to Cathy Payne, tasted success on the Chris Waller-trained Sure Knee in the TAB Trophy, 1700m.

The heavily backed One More Try from the Ballarat stable of Matt Cumani missed a place.

Bravo Tango ($8) gave Ballarat young trainer Mitch Freedman his second big result of the carnival by taking out the $125,000 Grinders Coffee Roasters Trophy, 1400m.

Freedman saddled up Southern Moon for second in Saturday's Victoria Derby.

And there might still be more to come.

He has the highly fancied Moonlight Maid in Thursday's group 1 $1m Victoria Oaks, 2500m.

Bravo Tango, which won by a short neck, now has six wins from 17 starts for $265,150.

Freedman said the five-year-old had been pretty frustrating.

"He was the one time favourite for the Australian Guineas and he hasn't quite lived up to the expectations. but we put this race in the book again after last year when he was disappointing.

"We really targeted it. A great ride from Billy (Egan). He got him out of the barriers which is the key to him. He just held onto him for as long as he could and let him down at the end. Happy days," Freedman said.

"(He's) probably put some people in the stable through tough times - vets, farriers, myself, track work riders, everything like that. It's good to see him show up (win)."

Egan described the win as fantastic.

"It is nice to be getting opportunities on a day like this.

"For a young bloke like Mitch (Freedman) coming through the ranks, it is good for a couple of young bucks to be coming through together and getting a win on the big day.

"It is really nice. I take a lot more pride out of the people I ride the winners for on where they are at.

"Mitch is a good young bloke so it is a nice thrill to ride a winner for someone like him," Egan said.

Close but not quite close enough for the Caulfield/Ballarat stable of Ciaron Maher/David Eustace in the opening event.

They have started the day by filling the two minor placings behind the Team Hayes-prepared Aryaaf with Muntaseera and Marchena.

Ballarat runners for the day:

1 Darley Ottawa Stakes (1000m) 2yo fillies - 10.55am

1 - AMOROSITY (first starter) - Henry Dwyer

7 - MARCHENA (first starter) - Ciaron Maher/David Eustace

8 - MUNTASEERA (first starter) - Ciaron Maher/David Eustace

11- SOTIRIO (first starter) - Michelle Payne

2 Grinders Coffee Roasters Trophy (1400m) - 11.35am

3 - Bravo Tango - Mitch Freedman

3 TAB Trophy (1700m) - 12.10pm

1 -ETANA - Ciaron Maher/David Eustace

2 - ONE MORE TRY - Matt Cumani

12 - NORDIC SYMPHONY - Symon Wilde

4 The Macca's Run (2800m) - 12.45pm

1 - BIG BLUE - Ciaron Maher/David Eustace

4- KAPOUR - Ciaron Maher/David Eustace

6 - ETAH JAMES - Matt Cumani

5 Schweppervescence Plate (1000m) - 1.20pm

10 - OPTIMIZZER - Michelle Payne

11 - VALLEY OF HEARTS - Symon Wilde

6 Jim Beam Stakes (1400m) - 1.55pm

12 - GINA'S HOPE - Mitch Freedman

7 MELBOURNE CUP (3200m) - 3pm

5 - SOUTHERN FRANCE - Ciaron Maher/David Eustace

8 Furphy Plate, 1800m - 4pm

4- KIWIA- Archie Alexander

17 - JUNIPAL - Ciaron Maher/David Eustace

9 MSS Security Sprint (1200m) - 4.40pm

12 - LAGERFIELD - Ciaron Maher/David Eustace

10 The Hong Kong JC Stakes (1400m) - 5.15pm

7 - DESERVED - Matt Cumani

18 - FLANDERSRAIN - Matt Cumani

20 - NIGHT EXPRESS - Henry Dwyer