Jaguar Mail and Meiner Kitz, the past two winners of the Group 1 Tenno Sho (3200m), feature amongst five Japanese entries. The Noriyuki Hori-trained Jaguar Mail is owned in the same interests as Delta Blues and Pop Rock.
International racing powerhouse Godolphin's head trainer Saeed bin Suroor has entered nine horses for the Melbourne and Caulfield Cups including 2009 English St Leger and Italian Derby winner Mastery, 2009 Arc De Triomphe placegetter Cavalryman and Group 1 winner Campanologist.
UK trainer Luca Cumani has nominated his Cup placegetters Purple Moon (2007) and Bauer (2008), who has not raced since his loss to Viewed owing to injury. Cumani's other nominations for the Cups are the highly rated Drunken Sailor and Australian-owned duo Manighar and Becqu Adoree, with the latter also entered for the Cox Plate.
Dermot Weld, the trailblazer for international trainers, has four horses entered for the spring features including Profound Beauty, who finished fifth as favourite in the 2008 Melbourne Cup, and Rite Of Passage, winner of the Group 1 Ascot Gold Cup (4000m) in June. Like Weld's maiden Cup winner Vintage Crop (1993), Rite Of Passage has successfully mixed jumps and flat racing in his brief career. Weld's other victory in the Melbourne Cup came courtesy of Media Puzzle in 2002.
Other European nominations of note are last start Group 2 Princess of Wales's Stakes winner Sans Frontieres (Melbourne Cup, Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate), French gallopers Americain and Laristan (Melbourne and Caulfield Cups) and Fortuni, the first Melbourne Cup entry from esteemed UK trainer Sir Mark Prescott.
Two of Hong Kong's best performers are also targeting the spring with dual Champions Mile winner Able One being set specifically for the Tatts Cox Plate. Able One, who will be the first international to arrive at Racing Victoria's new Werribee International Horse Centre in late August, is trained by ex-pat Aussie John Moore whose father George rode the winners of the 1957 and 1968 Cox Plate. The Peter Ho-trained Mr Medici, a Group 1 winner this season in Hong Kong, has been nominated for both cups, but connections have their eyes fixed firmly on the Caulfield Cup.
Luen Yat Forever, is the first horse from Macau to be entered for the spring. The Australian-bred galloper, who this year became the first horse to win the Macau Triple Crown, has been nominated for the Cox Plate.
The weights and handicaps for the spring feature races were released on Wednesday 1 September.