Damien Oliver has confirmed he has the prize seat aboard last year's winner Almandin in the 2017 Melbourne Cup.
Oliver couldn't ride Almandin at 52kg last year and Kerrin McEvoy took the chance to become a dual Melbourne Cup-winning jockey on the Lloyd Williams-owned import.
Almandin has 56.5kg for his title defence and fired a warning shot to his local and international rivals with an easy win with 61kg in Saturday's Listed JRA Trophy (2500m) at Flemington.
Oliver, who has won ridden three Melbourne Cup winners, told RSN927 that Williams has booked him to ride the German-bred stayer in the Melbourne Cup.
"I'm happy to say that I've been booked to ride him so that is great," Oliver said.
"It's a great opportunity. The riding ranks are really competitive in Melbourne at the moment and to land a top chance in the Melbourne Cup this early, I couldn't be happier."
Oliver won twice on Almandin last spring but said he has made the necessary improvement to cope with the extra weight for his bid for back-to-back Melbourne Cups.
"I suppose he had to (improve) because he's gone up 4.5kg on last year's weight so he has to have improved to be a good chance in the Cup this year," Oliver said.
"I think (Almandin is the best of) of what's here at the moment but obviously we've got some nice imported horses still to come out which we are not familiar with.
"They are going to be good opponents I think."
Sporstbet sent Almandin straight to the top of its Melbourne Cup market at $6.50 after Saturday's win.
