Second favourite Amelie's Star sits just outside the Caulfield Cup field after the latest round of acceptances for Saturday week's showpiece event.
Amelie's Star, a $6.50 chance at Sportsbet, earned a Melbourne Cup ballot exemption for her win in the Group III Bart Cummings (2500m) at Flemington last Saturday but Racing Victoria's chief handicapper Greg Carpenter declined to penalise the mare for the Caulfield Cup.
The decision not to penalise Amelie's Star left the Darren Weir-trained mare 23rd in the latest Caulfield Cup order of entry, which was released on Tuesday.
A maximum of 18 runners will contest the Caulfield Cup and Amelie's Star's stablemate Big Duke occupies the 18th position in the field.
However, owner Lloyd Williams has flagged his intention to send Almandin (fifth in the Caulfield Cup order of entry) straight to defend his Melbourne Cup crown after he ran fourth in the Bart Cummings.
A total of 36 horses remain in the Caulfield Cup after Tuesday's second acceptances.
Meanwhile, 55 horses are left in contention for a Melbourne Cup start after the close of first acceptances for the November 7 event.
Five-time winning owner Lloyd Williams has 11 of the 55 Melbourne Cup hopefuls, including Almandin, Sir Isaac Newton, Bondi Beach and Gallante, who all occupy spots in the top 24 in the latest order of entry.
The 55 Melbourne Cup acceptors also features 15 international runners.
Click here for the latest Caulfield Cup order of entry.
Click here for the latest Melbourne Cup order of entry.
