Last year’s Melbourne Cup winner, Cross Counter

Last year’s Melbourne Cup winner, Cross Counter will be looking to achieve what no international racehorse has done before and that is to win the cup twice in a row.

The Charlie Appleby-trained horse stormed to victory last year at Flemington and is back 12 months later vying to win again.

Victorian jockey Damian Lane is vying for his first Melbourne Cup with Mer De Glace.

If he succeeds, Lane will become the first jockey to claim Melbourne’s big three races in the same year – the Caulfield Cup, the Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup.

Grants Betting House General Manager Vijendra Sundar says chances are high that an international horse can win again this year.

Sundar adds 24 horses are competing and anyone can win this year.

“This year’s Melbourne Cup there are 24 horses. In the 24 there’s a lot of international horses. 11 horses are from Ireland, Five from Great Britain, Two from NZ, One from Japan, France, USA, Germany and two from Australia. So there’s a high chance that an overseas horse can win.”

The 2019 Melbourne Cup will begin at 4pm today.