Irish whiz Joseph O'Brien is eyeing the "hugely special" prospect of becoming the youngest trainer to win three Melbourne Cups in 166 years of Australia's greatest race.
The 33-year-old will saddle a powerful hand of five contenders in Tuesday's $10.2 million feature Flemington, spearheaded by second-favourite Trustyourinstinct.
If successful again, O'Brien would beat the mark set by Etienne de Mestre, who trained Archer to win the first two Cups in the early 1860s and added his third at 35 years of age, via Tim Whiffler in 1867.
O'Brien first won the Cup with Rekindling in 2017 and is the most recent northern hemisphere trainer to triumph after scoring with Twilight Payment in 2020.
"It's very special to be here and it would be a real privilege," O'Brien said.
"We're lucky enough that we can compete in big races and we come here to win. It's not how sport often goes, so we're realistic about that.
"But we have prepared well, we've prepared good horses and we have top jockeys, and hopefully we have a bit of race luck tomorrow. May the best horse win."
O'Brien suffered a major blow last week when one-time Cup favourite and expected leader Defiantly was ruled out by vets.
But Trustyourinstinct, Sons And Lovers and James J Braddock are among the leading contenders in betting markets, as is last year's runner-up Goodie Two Shoes.
Late entrant Kizlyar, who replaced Defiantly, is further back in betting after a disappointing run in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup.
"We're very lucky that we have a nice team," O'Brien said.
"We would've liked to see Kizlyar run a bit better on his first-up here, but we think he had excuses and he's certainly better than what we saw on that day.
"Outside of that it will be who gets the trip and the run and the right spot that sets up well.
"In a race like the Melbourne Cup and big handicaps in general, it's the one that gets the perfect trip and things set up good for him on the day that ultimately will come out on top.
"So if (Trustyourinstinct) gets a good set-up, he's a handy horse."
Irish star jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle was set to partner Defiantly in the Cup but will now ride Sons And Lovers, replacing Ryan Moore, and jump from gate three.
There is an omen there, after Browne McMonagle steered Sons And Lovers to victory in the Red Sea Turf Handicap (3000m) in Saudi Arabia in February after a late switch when Goodie Two Shoes was ruled out.
"Dylan's my No.1 rider and he's had an awesome season," O'Brien said.
"It's a pity that Defiantly isn't going to be there, but that's the way things go.
"Dylan won the Red Sea on Sons And Lovers in Saudi and we got a good (Melbourne Cup) draw, so we're very happy with him and it's great to have Dylan on board."
The Cup shapes as a battle between O'Brien and another leading training, red-hot local Ciaron Maher, who will saddle half of the 24-horse field between them.
Maher's Geelong Cup winner Point Of Law is a narrow favourite from Trustyourinstinct.
"He couldn't have done any more than what he's done," O'Brien said of Point Of Law.
"He was very good in Geelong and beat some smart horses, and he's the one that everyone has to beat."
O'Brien had to overcome a hurdle on arrival in Melbourne on Monday, losing his luggage along the way.
"If that's the biggest problem we're in this weekend, we'll be OK," he said.
O'Brien's father Aidan has endured multiple near misses in the Cup, finishing second with Johannes Vermeer (2017) and Tiger Moth (2020), and third with Mahler (2008).
