Melbourne Cup favourite Buckaroo handed wide draw

Chris Waller's Buckaroo has maintained his Melbourne Cup favouritism despite drawing a tough barrier for the race that stops a nation.

Waller will have almost one-quarter of the 24-horse field in Tuesday's $8 million staying test, with he and fellow champion trainer Ciaron Maher sharing nine runners between them.

Caulfield Cup runner-up Buckaroo will lead Waller's five-strong assault from barrier 21 and has eased slightly in betting from $5 out to $5.50.

Irish master Willie Mullins' Vauban remains second-favourite at $7 after drawing barrier 11, with Geelong Cup winner Onesmoothoperator third at $8 after drawing next door at gate 12.

Dominant Bendigo Cup winner Sea King drew the inside gate and is a $9 fancy, while Mullins' other raider Absurde (barrier seven) is at $11.

Waller's contingent includes Kovalica and Land Legend, who fared slightly better than Buckaroo in the barrier draw on Saturday night, in gates 17 and 18 respectively, with Valiant King (22) even wider.

They were joined in the field by Manzoice, who drew well in gate eight, having been elevated into the field when Kiwi stayer Mahrahaan failed a compulsory CT scan on Saturday morning and was ruled out.

Waller won the 2021 Cup with Verry Elleegant and has already enjoyed great success during this year's Flemington carnival, preparing winners in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes and Empire Rose Stakes on Derby day.

Maher has four runners in the Cup field, led by Okita Soushi from barrier 10.

Maher, who teamed with David Eustace for Gold Trip's 2022 Cup win, will also saddle up Interpretation (14) and Saint George (nine) from gates he is happy with.

But Circle Of Fire (24) drew the widest barrier possible in what shapes as a huge test for champion jockey Mark Zahra, who is chasing a third-straight Cup victory after his wins on Without A Fight last year and Gold Trip.

"Twenty-four is ordinary ... but Mark's flying so it won't matter," Maher said.

Star jockey Kah will ride Okita Soushi despite being handed a 10-meeting suspension for careless riding on Saturday.

Kah, who won the Victoria Derby on Goldrush Guru, will start her ban on Wednesday.

James Cummings was buoyed by Zardozi's strong run in the Empire Rose Stakes on Saturday, with the four-year-old mare later drawing barrier four.

"She ran beautifully in that race, made up good ground and stormed through the line," said Cummings, chief Australian trainer for the Godolphin racing empire of Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed.

"She's a really good, in-form stayer."

Onesmoothoperator's connections breathed a sigh of relief on Saturday morning when vets cleared the seven-year-old gelding to run in the Cup.

The UK raider had failed a vet check on Friday due to a cut on his heel.