Yeats heads Melbourne entries

Ascot Gold Cup hero Yeats is among five horses nominated by Aidan O’Brien for this year’s Emirates Melbourne Cup at Flemington.

Yeats finished seventh for the Ballydoyle maestro in the Australian feature last term and he could bid to improve on that showing on November 6.

The six-year-old could be joined by St Leger winner Scorpion, Queen’s Vase winner Mahler, Septimus and Hitchcock.

Alan Swinbank has nominated his unbeaten filly Turbo Linn for the two-mile feature and she is one of 19 British entries along with the likes of Ebor winner Mudawin, the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Hard Top and Luca Cumani’s Purple Moon.

Godolphin have made their usual strong entry with Formal Decree and Pontefract winner Blue Ksar among the 10 possibles.

Japanese runners Pop Rock and Delta Blues, first and second in the race last year, have been nominated again while Irish handler Dermot Weld, who has won the race twice, has entered Bellamy Cay.

Weights for the Melbourne Cup, the feature event of the Spring Carnival, will be released on September 3.

The Cox Plate is another highlight of the meeting and O’Brien has put four-time Group One winner George Washington in the 10-furlong event at Moonee Valley.

King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes winner Dylan Thomas is another nominee for the October 27 contest while Godolphin’s Ramonti and the Michael Stoute-trained Maraahel are other eyecatching contenders.

The Caulfield Cup on October 20 has attracted some British interest with Turbo Linn also entered, along with such runners as Pevensey and Pressing.

Leigh Jordon, Racing Victoria Limited’s director of racing operations, said: “Based on the quality of the nominations we’ve received for the 2007 Spring Racing Carnival, this enhances the Carnival’s status on the world stage and has leading owners and trainers focused on our Group One classics.

“Internationally and domestically, I can confidently say this is the highest quality of nominations we’ve received for the major races.”