Never mind the Melbourne Cup.
The final day feature of the Flemington carnival, the VRC Sprint Classic, is this year shaping up as just as much an equine United Nations as the big race itself.
Aside from the locally-based stars, headed by dual Everest winner Redzel and his Cup winning partner Kerrin McEvoy, there are four runners from the powerful Coolmore camp of Aidan O'Brien.
Over the moon: Jockey Kerrin McEvoy after riding Redzel to win the Everest.Credit:Dominic Lorrimer
And Coolmore's great global rival, Godolphin, which has enjoyed a superb carnival, is not satisfied with the riches it has plundered with Jungle Cat in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes, Benbatl in the Caulfield Stakes, Best Solution in the Caulfield Cup and Cross Counter in the Melbourne Cup.
It wants to add another million dollar group 1 to its haul with Jungle Cat, who followed his debut win with a down the track effort in the Toorak Handicap, when his trainer, Charlie Appleby, tried to stretch his stamina out to 1600 metres without success.
The O'Brien quartet have also been kept busy, all having started twice: Spirit of Valor, Fleet Review and Intelligence Cross in the Schillachi Stakes at Caulfield and the group 1 Manikato Stakes on Cox Plate eve at The Valley, US Navy Flag in The Everest and the Manikato.
Before leaving Ireland US Navy Flag, who won the group 1 July Cup – one of the top midsummer sprints in the European season – would have been regarded as far and away the best of the four.
But his form in Australia has been poor: he never got going in the heavy ground in Sydney in The Everest won by Redzel.
In the Manikato, when he was well supported in the market, he stepped slowly from the barriers and was never in the hunt on a track that would have been tighter and more turning than anything he would have encountered before.
Spirit of Valor has been the opposite.
He has performed creditably by running second in the group 2 Schillachi Stakes and then coming within a whisker of winning the Manikato, where he was drawn wide but kept rolling under Kerrin McEvoy's drive to go down narrowly to the Hugh Bowman ridden Brave Smash, who will be in the field on Saturday.
The Irish connections of US Navy Flag think that he will be far more suited to the straight 1200 metres over the more galloping Flemington track. Ryan Moore, his big race jockey, went to Werribee to jump him out of the gates earlier this week.
This is one of the hottest sprint fields assembled this season, with the likes of Santa Ana Lane, Kementari, Pierata and In Her Time also in opposition.
But Redzel remains the one to beat as McEvoy seeks to continue what has been an amazing week in an extraordinary season.
His trainer, Peter Snowden, says he is in tip top shape to repeat his 2017 victory in this group 1 test.
''He got here Thursday morning (and) he had a trot and canter round here this morning (Friday), '' he told media on the eve of the race.
''I believe he is as well as last year. He handled the ground so well (in The Everest) it took nothing out of him. We have not had any setbacks the last month.''
Redzel is almost the perfect racehorse – super talented and immune to track conditions and race circumstances.
''He can handle wet ground, dry ground, carry weight, put himself on the speed or sit off other runners.
''This is a top quality field (but) he's a horse that makes his own luck and he's in good order … his coat is immaculate, he is eating everything, he ticks every box,'' Snowden added.
Still, opponents are not ready to concede just yet. Godolphin will be looking to Jungle Cat for a brave show, but Sheikh Mohammed's operation will be just as pleased if they can win the race with Kementari, a four year old from James Cumming's stable who has come agonisingly close to notching group 1 glory this season.
The son of Lonhro has been in the first four in his last four starts at group 1 level this season, missing out by a fraction in the Memsie Stakes and being beaten just over half a length in the Manikato.
''We are putting our money where our mouth is. He's coming in with a winless preparation but if he can get a win tomorrow his fan club might forgive him. The most exciting thing about Kementari is his lethal turn of foot … he is a really impressive sprinter miler, make no mistake about that,'' says Cummings.
''It would be a picture perfect way for him to finish his prep (by winning) in a race like this.''
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