The Melbourne Cup entry Royal Patronage carrying Larry Nestadt’s Australian colours to victory. (Picture: via meta (Linda Tag (joint-owner))
The Melbourne Cup reached its first declaration stage on Tuesday and big Johannesburg-based South African owner Larry Nestadt has three horses still standing their ground.
His tenth placed finisher in the Melbourne Cup last year, Military Mission (Master Craftsman), is ranked 17th in the Order Of Entry and is one of 48 horses who have “Passed the 2024 Melbourne Cup ballot clause as of October 1, 2024.” There are two entries who are “Ballot exempt” and 22 entries who “have not passed the Melbourne Cup first ballot clause as of October 1, 2024”.
The Irish-bred import Military Mission qualified for the big race last year by winning two Gr 3s and a Gr 2.
Nestadt’s 2023 Gr 1 Metropolitan winner, the Irish-bred import Just Fine (Sea The Stars), is ranked 20th in the order of entry. He looks likely to come into this year’s Melbourne Cup in fine condition as he has had three runs in September following a spell of five months and he runs in the Gr 3 Lexus Bart Cummings over 2520m at Flemington on Saturday.
His Irish-bred import Royal Patronage (Wootton Bassett) made a fine debut in Australia when winning a Gr 2 over 1400m at Randwick in impressive style. He followed up with a good third in an expensive race over 1600m and is entered in this Saturday’s Gr 1 TAB Epsom at Randwick over 1600m.
Royal Patronage is one of 22 horses who “have not passed the Melbourne Cup first ballot clause as of October 1, 2024”. He is ranked 51st in the order of entries.
Nestadt is a member of partnership syndicates for all three horses, all of whom are trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.
