Racing: Cup's international flavour

French salute: Americani is after his second cup. Photo / Getty Images

An America-bred, Australian-owned horse trained by a Frenchman and ridden by a Hong Kong-based jockey in 2010 cemented the Melbourne Cup as a truly global event.

Americain reigned supreme over one of the best Cup fields ever assembled, with emerging star Maluckyday chasing him home for second, relegating New Zealand bred race and crowd favourite So You Think to third and denying Bart Cummings a 13th trophy.

Melbourne businessmen Gerry Ryan and Kevin Bamford paid US$225,000 for Americain and plotted an unusual course for the Cup, sending him to Alain De Royer-Dupre at Chantilly on the outskirts of Paris.

Gerald Mosse, Americain's French rider who spends much of his time in Hong Kong, did his homework well and kept $3 shot So You Think, the shortest-priced Cup favourite in 39 years, in his sights from the outset.

"So You Think, I wanted to keep him not too far away and I didn't want to give him too much (start)," he said.

"I saw So You Think start to go and I followed him. At the 250 (metres) I am going to catch him.

"I definitely enjoyed that moment. It's something very special."

This year, it is something of a "French fraternite" with De Royer-Dupre joined by Mikel Delzangles and his charge Dunaden who is now the defending champion's nearest challenger in the betting.

They both had their strongest workouts on Friday since their respective wins in the Moonee Valley Cup and Geelong Cup.

And the difficulty punters are having in separating the French pair was reflected in the opinion of Dunaden's trainer Mikel Delzangles.

Delzangles, who returned to Melbourne this week after a fortnight at home in France, said he was happy with his horse's progress, noting also that Americain had maintained his impressive form.

"Americain is the favourite and he should be favourite," Delzangles said.

"I am very happy when I see he is favourite.

"For sure he is very, very happy in Australia.

"But I know each time we race against him we beat him."

In the Americain camp, stable representative Stephanie Nigge maintained her routine with the horse working over 2000m as he does almost every morning.

The only difference from one day to the next is the speed at which he performs, which on Friday was three-quarter pace.

"It is the same again, he likes it," Nigge said.

"There is no need to change anything, the horse is happy and he is fit.

"I don't think about other horses, only him.

"But I know Dunaden is a very good horse and he is very well.

"We have respect for him."

Like most of the visiting trainers, Delzangles is hoping for some rain to soften the Flemington track after three days of high temperatures and strong wind in Melbourne.

Delzangles is also anxiously awaiting the outcome of Craig Williams bid to ride Dunaden on Tuesday after he lost an appeal against a 10-meeting suspension.

Williams will appear before the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal on Monday to seek a stay of proceedings which will allow him to ride in Tuesday's Cup.

Just in case Delzangles has taken the precaution of sending for French rider Christophe Lemaire who has been riding in Japan.