Racing: Efficient officially out of Melbourne Cup

Efficient. Photo / Getty Images

Leading Victorian owner Lloyd Williams has put an early end to the annual "Will Efficient start in the Melbourne Cup?" saga by not paying the first declaration.

Last month, Williams said it was extremely doubtful whether Efficient would be seen in the spring and confirmed it when he was not among the first declarations for the Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup.

Efficient, who won the 2007 Melbourne Cup as a 4-year-old, was given equal top weight of 58kg in this year's Melbourne Cup.

He has missed every Melbourne Cup since the win because of injury.

As expected, 2007 Melbourne Cup runner-up Purple Moon, the Japanese pair of Jaguar Mail and Meiner Kitz, and the Godolphin galloper Mastery were not among the 151 acceptors, which is up 10 on last year.

The Caulfield Cup entries also rose from 100 to 109.

Nine of the 28 declared internationals remain in the Caulfield Cup and they are all in the Melbourne Cup.

For the first time in several years, Godolphin will miss the Caulfield Cup.

Racing Victoria's International scout Leigh Jordon said the international contingent represented in-form horses.

"It's a good international representation," Jordon said. "Obviously, there is a lot of water to go under the bridge, but the good thing is that they are almost all in form. Rite Of Passage, Sans Frontieres and Americain are in great form."

Jordon said the Godolphin-owned Holberg, who was second in the September Stakes at Kempton, England, last Saturday, was firming as its Cup runner.

"After speaking to Simon Crisford, I would say Holberg is looking like their likely runner and possibly one of the others," he said.

Jordon said he was pleased British trainers Mark Johnston, with Eastern Aria and Lady Eclair; and John Dunlop, with Akmal and Tactic; had kept their horses in the Melbourne Cup.

A key race will be this Sunday's Irish St Leger, which will be contested by five Melbourne Cup entries - Rite Of Passage, Profound Beauty, Sans Frontieres, Eastern Aria and Tactic.

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Macau's pin-up horse Luen Yat Forever was the only internationally trained entry in the Cox Plate, after first declarations.

The imported Imposing, who is completing his quarantine, was also an acceptor but he will be trained privately by Robert Hickmott for his new owner Lloyd Williams.

A mouth-watering line-up of locals feature among the 89 first acceptors for the 2040m event at Moonee Valley on October 23, including defending champion So You Think and newly crowned Horse of the Year Typhoon Tracy.

Second declarations for the Cox Plate close on September 21.

- AAP