2017 Melbourne Cup winner Rekindling has been retired to stud. He didn't race for 18 months following that victory, due to a tendon injury. His only subsequent race was the Australian Cup earlier this year in which he finished last.

Last year's winning jockey Kerrin McEvoy (who also won in 2000 and 2016) is getting a statue built in his honour in his hometown of Streaky Bay. This was announced during his visit as an ambassador for the Melbourne Cup tour. You can see all tour dates here: https://www.flemington.com.au/melbo...bourne-cup-tour

French import Azuro won the Listed 3200m Queensland Cup at Eagle Farm. That performance hasn't moved the bookies much though: he's still $101 in futures. Probably overs on ability given some tight tussles with Steel Prince ($31) last year and an encouraging record over the Cup distance: 2 wins and 1 placing (0.2L) from his 3 runs. Steel Prince though, of course, won a ballot exemption through winning the Andrew Ramsden. Speaking of, rumours went wild as the payment of prizemoney for the race was delayed. The money was held up waiting on swab results, which led to speculation of an overturning of places. The runner-up Surprise Baby was reported to have been best backed with bookmakers in the preceding weeks. It wasn't until late July that the swabs - and Steel Prince - were given the all-clear.

Also late last month was the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, a Group 1 2400m at Ascot. Enable and Crystal Ocean fought out a huge battle, with the pair and 3rd placegetter Waldgeist putting quite a margin on the rest of the field: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJyfXL3ICKg. No chance of seeing the first two here, but a couple of the also-rans from Aidan O'Brien have nominated for the Cox Plate: Anthony Van Dyck, Magic Wand and Hunting Horn.

The Goodwood Cup rounded out July's racing with Stradivarius completing his threepeat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APkb6wDmI5Y. Last year's Melbourne Cup winner Cross Counter finished in 3rd position. No shame in that with the first three (Dee Ex Bee in 2nd) pulling well clear of the rest. After the race trainer Charlie Appleby declared that Cross Counter defending his 2018 Melbourne Cup was 'Plan A' and that they expected to be asked to carry 57 or 57.5kg.

Also at Goodwood was the Gordon Stakes for 3 year olds, which was won the previous year by Cross Counter in record time. This year's winner was Nayef Road in a tight finish: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXmbo3jw7bE. Not sure we'll see any of these runners in Melbourne later this year.

More Glorious Goodwood with the Queen's Plate Group 3 over 2400m. Desert Encounter took the win with Mirage Dancer a 2-length second. The latter is trained by Sir Michael Stoute, who was with Fiorente ahead of her being sold to Gai Waterhouse (only about 2 months before her 2012 Melbourne Cup 2nd placing). It was reported in the past couple of days that Mirage Dancer has now been sold to Australian interests and will be trained by Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young. The plan is to run in the Caulfield Cup ahead of the Melbourne Cup; he's qualified for both. The Cox Plate nomination he holds is a just-in-case. Finishing last in the 5-horse field was Prince of Arran who was eased in the last furlong to finish 14 lengths behind.

Latrobe has won another race overseas, this time in the 2400m Group 3 Ballroan Stakes at Leopardstown: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psBWyC_xCE8. Not a hugely impressive win for a $1.90 favourite.

Weights have been released for Europe's richest handicap, the Ebor Cup. Irish runners Communique and Salouen carry the two heaviest handicaps for the race on August 24th. 67 remain in the field. Among those also in the Melbourne Cup futures markets: Falcon Eight ($21), Latrobe ($21), A Prince of Arran ($26), Gold Mount ($26), Withhold ($34), Mustajeer ($51), Red Verdon ($51) and True Self ($51). The last three Ebor Cup winners have all made the Melbourne Cup final field: the best of these was 2016's second place finisher Heartbreak City.

Magic Circle won't be making a return trip for this year's Cup. Finishing 16th last year, his colourful owner Marwan Koukash was popular in the press with his promise that if he won he'd receive the trophy wearing nothing but a tie and thong.