Racing: Daffodil, Nom Du Jeu on same path to Melbourne

Nom Du Jeu (blue and gold colours) chasing Princess Coup home in last year's Kelt Capital Stakes. Photo / Hawkes Bay Today

Daffodil and Nom Du Jeu, who head New Zealand's entries for this year's Melbourne Cup, are likely to meet in the Kelt Capital Stakes at Hastings next month before heading to Melbourne.

Daffodil, who resumed over 1200m last week, won the group one AJC Australia Oaks in April, while Nom Du Jeu won the AJC Australian Derby last year and finished second in the Caulfield Cup.

They are both also entered for the Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate.

Murray and Bjorn Baker, who train Nom Du Jeu, have also entered Mr Tipsy and Harris Tweed, who both performed well in Sydney last autumn, for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups.

Other New Zealand-trained Melbourne Cup entries include All In Black, Capecover, Figure Of Speech, Gallions Reach, He's Under The Gun, Hoorang, Jungle Rocket, Le Baron, Lord Tavistock, My Scotsgrey, Our Cannavaro, Red Ruler, Sand Hawk, Six O'Clock News, Spin Around, Sterling Prince, The Foreman, The Pooka, Tinseltown and Young Centaur.

Former NZ-trained entries include Black Mamba (currently racing in the US), C'est La Guerre, Hazeldon and Easy Ryder.

Most of those, except Capecover, Hazeldon, He's Under The Gun, My Scotsgrey and Sand Hawk, are also nominated for the Caulfield Cup.

Tell A Tale and MacO'Reilly, two of the stars of the past New Zealand season, are nominated for the Caulfield Cup and the Cox Plate, as is Rios, now trained in Melbourne.

Former AJC Oaks winner Boundless, Mufhasa and Altered Image are entered for the Cox Plate, as are Izonit, Monaco Consul, Prince Kaapstad, The Pooka, Sarrera, Red Ruler, Easy Ryder, Le Baron and Arlington.

- NZPA