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With the Melbourne Cup just under 6 weeks away, it’s time to keep an eye on the key lead-up races, valuable when the time comes to pick the winner.

History shows the two most successful lead-up races have been the Caulfield Cup (October 20) and the MacKinnon Stakes held just three days prior to the big race on November 3. Between them these races have produced 27 of the last 41 Melbourne Cup winners.

The Geelong Cup is certainly a race worth following. The past two winners of the Melbourne Cup, Dunaden and Americain both won the Geelong Cup in their lead-up to the Melbourne Cup.

Key Melbourne Cup lead-up races:

• Caulfield Cup (2400m) – October 20
• Geelong Cup (2400m) –October 24
• Cox Plate (2040m) –October 27
• Moonee Valley Cup (2500m) –October 27
• MacKinnon Stakes (2000m) –November 3
• VRC Derby (2500m) – November 3
• Lexus Stakes (2500m) –November 3

Last weekend saw NZ-trained Ocean Park win the Underwood Stakes at Caulfield. The 4yo stallion is now the 2nd favourite for the Cox Plate and likely to have his next race in the Caulfield Stakes (Group 1) over 2000m on October 13.

In New Zealand, Steven McKee-trained Mufhasa picked up his 10th Group 1 win in the Windsor Park Plate and now looks to defend his title in the Toorak Handicap (Group 1) also at Caulfield on October 13.