'He won't be travelling this year' - another Irish Melbourne Cup contender gone as Harbour Wind ruled out by Dermot Weld

Dermot Weld will not be winning his third Melbourne Cup in 2024 as the legendary trainer has ruled Harbour Wind out of the Flemington feature. 

This year marks the 31st anniversary of Weld's famous triumph with Vintage Crop in 1993 and he won the race for a second time in 2002 with Media Puzzle.

Harbour Wind, however, will not be emulating that pair, at least not this year. 

Weld said: "Having discussed it with Eva Maria Bucher-Haefner of Moyglare, we've decided Harbour Wind will not travel to Australia to run in this year's Melbourne Cup. We won't rule out running in the race sometime in the future, but he won't be going this year. 

"He'll certainly run again this season and we have a few options that we're mulling over. He's in good form and we're very happy with him."

Harbour Wind had been as short as 16-1 with some firms for the Melbourne Cup, although 25-1 was available. 

Harbour Wind: won't be running in the Lexus Melbourne Cup this year Credit: Caroline Norris

The gelded son of Nathaniel has won four of his seven starts and finished runner-up in the other three, including last time in the Group 3 Prix Gladiateur at Longchamp. 

He is entered in the Long Distance Cup on Champions Day at Ascot, for which he is priced between 9-1 and 16-1. Weld has won that staying contest twice, with Rite Of Passage in 2012 and Forgotten Rules in 2014, both of whom were ridden by the late Pat Smullen. 

Harbour Wind is the latest Irish contender to sidestep the Melbourne Cup, a few days after Ebor winner Magical Zoe was ruled out by Henry de Bromhead and a couple of weeks after one-time ante-post favourite Crystal Black was also declared an absentee. 

The Willie Mullins-trained Vauban remains at the top of the market at 8-1.

Lexus Melbourne Cup (Flemington, November 5)
Ladbrokes: 8 Vauban, 12 Circle Of Fire, Jan Brueghel, Saint George, 14 Middle Earth, Warmonger, 16 Absurde, Grosvenor Square, Illinois, 20 Delius, Harbour Wind, The Map, Without A Fight, 25 bar

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'It's ridiculous - very few young horses will pass the criteria' - Aidan O'Brien sounds warning about Melbourne Cup team 

Ebor winner Magical Zoe ruled out of Melbourne Cup as connections opt against Australian trip for star mare 

Find out what weight ante-post favourite Vauban has been given for this year's Melbourne Cup 

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