Dual Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Dermot Weld will return this year to try to win the great race for a third time. The master Irish trainer has four horses in contention this year, with Rite Of Passage being tipped to come out in front. He also intends to bring back Profound Beauty, who ran fifth behind Viewed in the 2008 Melbourne Cup.

Renowned for helping turn the Melbourne Cup into a truly global event, Weld won the iconic race in 1993 with Irish horse Vintage Crop, the first overseas trained horse to win the Cup.

The only northern hemisphere trainer, Weld experienced Melbourne Cup victory again in 2002 with Irish horse Media Puzzle. This victory is now the subject of the movie The Cup, which is currently being filmed around Melbourne.

One of the most revered trainers in the world, Dermot Weld holds the record for the greatest number of winning horses in Ireland.

An official launch for the Melbourne Cup was held in Flemington, where a stellar line up of racing royalty, including Weld, assisted the proceedings. The nominations are now closed and the countdown is on to the milestone 150th race. which will take place on Tuesday, November 2 this year.

It’s steadily gaining notoriety as the greatest day on the Australian sporting and social calendar and Dale Montieth, CEO of Victoria Racing Club, has said that ticket sales are already up 150% compared to this time last year.

On race day, Weld will be joined by many international trainers who have accepted the challenge to try to win the $6 million race. The competition is expected to be harder that ever with 45 European, Japanese and Hong Kong raiders entered.

The only notable international absentee is Irish trainer Aidan OBrien, whose emerging stayer, Age Of Acquarius, broke down at Goodwood Cup in England and has been retired to stud.

Weld made the promise to contend the race immediately after Rite Of Passage scored a famous win in the Group 1 Ascot Gold Cup 4000m at Royal Ascot early in June.

“I suppose we’ll have to take him to Melbourne now,” Weld said immediately after the six-year-old delivered his first success in England’s most famous staying race.

Interestingly, Rite Of Passage is owned by Dr Richard Lambe, an Irish research scientist whose daughter Kate is currently attending university in Melbourne. Weld’s son Mark said Dr Lambe was a regular visitor to Melbourne to see his daughter and was very keen to have a runner in the Melbourne Cup.