Last season’s Gr.1 VRC Oaks (2500m) winner Miami Bound has avoided a handicap penalty for Tuesday week’s Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) after racing away with Saturday’s Gr.2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2600m).

The New Zealand bred daughter of Reliable Man has 51kg in the Melbourne Cup and was assured of a start prior to the Moonee Valley Gold Cup win where she sat at 22nd in the order of entry.

“Miami Bound was a strong winner of the Moonee Valley Gold Cup, however she was well weighted under the set weights and penalties conditions of the Group Two race and she will face superior opposition at Flemington on Cup Day,” Racing Victoria Executive General Manager – Racing, Greg Carpenter said.

“At 5.5kg under weight-for-age benchmark in the Melbourne Cup, modern history says she already faces a significant challenge to win the race with 51kg.

“The last VRC Oaks winner to win the Melbourne Cup as a four-year-old was Light Fingers way back in 1965, whilst Kingston Rule was the last horse to the complete the Moonee Valley Cup-Melbourne Cup double 30 years ago in 1990.”

Third acceptances for the Melbourne Cup closed on Monday and the connections of 45 gallopers still have their sights set on Flemington on the first Tuesday in November

Under the conditions of the Melbourne Cup, Saturday’s Cox Plate (2040m) winner Sir Dragonet was unable to be penalised in the two-mile handicap for his Group One weight-for-age triumph.

Daniel Moor has been booked to ride Miami Bound, who is one of six New Zealand bred horses safely in the field of 24 runners for the Melbourne Cup, with Verry Elleegant, Oceanex, Surprise Baby, Etah James and The Chosen One also guaranteed a start.