The 10-year score is tied: five winners of the Grade 1 Melbourne Cup have been from Australia, and five were shippers from Europe. This year, the trend of leading contenders from Europe will continue when the Melbourne Cup is run Tuesday - without the massive crowd of boisterous spectators typically on hand for the famous race at Flemington Racecourse. Trainer Aidan O’Brien of Ireland starts expected favorite Anthony Van Dyck and top contender Tiger Moth in an attempt to win the race for the first time. The Australian runners are led by the brilliant mare Verry Elleegant and Sir Dragonet, winners of major stakes in recent weeks. The two-mile Melbourne Cup is a handicap with a field of 24. Overall, 15 runners have been based in Australia for most of the year, while nine have raced in Europe. :: Get free past performances, analysis, and picks for Australian racing Tiger Moth, a Northern Hemisphere 3-year-old colt by Galileo, has won 2 of 4 starts and is by far the most lightly raced runner in the Melbourne Cup field. Owned by the Coolmore syndicate, Tiger Moth was second in the Group 1 Irish Derby at the Curragh on June 27 in his third start and won the Grade 3 Kilternan Stakes at 1 1/2 miles at the Curragh on Sept. 12 in his final start before undergoing quarantine for the Australia trip. Tiger Moth drew post 23, far from an ideal draw in a big field. Anthony Van Dyck, the winner of the 2019 English Derby, was third in the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita last November. This year, Anthony Van Dyck won the Group 2 Prix Foy at 1 1/2 miles at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris in September in his final start in Europe. On Oct. 17, Anthony Van Dyck finished a game second to Verry Elleegant in a thrilling running of the Group 1 Caulfield Cup at 1 1/2 miles at Caulfield Racecourse. Anthony Van Dyck closed from 15th of 18, raced about seven-wide entering the stretch, and finished a head behind Verry Elleegant, who also had a wide trip. Anthony Van Dyck was 7-1 with Australian bookmakers Saturday, a slight choice over Sir Dragonet and Tiger Moth. A 5-year-old Southern Hemishphere mare, Verry Elleegant has won six Group 1 races, including three in her last four starts since returning from a four-month break in August. She was an attractive 12-1 on Saturday. Sir Dragonet has been successful at the highest level of racing in Europe and Australia in recent starts. Sir Dragonet finished second to Magical in the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh in July in his final start for O’Brien and Coolmore. Magical is a top contender for the BC Turf at Keeneland next Saturday. Sir Dragonet was sold privately after the Tattersalls Gold Cup and was transferred to trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace in Australia. Sir Dragonet won his Australian debut in the Group 1 Cox Plate at 1 1/4 miles at Moonee Valley Racecourse on Oct. 24, the nation’s leading weight-for-age race. Vow and Declare and Prince of Arran were first and second in the 2019 Melbourne Cup and are part of this year’s race. Vow and Declare, 15th in the Caulfield Cup, was 50-1 on Saturday, while Prince of Arran, fourth in the Caulfield Cup, was rated at 11-1. Post time is 11 p.m. Eastern, or 8 p.m. Pacific, on Monday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.