The former French stakes winner Sir Delius has found a new home in Australia this year and is at the fore of early betting for the Group 1 Melbourne Cup on Nov. 4. A win in Friday’s Group 1 Underwood Stakes at Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne could further enhance his reputation as a contender for Australia’s top race. Sir Delius, eighth in the Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp in Paris last October, has been assigned 122.3 pounds for the $6.06 million Melbourne Cup at two miles at Flemington Racecourse. Weights were published earlier this week with Via Sistina, the 2024-2025 Australian Horse of the Year, and the Irish Group 1 winner Al Riffa assigned topweight of 130 pounds. Al Riffa was the 7-1 favorite in early betting for the Melbourne Cup as of Wednesday, with Sir Delius the 10-1 second choice. Parchment Paper, trained by Bill Mott, has been assigned 114.6 pounds and is 50-1. The winner of the Grade 3 Belmont Cup at Saratoga in June, Parchment Paper is currently going through the quarantine process leading to an expected trip to Australia. :: Get free past performances, analysis, and picks for international racing, including Australia Sir Delius, trained by Adrian Bott and Gai Waterhouse, has won two Group 3 races in his eight-race career – the Prix du Lys for 3-year-olds at 1 1/2 miles at Chantilly, France, in June 2024, and the JRA Chairman’s Handicap at 1 1/4 miles at Doomben Racecourse in Brisbane, Australia, in May. Sir Delius closed well to finish second by a head to Lindermann in the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes at a mile at Randwick on Sept. 6 in his first start since the win at Doomben. The added distance of the Underwood Stakes will work in his favor. The Caulfield program begins at 10:10 p.m. Eastern. There are three former North American-based mares among the Melbourne Cup nominees. Moira (121 pounds) and Full Count Felicia (118) are currently among the 24 top-ranked candidates, the maximum that can start. Anisette (119) is nominated but has yet to fulfill eligibility requirements. All three are trained by Chris Waller. To become eligible for the Melbourne Cup, Anisette, the winner of the Grade 1 American Oaks at 1 1/4 miles at Santa Anita in December 2023, must finish in the top five of a group-level stakes at 1 7/16 miles or farther in Australia in coming weeks, or finish fourth or fifth in a Group 1 race at 1 7/16 miles or farther, or finish in the top three in a Group 1 race at 1 1/4 miles or farther. Anisette, winless in two starts in Australia, is a 22-1 outsider in the $666,90 Underwood Stakes, largely ignored in the betting behind Sir Delius, the 7-5 favorite as of Wednesday morning. Moira was 6-1, while Buckaroo, ninth in the 2024 Melbourne Cup, was 4-1. Knight’s Choice, the 90-1 upset winner of the 2024 Melbourne Cup, was an 82-1 outsider for his second start of the year in the Underwood. Knight’s Choice was sixth of 10 in the So You Think Stakes at 7 1/2 furlongs at Moonee Valley Racecourse in Melbourne on Sept. 6. Moira, who qualified for the Melbourne Cup by winning the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Del Mar last November, was second in the So You Think Stakes, her best result in four starts in Australia this year. Moira was the champion turf female in the United States in 2024. Full Count Felicia was a 30-1 outsider in early betting in Friday’s Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes at 1 1/4 miles at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney. The race is led by Vauban, who was 14th in the 2023 Melbourne Cup and 11th in last year’s running. Full Count Felicia, winner of the Group 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes at 1 1/4 miles for fillies and mares at Woodbine last September, is winless in three starts in Australia. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.