The likelihood that the first $10 million Melbourne Cup will boast a first-ever American-trained runner rose sharply over the weekend, with Parchment Party one of six international horses cleared to enter quarantine ahead of a trip to the Victorian capital in two weeks.

The G2 Belmont Gold Cup (3200m) winner in New York in June was one of six horses approved by Racing Victoria to begin the mandatory two-week quarantine in Europe and Japan over the weekend, after all six horses passed a compulsory scan of their distal limbs.

Parchment Party not only carries the unique tag of the first American-trained Melbourne Cup hopeful, but he enjoys a high profile as his trainer is US Hall of Famer Bill Mott and likewise is his jockey Johnny Velazquez.

Parchment Party recently traveled to the UK from the US to comply with Australia’s quarantine rules.

The group of contenders for the $10m Melbourne Cup will undergo a third and final pre-travel physical veterinary examination in quarantine, before being granted approval to board the flights for Melbourne.

Two-time Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Joseph O’Brien could have two chances at a third Melbourne Cup with confirmation Irish St Leger winner Al Riffa will be joined in quarantine for the trip to Melbourne by his seven-year-old mare Goodie Two Shoes.

The mare scored a G3 victory at Fairyhouse in Ireland in July over 2800 metres, before last start running third in the G2 Lillie Langtry Stakes (2800m) at Goodwood.

The six Melbourne Cup horses to enter quarantine this weekend and scheduled to arrive in Melbourne across October 13 and 14 are as follows:

Al Riffa (Joseph O’Brien, Ireland). Melbourne Cup odds: $6 equal favourite; Goodie Two Shoes (Joseph O’Brien, Ireland), $51; Chevalier Rose (Hisashi Shimizu, Japan), $51; Flatten The Curve (Henke Grewe, Germany), $51; Furthur (Andrew Balding, England), $34; and Parchment Party (Bill Mott, USA), $34.

Parchment Party made it to Newmarket🇬🇧 this morning! He will go into the official @FlemingtonVRC quarantine tomorrow morning. @MelbourneCup, here we come 🏆 pic.twitter.com/qaxmWp4uW8

— Pin Oak Stud (@PinOakStud) September 26, 2025

As the six Melbourne Cup contenders enter quarantine at Newmarket (UK), Ireland and Japan this weekend, a group of five internationals were also due into Melbourne on Sunday evening to contest races such as the $5m Caulfield Cup (2400m), $500,000 Geelong Cup (2400m) and the Melbourne Cup.

They are:

Absurde (Willie Mullins, Ireland) – Caulfield Cup ($34), Melbourne Cup ($34) Golden Snap (Katsunori Tanaka, Japan) – Caulfield Cup ($18), Melbourne Cup ($34) Meydaan (Simon & Ed Crisford, England) – Caulfield Cup ($15), Melbourne Cup ($67) Onesmoothoperator (Brian Ellison, England) – Geelong Cup ($?), Melbourne Cup ($51) Presage Nocturne (Alessandro Botti, France) – Caulfield Cup ($51), Melbourne Cup ($34)

Once they arrive at Tullamarine, the five horses from France, Ireland, England and Japan will head to the Werribee International Horse Centre, where they will complete their mandatory two weeks’ post-arrival quarantine.

These five horses have all satisfied RV’s pre-travel veterinary protocols, passing a compulsory scan of their distal limbs and completing three physical veterinary examinations.

As all 11 horses are entered for the Caulfield and/or Melbourne Cups, they will be required to undergo a standing CT scan of their distal limbs prior to each start in the Spring Racing Carnival as part of RV’s post-arrival veterinary protocols.

In addition to the 11 travelers for the spring Cups, RV also announced that the William Haggas-trained Lake Forest could also compete in Melbourne this spring as he too is expected to arrive in Australia with the first batch over the weekend.

RV confirmed that Lake Forest would undertake his post-arrival quarantine in Sydney before running in the October 18 G1 King Charles Stakes (1600m) at Randwick. If he performs as is expected, the $3 million Champions Mile (1600m) at Flemington on November 8 is a likely next target.