The Hunter will have its greatest representation in a Melbourne Cup in recent memory - and potentially ever - when six runners with ties to the region contest the $8.4 million race on Tuesday at Flemington.
Top Newcastle trainer Kris Lees will have two runners - Cleveland and Kalapour - in the race that stops a nation for the first time, while his gun apprentice jockey, 22-year-old Dylan Gibbons, will have his maiden Cup ride aboard Okita Soushi for leading Irish conditioner Joseph O'Brien.
Hunter syndication company Australian Bloodstock, which won the Cup last year with Gold Trip and in 2014 with Protectonist, has three chances in the race for the first time.
Gold Trip will lead its charge again, while French mare Lastotchka and comeback galloper Ashrun have also qualified for the famous staying event.
The Victorian-trained imports all have Hunter owners among their connections.
Australian Bloodstock, founded by Hunter locals Luke Murrell and Jamie Lovett, regularly buy then syndicate overseas stayers with the Cup as their target. They have had two in the race multiple times, but never three.
They are also major supporters of Lees and Gibbons, meaning a win for one will be a win for them all.
"It's amazing, a quarter of the field with some Hunter connection," Mr Murrell said.
"It's great from my point of view because you get to cheer for six of them, and you'd like to think one of them could do something."
