The Moonee Valley Gold Cup offers the last chance for a Melbourne Cup ballot exemption.

The Moonee Valley Gold Cup has always played a vital role in the lead-up to the Melbourne Cup. 

While winners of both races in the one year are rare, the Moonee Valley Gold Cup invariably provided the winner with a handicap penalty taking them a step closer to gaining a start in the Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington which this year is run on November 4. 

The Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m) on Friday night takes on considerably more importance this year as it provides the winner with a ballot exemption into the Melbourne, just like the Geelong Cup (2400m) at its rescheduled time on Thursday. 

Four horses had accepted in the Geelong Cup and Moonee Valley Cup with connections of Gilded Water and Changingoftheguard electing to go to Geelong rather than step out at Moonee Valley. 

That leaves 12 horses to contest Friday night's race with all bar Berkshire Breeze and Hezashocka still in contention for the Melbourne Cup. 

Smokin' Romans is safely in the Melbourne Cup field with Onesmoothoperator holding down spot 24 in the elimination order. 

Athabascan is number 25 with Post Impressionist and Scary numbers 30 and 31 respectively. 

A lot can happen between Friday night's Moonee Valley Gold Cup and final acceptances for the Melbourne Cup on Saturday week as all horses need to go through their scans prior to acceptance and be ticked off by Racing Victoria vets. 

Ciaron Maher, who won his first Moonee Valley Gold Cup with Okita Soushi last year before that galloper went on to finish third in the Melbourne Cup, has Smokin' Romans and Berkshire Breeze in Friday night's contest having also accepted with Gilded Water before deciding to press on to Geelong with that galloper. 

Smokin' Romans won the Warrnambool Cup in May and Maher said the nine-year-old was racing with rekindled enthusiasm. 

In 2022, Smokin' Romans won the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington and started favourite in the Caulfield Cup at his next start, finishing seventh to Durston. 

At his most recent outing, Smokin' Romans finished fourth in the Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) at Caulfield on October 11. 

"He just continues to wind back the clock. He's in as good as form as ever," Maher said. 

"He carried a stack of weight last time and ran very well. 

"Again, the race was probably run too slow for him, he just couldn't get that momentum, even though he was leading. 

"He's in good order and has good form at Moonee Valley." 

Berkshire Breeze is not among the 50 horses remaining in the Melbourne Cup but has the credentials to win on Friday night. 

He chased home Half Yours in the Naturalism Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield on September 20 before running sixth to Valiant King in The Bart Cummings (2500m) at Flemington on October 4. 

"He's got it there to run well. He needed to draw well and (barrier) six looks ideal," Maher said.