Marbles fall Gai's way in bid for elusive Cup That's my boy: Gai Waterhouse with her Cup favourite Fiorente. Gai Waterhouse's hopes of winning her first Melbourne Cup strengthened dramatically on Saturday night when her race favourite for the $6 million handicap, Fiorente, drew perfectly in barrier five. Waterhouse, who has had three seconds in the race, covets the event her famous father Tommy Smith won twice with Toparoa (1955) and Just A Dash (1981). Betfair punters installed Fiorente as $7.60 favourite in one of the widest Cup markets in years. Part-owner Barry Pang was jubilant when he drew barrier five, the same as last year's winner Green Moon. Sadly, Bart Cummings and grandson James missed a Cup run with Precedence in a photo finish when he was No. 25 on the order of entry at 4.30pm on Saturday. Earlier,English runner Ruscello earned an 11th-hour berth in the field by winning the Lexus Stakes. Odds for the big race. Young trainer Ed Walker was reluctant to run the horse but relented after speaking with the OTI syndicate team headed by Terry Henderson and Simon O'Donnell. Triple Cup-winning jockey Glen Boss was chasing the ride but Cox Plate-winning jockey Chad Schofield was snapped up for the English stayer. English stayer Mount Athos is the $9.40 second favourite despite a wide draw in gate 22. Owner Marwan Koukash said Mount Athos, an unlucky fifth in last year's Cup, was in great form and the Cup was the "biggest show on earth." Trainer Luca Cumani said gate 22 was a "little bit wide but better than 24." "Now it's up to Craig [Williams] to find a position," he said. The Cup field is dominated by internationals - with nine runners prepared by overseas trainers - and Australian owner Lloyd Williams, who will have six runners. Only four of the 24 runners are Australian bred. Remarkably, Williams, chasing his fifth Cup win, had five of his six runners draw 10 or inside and four drew side by side - Sea Moon in 7, Fawkner 8, Seville 9 and Green Moon 10. Nick Williams said the draw gave the horses the best chance of figuring in the finish, and added his father was pleased with their progress. Red Cadeaux's trainer Ed Dunlop declared Lloyd Williams holds the lock and keys to the Cup. "I said before the draw that Lloyd Williams held the key to the race and with five inside gate 10 he will play a major role in how the race is run," said Dunlop, whose horse drew gate 23. Our barrier is bad and we can't do anything about that now. But if they run the race slowly, like last year, it will certainly count us out of the race. We need a genuine tempo. The high class field contains 13 group 1 winners. Michael Owen, the English soccer star, was pleased to draw barrier six for his stayer Brown Panther. It's my first time at Flemington, it's been a great day, now the nerves will start. But it's very different from playing to watching. Once you say goodbye to the jockey and horse it's up to them," he said. We spoke about the Melbourne Cup last year, but it's this year we concentrated on and we couldn't be happier. Princess Zara, daughter of world famous owner-breeder Aga Khan, said it had been her family's wish to come for the Melbourne Cup since she was a child and Verema is the right horse. "I think we have the hallmark of how Alain de Royer-Dupre is not over-racing them and we have chosen her for this race for a long time," she said. She's a good filly and she's well placed in the Cup. The 2011 Cup winner Dunaden drew barrier one - the last winner from that barrier was Kingston Rule in 1990. Trainer Saeed Bin Suroor said he was happy with barrier 11 for Royal Empire. We've come close so often it would be good to win. Irish trainer Willie Mullins said he would have preferred to have drawn a few gates nearer the rail than 12 for Simenon but was confident the horse can handle fast ground if it stays dry. Trainer 0Clarry Conners was disappointed his game mare Dear Demi, the Caulfield Cup placegetter, drew barrier 16. Dandino's managing owner Darren Dance said he was delighted with barrier four for the Caulfield Cup runner-up. We drew wide at Caulfield and it certainly didn't help us, so it's nice to get a good barrier. Last year's Cup winner Green Moon, who drew barrier 10, will wear blinkers for the first time in Tuesday's race.