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New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run graduates had a strong weekend with winners in three countries and a confirmed runner for tomorrow's $6 million Melbourne Cup.

The Group 3 VRC Lexus Stakes at Flemington attracted a great field on Saturday with many horses vying to secure a coveted start in the 150th running of the Melbourne Cup. The race did not disappoint with two NZB graduates earning Melbourne Cup starts including Ready to Run graduate Linton (Galileo x Our Heather) who ran strongly into second place.

Set to jump wide from barrier 23, Linton will be wearing saddle cloth 22 and if successful will become the first Ready to Run graduate to win the Melbourne Cup. Part owner Nick Williams is no stranger to Melbourne Cup success with Efficient winning the Cup in 2007 and the seasoned owner rates the NZB Ready to Run Sale as a great source of strong athletic thoroughbreds.

"The New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale has been a good sale for us and we have a lot of success from its graduates including Perlin and Linton.

"A large part of our success comes from winning middle distance and staying races.

"Where a lot of sales in Australia tend to produce more speed orientated types, the horses offered in the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale are tailor-made for these longer distance races.

"The two-year-olds offered in the sale have had more time to mature and come sale time have developed into very nice horses."

Linton has already won the Group 2 Herbert Power stakes (2400m) this season beating fellow Melbourne Cup entry, the Bart Cummings trained Precedence (Zabeel).

Racing at Singapore on the weekend saw Ready to Run Graduates Steven (Elusive City x Goodwood Jazz) and Big Fortune (No Excuse Needed x Czardos) win their respective races. Elusive City had lucrative 2010 Karaka Yearling Sale results topping the Select and Festival Sales and has strong representation in the Ready to Run Sale with 18 entries.

Daring Youth (Bertolini x Ebony Pearl) also registered success in Singapore notching up his third win. His full brother offered by Lyndhurst Farm was bought by Hong Kong interests from last year's Ready to Run Sale for a sale topping $400,000.

The Danny Bowen trained Bradfield (Petersburg x Fiorino) notched up his seventh win of his career in Australia in the Ballina JC Evans Head Cup. A $20,000 purchase for J Morrisay, he has now earned connections over $115,000.

Moneymaker (Captain Rio x Sustegic) registered his maiden win on Saturday in Waipa in what was a highly successful weekend for Westbury Stud's sire Captain Rio. Lastly, yesterdays Canterbury meeting yesterday saw Danvinsky (Stravinsky x Danvers) claim his first race win after running a strong second fresh up.

Racing on Saturday also saw eight-year-old gelding Butch James ran a tough race to win the Listed $45,000 Fielding Gold Cup (2100m).

Ridden by Robert Hannam, the Adrian Bull trained Butch James (Volksraad x Gillygate) settled mid field for the running and at the point of the turn, went out after race leaders Bruce Almighty and Royal Jazz to won by half a head in a tight finish.

Butch James was bought by New Zealand Bloodstock as agent for $40,000 from the 2004 Karaka Select Yearling Sale. He is nominated for the Group 3 New Zealand Cup at Riccarton in two weeks time.