HOT on the heels of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, the Victoria Racing Club have announced a fifth race that will carry a ballot-free entry into the Melbourne Cup.

The Andrew Ramsden (formerly run as the Duke Of Norfolk over 3,200 metres) will be run on May 25th and be open to three, four and five-year-olds over 2,800 metres with prizemoney of $400,000. The race will be six weeks after the $2 million Sydney Cup, still held over 3,200 metres.