A life-size statue of Vintage Crop stands at the famous Irish racecourse The Curragh.

But it was the stayer's deeds on the other side of the world which earned Vintage Crop his stardom and a place in Australian racing folklore.

The Dermot Weld-trained gelding, who died earlier this year at the Irish National Stud aged 27, was a trailblazer who played a major role in the internationalisation of the Melbourne Cup.

In 1993, the chestnut powered to victory in Australia's most famous race at Flemington, a win which opened the floodgates for northern hemisphere-trained horses, and their connections, to try their luck in the rich 3200m handicap.

Since Vintage Crop's historic win as one of two overseas-trained Cup runners, another 110 northern hemisphere-trained starters have come to Australia for the race.

"It's hard for maybe some Australians to appreciate or realise that it wasn't that well known around the world and Vintage Crop more than anything really moved the Melbourne Cup to where it deserves to be and to where it is, as a major world race now," Weld told a Melbourne radio station in July after Vintage Crop's death.

Vintage Crop was unplaced in 1994 and was third a year later in his final start, a race Weld insists he probably should have also won.

Weld is the most successful overseas trainer in the Cup having won again with Media Puzzle in 2002, while Vinnie Roe was second to Makybe Diva in 2004 in one of his three Cup appearances.

Delta Blues led in an historic quinella for Japan in 2006 when he defeated Pop Rock, a year after Eye Popper became the first Japanese-trained horse to contest the race when unplaced.

France soon got in on the act and claimed back-to-back wins in 2010 and 2011 with Americain and Dunaden.

Americain's win, in the race's 150th edition, showcased the international flavour of the Cup.

He was American-bred, Australian-owned, trained by Frenchman Alain De Royer Dupre and ridden by Hong Kong-based French jockey Gerald Mosse.

Dunaden tasted victory in the closest finish in Cup history, beating fellow international Red Cadeaux who has become a fan favourite in Melbourne with two Cup seconds from three attempts.

His runner-up finish to Fiorente last year came in what Red Cadeaux's trainer Ed Dunlop was calling the horse's "zimmer frame tour".

But the veteran stayer is back again in 2014 for his fourth attempt, aiming to become the oldest winner of the race.

And as much as there have been international success stories in the Cup, the race has also been a mountain some of the biggest names in world racing have yet to climb.

Godolphin, the racing operation owned by Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed, has tried more than a dozen times to win the Cup but have come up short.

Since its first runner in 1998 - Faithful Son who finished seventh - Godolphin's royal blue colours have been placed with Central Park (2nd in 1999), Give The Slip (2nd, 2001), Beekeeper (3rd, 2002) and Crime Scene (2nd, 2009).

"We'll try until we win it," Godolphin trainer Saeed Bin Suroor said.

Godolphin, which now has a permanent Australian presence, is back again in 2014 with Willing Foe and Cavalryman to carry its hopes of a break-through.

Prominent English-based Italian trainer Luca Cumani is not back this year, the first time since 2006 he will not have a runner.

Cumani has gone close before. Very close.

Purple Moon was beaten by a storming finish from Efficient in 2007 while a year later courageous grey Bauer was denied by the barest of margins by Viewed, a horse trained by the most famous name in Cup history - Bart Cummings.

Mount Athos gave Cumani another placing last year when third to Fiorente and Red Cadeaux.

Again the international contingent has descended on Melbourne in 2014 for what will be expected to be the largest international participation yet.