The Flemington track has been rated a Good 4 with a full field of 24 to line up in today's $6 million Melbourne Cup.

Racing Victoria chairman of stewards Terry Bailey and Victoria Racing Club Track Manager Mick Goodie inspected the Flemington track on Monday afternoon to answer criticism around the way the track raced on Saturday on the opening day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

Horses hard against the rail were advantaged following morning rain.

Goodie advised that the following has occurred since Saturday’s race meeting:

• The rail has been moved out 2 metres from the true position to eliminate the area that was quickest in the straight on Saturday. The grass profile on the inside 2 metres had a thinner coverage of grass due to the kikuyu profile;

• The grass has been cut to 6 inches across the entire track. It raced at approximately 7.5 inches across the entire track on Saturday having been cut to 5.5 inches last Tuesday; and

• No irrigation has been applied to the racetrack. The track has received 0.8 mm of rain up to 7.30am on Tuesday and 11.8m in the last seven days.

The inspection identified a 4 metre section near the centre of the home straight which is rated inferior to the remainder of the straight.

This is the section where approximately 40 horses galloped last Tuesday in preparation for the Cup Carnival.

At 2pm on Monday the section in the home straight out to 10 metres from tomorrow’s rail placing was rated a Good (4), the section from 10 metres to 14 metres was rated a Soft (6), with the section from 14 metres to the outside rail rated a Soft (5).

With clear weather forecast Goodie expects the entire track will continue to improve.

He issued a Good 4 track rating at 7.30am today with no variations.