Lloyd Williams lines up Zipping Classic assault including Melbourne Cup winner Almandin

Williams has also nominated three horses who failed in the Cup: Bondi Beach (13th) — now with Robert Hickmott after being trained in Ireland by Aidan O’Brien — Assign (18th) and Gallante (20th).

The owner confirmed on Monday he would decide which of the quartet tackles the 2400m race after watching them work on Tuesday.

The race is named after his favourite horse Zipping, who won the then Sandown Classic four times from 2007-10.

Williams has also won the Group 2 race with Legible (2003) and Tanby (2012).

TAB fixed odds installed ­Almandin as $2.70 favourite from Victoria Derby fourth So Si Bon, a $5 chance.

Godolphin has three entries — Beautiful Romance and Secret Number for Saeed bin Suroor and Nozomi from the Lee and Anthony Freedman stable.

Overshadowed by protege Charlie Appleby, Bin Suroor will attempt to have the final word on Godolphin’s spring raid.

Beautiful Romance (7th) and Secret Number (21st) will back up from the Melbourne Cup, while Appleby could saddle up Cup fourth placegetter Qewy in the 3200m Sandown Cup.

Appleby worked for Bin Suroor before earning the backing of Sheik Mohammed to start training in Newmarket, England, not far from Bin ­Suroor’s yard.

A former rider who became Bin Suroor’s head lad, Appleby has excelled on his first ­Australian visit, cutting a swath through Victoria’s spring features.

By comparison, Bin Suroor has been much quieter. The Melbourne Cup pair have been his only starters.

Other Cup runners entered in the Classic are Who Shot Thebarman (5th), Almoonqith (6th) and the English-trained Big Orange (10th).

Almoonqith has also been entered for the Sandown Cup.

Willie Mullins’ Wicklow Brave is not among Saturday’s nominations after his torrid Cup run — he finished 22nd after being caught wide.