One of the world’s premier jockeys, McEvoy will be chasing a record-equalling fourth Melbourne Cup win at Flemington when the race stops the nation at 2.30pm Adelaide time.

And he will do it on one of the shortest-priced favourites of the modern era as English stayer Deauville Legend tries to add his name to the honour roll of international winners of Australia’s greatest race.

McEvoy, who hails from Streaky Bay, won his first Melbourne Cup as a 20-year-old on Brew in 2000 before winning again on Almandin in 2016 and Cross Counter in 2018.

He says Deauville Legend reminds him of Cross Counter as a northern hemisphere three-year-old who is on his way through the staying ranks.

“Deauville Legend has got very similar formlines to Cross Counter and he looked the right one for me this year,” McEvoy said.

Cross Counter carried 51kg to victory while Deauville has 55kg but McEvoy says there is less depth to this year’s race.

“You can argue that the local talent is a little bit thin on the ground compared to other years,” he said.

“And the older horse talent out of the UK is probably a little bit thin as well.

“All those things put together had me angle towards Deauville Legend.

“I must admit it’s a little bit more weight than is ideal but he’s a classy individual.”

Deauville Legend held firm as a $3.60 clear-cut favourite at the Cup eve Call of the Card.

He will be striving to become the first favourite to win since Fiorente saluted almost a decade ago.

Rain is forecast to impact the $8 million race, making it a proper endurance test over the 3200m.

Deauville Legend is one of two overseas-trained runners.

The other is fellow UK stayer Without A Fight who shares the second line of betting with Realm Of Flowers, one of the best-backed runners during the past week.

Victory would place McEvoy alongside Bobby Lewis and Harry White as the race’s only four-time winners.

Lewis’s four wins came in 1902, 1915, 1919 and 1927 while White won in 1974, 1975, 1978 and 1979.