WHAT’S THE LATE MAIL? Alex Menchin, Matt Hunt and Matilda Davis were keen to get their tips straight from the horse’s mouth, the Rebecca Levy trained Ecrates, on the eve of today’s Melbourne Cup Day race meeting at Towac Park. A big crowd is expected for the Golden West Race Club’s five-race program with gates opening at 11am and the first race jumping at 12.45pm. The track is just one way to spend Melbourne Cup Day today with functions and luncheons all over town. See today’s sports section for Flemington fields and form and Orange’s fields.