Three-time Melbourne Cup-winning rider Damien Oliver has picked up the ride on Ed Dunlop's Red Verdon after Oisin Murphy was handed a 15-day careless riding ban which rules him out of the Flemington showpiece.

Three-time Melbourne Cup-winning rider Damien Oliver has picked up the ride on Ed Dunlop's Red Verdon after Oisin Murphy was handed a 15-day careless riding ban which rules him out of the Flemington showpiece.

Oliver has won the Melbourne Cup on Doriemus (1995), Media Puzzle (2002) and Fiorente (2013).

Dunlop's travelling head lad Robin Trevor-Jones said: "I've just spoken to Damien and he's keen for the ride. I just told him to ride him exactly how he rode Fiorente."

Kerrin McEvoy has picked up the ride on the Charlie Appleby-trained Cross Counter.