Lloyd and Nick Williams will have Yucatan and The Cliffsofmoher as their only likely runners in the Melbourne Cup.

Melbourne Cup numbers for Lloyd and Nick Williams are dwindling as the high-profile owners chase a third straight victory.

Success with Almandin in 2016 was matched last year as they watched Rekindling beat Johannes Vermeer after providing six runners for the race.

With Lloyd Williams chasing a seventh win, the ownership group this year is likely to have two starters.

However they hold a strong hand with the $4.50 favourite Yucatan and $15 chance The Cliffsofmoher safely in the field.

A third potential runner Midterm ($201) needs to win Saturday's Lexus Stakes to gain a start.

Nick Williams said the attrition rate of their local Melbourne Cup runners had been heavy.

It started with a setback to Rekindling and Johannes Vermeer and ended with the team electing not to pay up for The Taj Mahal after his failure in last Saturday's Moonee Valley Cup.

"It's been horrendous, but you know you have good years, you have bad years," Nick Williams said.

"That's the game, isn't it? There's not much you can do about it."

While they had the one-two finish last year, Williams said people forget they also owned the horses which finished second last and last.

"It's not that easy but if we can get a couple of horses there going OK, that would be great," Williams said.

"The horses are in good order but how they'll run, God only knows.

"You've just got to hope if TJ (Comerford) and his team can get them there, they can run well."

As he watches his own horses go through their paces, Williams also keeps an eye on the other international gallopers working at Werribee.

"I think Marmelo is going very well. He'd be one I'd be putting a circle around," he said.

"Magic Circle is obviously going alright but Marmelo looks to be going particularly well."