Craig Williams has picked up the ride on the Chris Waller-trained classic winner Youngstar in next week’s $7 million Melbourne Cup.

Williams, seeking his first Melbourne Cup win, will take over as the rider of the Queensland Oaks winner from Kerrin McEvoy.

Craig Williams Photo by Racing and Sports

McEvoy, who rode Youngstar when she finished seventh on the Caulfield Cup at her most recent start, has elected to ride Cross Counter for Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby in the Melbourne Cup.

Waller needed a lightweight rider for Youngstar as the 4YO mare has only 51.5kg.

Meanwhile the Aidan O’Brien-trained Our Idaho was ruled out of the Melbourne Cup on Monday after failing to please in his work at Werribee.

Aidan O'Brien's travelling foreman TJ Comerford said Our Idaho had not adjusted to the local conditions and ws unlikely to have a start in Melbourne.

"He was working well before he came here but it just hasn’t been happening here,” Comerford said.

“If there was another race for him we might consider it but at the moment I can’t see anything because he needs to go a trip.”

O'Brien will still have three Melbourne Cup starters with the favourite Yucatan Ire, The Cliffsofmoher and Rostropovich representing the Ballydoyle stable.