Trainer Kris Lees is sending imported stayer Fairlight to Melbourne to contest Saturday’s $400,000 Andrew Ramsden at Flemington.

Lees has booked James Winks to ride the stayer in what has become an important prelude to the 2019 Melbourne Cup.

The Victoria Racing Club has changed the conditions of the Ramsden, restricting it to three, four and five-year-olds, lessening the distance from 3200m, making it a weight-for-age contest and offering the winner exemption from the Melbourne Cup ballot.

Fairlight is a lightly-raced four-year-old who began his career in the UK.

He won twice over 2414m at Newmarket and 2394m at Brighton and sicne landing in Australia was successful over 2400m at Kembla Grange in March on heavy ground at only his second start for Lees.

At his latest start he finished third to Free Fly Two in a BM 78 (2200m) at the Scone carnival on May 11.

Stablemate Chalmers is a Flemington entrant for the Winter Championship Heat but won’t be making the trip south.

The Andrew Ramsden has attracted 24 nominations as a result of the first time Melbourne Cup incentive.

The G2 Adelaide Cup winner Surprise Baby, Hobart and Launceston Cups winner Eastender and G3 Geelong Cup winner Runaway are the highest rated entries.

A trio of three-year-olds are among the entries headed by Listed VRC St Leger winner Transact along with the Symon Wilde-trained stablemates American In Paris and Skyway Star.