Irish trainer Willie Mullins is set to return to Australia with his quality stayers Thomas Hobson and Max Dynamite for another Melbourne Cup bid.
The pair, both past visitors to the spring carnival, clinched another trip to Melbourne when Thomas Holborn beat Max Dynamite in the G2 Doncaster Cup over 3600m in the UK last Friday.
Max Dynamite has been placed in in two Melbourne Cup while Thomas Holborn finished sixth on his first visit last year.
Mullins said he is unlikely to start both stayers, owned by Richard Ricci, again before the $7 million Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 6.
“I doubt they'll run before the Melbourne Cup. I imagine that books their tickets,” Mulins said after Thomas Holborn improved on his second in last year’s Doncaster Cup.
“I imagine Thomas Hobson winning will put him way up the order of entry. Last year he was sixth last from a draw which was way out wide."
The nine-year-old Thomas Hobson was 71st in the order of entry for the Melbourne Cup with 52kg but is liable to a penalty for last Friday’s win.
A 1kg penalty would take him in the top 40 on the qualifying order.
Max Dynamite Photo by Racing and Sports
Max Dynamite has 54kg is currently 35th on the order of entry.
In other spring carnival movements from overseas the Japanese stayers Chestnut Coat and Sole Impact have entered quarantine and are scheduled to land in Melbourne on October 1.
Their arrival will take the number of international spring carnival entries quarantined at Racing Victoria's Werribee International Horse Centre to its maximum capacity of 32 horses.
There are 18 horses in quarantine at Newmarket in the UK preparing to travel to Australia while Aidan O’Brien has five quarantined in Ireland ahead of their trip.
The Newmarket horses include the Charlie Fellowes-trained Prince Of Arran, who is equal 49th on the order of entry for the Melbourne Cup with 53kg.
The five-year-old gelding, placed in the G2 Belmont Gold Cup in New York over 3219m, is set to have his first Melbourne start in the G2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) at Caulfield on October 13.
O'Brien’s team in quarantine included the 2017 Epsom Derby runner-up Cliffs Of Moher who is entered for the WS Cox Plate as well as the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups.
Cliffs Of Moher Photo by Pat Healy Photography
