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Veteran stayer Doukhan will head to Melbourne after his worthy seventh in last Saturday’s Sydney Cup at Randwick.

The nine-year-old’s stout finish behind another veteran Who Shot The Barman in the Sydney Cup (3200m) convinced trainer Kris Lees to set him for a Melbourne target.

“He will go down for the Andrew Ramsden Stakes at Flemington on May 5,” Lees said. “It is run over the same distance as the Sydney Cup and won’t be as strong as last Saturday’s race.

“He ran really well in the Cup. His last two runs at Randwick during The Championships have been good.”

Doukhan ran fifth to Kiwi stayer Sir Charles Road in the G2 Chairman’s Quality (2600m) a week prior to the Sydney Cup.

Though a rising 10-year-old, Doukhan has raced only 24 times for six wins after injuries curtailed the former French gelding’s career.

Lees has won three races with him in Sydney over middle distances and is keen to give him his chance to clinch a feature 3200m success in the Andrew Ramsden, previously known as the Duke of Norfolk Stakes.

Stablemate Graff, an impressive debut winner at Rosehill on April 2, is heading to the Hawkesbury stand alone meeting on Saturday week.

Graff’s target is the $125,000 Clarendon Stakes (1300m) for two-year-olds after he delighted Lees with a barrier trial win at Randwick on Monday.

Lees sent the Star Witness youngster to Randwick and with Kerrin McEvoy aboard he swept home from well back on the turn to win his heat over 1040m.

Lees’ G1 winners Le Romain and Clearly Innocent will represent the stable in Saturday’s $600,000 All Aged Stakes (1400m).

Singing will join the pair at Randwick, lining up in the G3 JRA Plate (2000m).

Lees’ other Sydney Cup runner Admiral Jello has ended his current campaign.