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High class imports Rostropovich and Muntahaa are scheduled to trial at Tatura on Monday – weather permitting.

The Lindsay Park stable is eager to get their spring programs underway but is wary of the severe weather conditions that have swept Victoria over the weekend.

Co-trainer David Hayes said the pair of classy stayers may be withdrawn from the trials if the Tatura track is adversely affected by rain.

The stable is delighted with the progress Rostropovich has been making since he returned to training and want him to trial on a good surface.

The Lindsay Park team took over the training of Rostropovich after he raced in Melbourne and Hong Kong last spring for champion Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien.

A multiple Group winner and second to Latrobe in the G1 Irish Derby in 2018, Rostropovich raced twice for O'Brien at the Melbourne carnival, finishing fifth in the WS Cox Plate at Moonee Valley before finishing in the same position in the Melbourne Cup.

He then went to Hong Kong where he finished seventh in the HK Vase in December before his stable switch.

"He seems quite a straightforward horse," Hayes said. "Nothing is set in stone at this stage but we might look to kick him off in the Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington.

"He's an elite horse and I think he'll come to hand pretty quickly."

Muntahaa, winner of the 2018 Ebor Handicap at York, had his first Australian start in last year's Melbourne Cup, finishing ninth when trained by John Gosden.

He was then transferred to Lindsay Park, racing twice for his new trainers in the autumn but failing to find form with disappointing efforts in the G1 Australian Cup at Flemington and G2 Chairman's Quality at Randwick.

Meanwhile Godolphin's UK trainer Charlie Appleby is planning to start last year's Melbourne Cup winner Cross Counter in the G1 Irish St Leger in September before returning to Australia to defend his crown at Flemington in November.

"The plan is to take a look at the Irish St Leger for Cross Counter and then go on to Melbourne," Appleby said after assessing his third behind Stradivarius in the G1 Goodwood Cup on July 30.

"It was a good, solid run at Goodwood behind the best stayer in Britain and probably Europe.

"The Irish St Leger has been used as a prep race for horses going to Melbourne before and it sits well in the calendar.

"He has come out of the Goodwood Cup well and that is the most important thing."