Few would begrudge Red Cadeaux victory in an Emirates Melbourne Cup which has almost been marked for export already.

Eleven of the 24 horses going to post at Flemington in the early hours of Tuesday morning British time are trained outside Australia, and the likely favourite is the top-weight from Japan, Admire Rakti.

Twice runner-up, by a nose in 2011 and then when seemingly written off 12 months ago, Red Cadeaux appears to prefer the confines of the international quarantine centre at Werribee to his own Newmarket stable.

Red Cadeauxs trainer, Ed Dunlop, believes it is the individual attention the nine-year-old receives from assistant Robin Trevor-Jones and work rider Steve Nicholson on these overseas trips which encourages him to produce his very best on the track.

Whether we trail in at the back, just to be able to bring a horse from Europe to run in four Melbourne Cups, I doubt it will happen again. Of course it might do, but would be a long time before it does, Dunlop said. Were part of it, and weve got a shot. He doesnt win very often but he runs very well in Australia.

Both Roger Varian and Marco Botti, Dunlops near-neighbours in Newmarket, will be cheering on the chestnut if their respective runners Ambivalent and Seismos are unable prevail themselves. We would all like to have a horse like Red Cadeaux, Varian said.

While there has never been a British-trained winner, there is perhaps a better chance of a British-ridden one. Ryan Moore is flying across from Saturday nights Breeders Cup in California to partner the German challenger Protectionist, who caught the eye in a prep-run at Caulfield last month and is drawn well in stall 11.

Saeed Bin Suroor (Cavalryman and Willing Foe) and John Gosden (Gatewood) also have feasible chances, while Johnny Murtagh (Mutual Regard and Royal Diamond) is hoping to become only the second Irish trainer after Dermot Weld to claim the race that stops a nation.

Read more from the original source:

Red Cadeaux in prime form in Australia as he sets out to win the Melbourne Cup after two near misses