English import Mad Rush has a better form than last year's Melbourne Cup runner-up Purple Moon according to stable foreman Francesca Cumani in an ominous warning to those with designs on this year's big race.
Purple Moon came within a breath of becoming the first English-trained horse to win Australia's most famous race last year, only to be gunned down by Efficient in the final 100m.
That near-miss has fuelled Luca Cumani's desire to win the world's richest handicap and he brings the highly-credential Mad Rush, who is currently a $17 chance, and handy back-up Bauer ($41) in a bid to secure success.
Francesca Cumani said Mad Rush is right in the mix for both Cups, while Bauer needs a weight penalty in a lead-up race to get in the Melbourne Cup field, where he could prove very dangerous.
"Mad Rush will probably be our No.1 chance because Bauer still needs to go up in the weights to get into the race," she said.
"I do think (Mad Rush) is good enough. He's quite a similar horse to Purple Moon last year. For the Caulfield Cup, we'll see how it goes - we'll use it as a prep race (and) if he finds himself in the right time and right place, we'll go for it."
She said there were more than a few similarities between Mad Rush and Purple Moon, but she believes this year's raider has stronger form.
"Physically they're quite similar types of horses. Both specialists over a mile and a half but will easily go further. They can both cruise really well and both have a turn of foot," she said.
"They haven't run in similar races - Mad Rush won a very competitive handicap over a mile and a half at Haydock. He won that in really good style and then came second in a Group 2. So, on that form in England it's probably slightly better than what Purple Moon had done last year. He's got 53.5kg this year which is what Purple Moon had last year. So they're pretty comparable."
Damien Oliver is the man most likely to ride Mad Rush in the Cups having done such a good job with Purple Moon in the Melbourne Cup last year.
"We'll have to wait and see but we were very happy with the ride he gave Purple Moon last year," she said.
And Cumani said that there were very few changes in terms of preparation this time around.
"We tend to give them a few good gallops at home and get them nice and fit. And then give them time here to get over the journey and just build them up slowly, we don't need to do too much to them now because they're at their peak fitness," she said.