The odds of leading Melbourne Cup contender Septimus starting in the race firmed on Thursday when he was one of six European-trained stayers to enter quarantine.
Aidan O'Brien's trio Septimus, Honolulu and Alessandro Volta, the Dermot Weld-trained Profound Beauty, Jane Chapple-Hyam's Yellowstone and Richard Gibson's Varevees were all in quarantine when the Wednesday night deadline (GMT) passed, according to Racing Victoria.
Connections of the six stayers have already booked flights leaving Europe on October 9 and arriving in Melbourne on October 11 for their horses.
The news is the strongest indication yet that the powerful O'Brien stable, which trained the third-placed Mahler last year, will be heading to Melbourne and brings to nine the number of European-trained stayers currently in quarantine.
Luca Cumani's pair Bauer and Mad Rush, and the Godolphin-trained All The Good, entered quarantine in Europe earlier this month. However, there are still doubts over whether Profound Beauty will fly out to Australia.
Racing Victoria General Manager - Racing Operations Leigh Jordon will speak to Weld, the only European-based trainer to win the race, this week to gauge his thoughts.
Jordon said while horses entering quarantine were a 'positive sign' they were coming, nothing was confirmed until they stepped on the plane.
"The shipping agent wouldn't want them pulling out," Jordon told Sportal. "It's a very good sign that they're coming out but things can happen."
Jordon expected only four to six of the nine in quarantine to grace the starter for the Melbourne Cup.
"Things happen. Horses may have injuries," Jordon said. "They're all saying they want to come. I know with experience in the past sometimes a few drop out."
Bauer is well down the order of entry list for the race and must win the Geelong Cup on October 22 to force his way into the 24-horse field.
And horses such as Carte Diamond, who infamously cheated death after impaling himself on a fence during a track gallop at Flemington in 2005, was a reminder that things can still go awry once in Australia.