UK trainers outline Melbourne Cup plans

Owen revealed Burdett Road will be aimed at the 3200-metre event at Flemington in November after his jumps campaign, which looks sure to take him to next month's Cheltenham Festival.

A winner of four of his eleven races for Owen, Burdett Road has quickly established himself as one of the smartest dual-purpose performers in Britain, with a Listed victory on the flat to go alongside Grade 2 success over hurdles.

The son of Muhaarar looks set to contest either the Champion Hurdle or County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, although Owen is looking forward to a flat campaign, which could culminate in a trip to Melbourne for the 'race that stops a nation'.

"We're still very keen to go to Cheltenham and we're still keen to have a flat campaign with this horse as well, hopefully ending up at the Melbourne Cup which he has got a lovely mark for." - James Owen"We know he likes fast ground, and the track will be perfect.

"We're going to go to some big places with him and have lots of fun."

Burdett Road has won seven of 22 starts with his biggest flat win an 8-1/2-length romp in last September's Listed Godolphin Stakes (2414m) at Newmarket.

He then contested the Group 2 British Champions Long Distance Cup (3118m) at Ascot and finished sixth, beaten 7-3/4 lengths by Kyprios.

Also potentially joining Burdett Road on a trip to Australia is the Nicky Henderson-trained Palladium, who became the most expensive horse ever to be sent over jumps after Lady Bamford's €1.4 million (AU$2.3m) purchase made a winning hurdling debut at Huntingdon.

The four-year-old son of Gleneagles remains a colt but is all set to contest the Grade 1 JCB Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival before connections look at reverting last year's Group 1 German Derby winner to the flat.

Palladium, a winner of three of eight starts, won twice on the flat in Germany when trained by Henk Grewe and Henderson believes his recent acquisition could have just what it takes to compete in the Melbourne Cup.

"I don't think you'll see Palladium jumping a fence," Henderson earlier this week.

"I think he'll be winning a Melbourne Cup. We're thinking of Royal Ascot and the Melbourne Cup." - Nicky Henderson