![The Euphrates and Tim Clark power to victory in the Kingston Town Stakes, putting the Frankel import firmly on a Cups path. [Bradley Photos]](https://betsy.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/2362623.jpg)
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable will look to get a second Melbourne Cup runner if The Euphrates can win the Geelong Cup.
Success in the Group 3 Geelong Cup (2400m) on Wednesday provides the victor a ballot exemption into the Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 3.
The Euphrates is number 29 in the Melbourne Cup ballot order, although there are horses above the imported stayer that are not heading towards the Cup.
Waterhouse said The Euphrates was an acceptor in the Group 2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m) at Flemington on Saturday, as a precaution.
A former member of the Aidan O’Brien stable, The Euphrates has raced just three times in Australia, winning the Kingstown Town Stakes at Randwick before running third in The Metropolitan (2400m) on October 3.
The Euphrates was first emergency in last Saturday’s Caulfield Cup (2400m) but failed to gain a start.
Waterhouse said she was ‘very disappointed’ to miss out on a run.
“I think he’s an exciting horse and I think he can win the race tomorrow and it’s a good race for him to go to, but we’ve also accepted in the Moonee Valley Cup,” Waterhouse said.
“We want to get him in the Melbourne Cup, so we’ll have a look at both races, just as a precaution.”
Vauban also features among Geelong Cup acceptances and Waterhouse said Wednesday’s race was the ideal lead-up towards the Melbourne Cup.
The French-bred gelding is safely in the Melbourne Cup field at number 16 in the Order of Entry and will be looking for success at his fourth attempt in the Cup.
Vauban ran in the Cup twice for Willie Mullins, finishing 14th then 11th respectively, while last year he ran sixth for Waterhouse and Bott.
The gelding has not raced since finishing third in the Doomben Cup in May, but Waterhouse said Vauban was going ‘super’.
“It gives him just under two weeks to run in that race tomorrow and then into the next race, the Melbourne Cup,” Waterhouse said.
“It’s a bit unusual, but I said to the owners I’ve had to call on all my training expertise to hopefully pull it off.”
