Whisky chases Lexus Melbourne Cup berth

The Listed Lexus Roy Higgins (2600m) at Flemington on Saturday holds a 'win and you're in' golden ticket for the Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington in November.

Whisky On The Hill is vying for that ticket, along with 12 rivals, but Thompson concedes the stayer has not had the ideal preparation for Saturday's races.

The gelding will be fourth up into Saturday's contest and is coming off a last start sixth to Birdman in the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on March 14.

That followed a midfield finish in the TAB Australian Cup Prelude (2000m) a week earlier which was four weeks after Whisky On The Hill resumed with a sound fifth over 1600m at Caulfield on February 7.

Thompson said Saturday's race had been in the planning following Whisky On The Hill's victory in the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) at Flemington during Melbourne Cup week.

"It's been the plan since the time he came in, but we haven't had the smoothest of preps," Thompson said.

"He missed a run early on which really put us on the backfoot.

"It's unfortunate the programming here isn't ideal to get to a race like this as there was no ideal lead-up, only a 2000-metre race three weeks beforehand.

"He was supposed to run over 2000-metres at Caulfield two weeks before the Flemington race, but he pulled a shoe off and stood on a nail, so he missed that run.

"We ran him at Flemington and I couldn't go third-up into a 2600-metre race, so I dropped him back in distance and ran in the Peter Young.

"He's fit enough for it. He wouldn't be running if I didn't think he was.

"The bit of rain forecast is ideal, it doesn't look an overly strong race, but he hasn't had the perfect prep for it."

Thompson said the Sydney Cup (3200m) at Randwick on April 11 remains a possibility for Whisky On The Hill, especially if the heavens open north of the border.

"I tossed up about aborting this race before the 1800-metre at Caulfield and running in the Manion Cup in Sydney, but then he's got this 2600-metre run under the belt if we do decide to go to Sydney," Thompson said.