Hobby trainer Neil Owen is used to running his horses in front of a handful of people at meetings in country Queensland.

On Tuesday he hopes to be accepting a trophy in front of a crowd of 100,000 or more at Flemington.

Owen mixes his pharmacy business with training a few horses and last year decided he had one good enough to send to leading Brisbane trainer Robert Heathcote.

Lordag made it five wins from 15 starts when he scored at Doomben at his last start and Heathcote decided to take the gelding to Melbourne for the Lavazza Short Hcp (1400m).

"Neil takes his family to Melbourne every year for the Cup. He has always wanted a horse to run on Melbourne Cup day and now he has got his wish," Heathcote said.

"I think he has a real chance of winning it. Lordag has settled in very well, he is drawn to suit and the pace of the race should also suit."

Craig Williams will ride Lordag in the $100,000 race while Kerrin McEvoy will ride fellow Queenslander Pop `N' Scotch in the JB Cummings AM Tribute (2800m).

The race honours 12-time Melbourne Cup winning trainer Bart Cummings who died two months ago.

Birchley is trying to qualify Pop `N' Scotch for the Sandown Cup in a couple of weeks over the Melbourne Cup distance of 3200 metres.