Hawks Bay will have to better his own modern-day weight carrying record to win his third Darwin Cup on Monday and his trainer Neil Dyer admits it won't be easy.

Hawks Bay has won the Northern Territory's feature for the past two years after finishing second in 2009 and 2010.

He will once again be ridden by Steven Arnold and will carry 65kg in the $200,000 race.

Dyer said although the task was difficult, he could not be happier with the eight-year-old's fitness leading into the race.

"He's physically in very good condition but he's a year older and we're probably just a bit concerned that the task ahead of him is just starting to get a little bit daunting," Dyer told racingvictoria.net.au.

"Aside from the fact that he's gone up half a kilo, Bolton who ran second to him last year, has also gone down two kilos.

"He probably improves twenty per cent on the dirt and he just thrives in the heat up in Darwin so were hoping that he can pull out another big run tomorrow."

The Cup is run at Fannie Bay on the most unusual surface in Australia which is a mixture of sand, dirt and sump oil.

The oil is used to stop the track breaking up in Darwin's extreme climate.

Former Darwin trainer Stephen Brown, who is now based at Flemington, will make a homecoming with three runners - Bolton, last-start Northern Territory Derby (2000m) winner Host Of The Party and The Big Steel.

Premier Sydney jockey Nash Rawiller will ride Extra Zero for Hall of Fame trainer David Hayes.

Former Sydney galloper Thumbtacks will have his first start for Alice Springs trainer Mark Nyhan in the Cup.

The seven-year-old won nine races and almost $500,000 in the care of Chris Waller and goes into the race off a fourth over 1600 metres at Flemington.