Godolphin hopes to get Royal Empire to the Melbourne Cup despite his defeat as the topweight at Kempton and issues over quarantine.

The 9-4 favourite was beaten a head by another Godolphin runner, Prince Bishop, in Saturday's September Stakes at Kempton.

"Royal Empire is a possible runner for Melbourne but it depends on the quarantine as there is a complication," Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford said.

"The Australian quarantine can only accommodate the runners for the Cox Plate and Caulfield Cup at the moment.

"He might now run in the Cumberland Lodge at Ascot (October 5) and hopefully it will be sorted out."

Another Melbourne Cup entry, Main Sequence finished third in the Kempton race.

Godolphin has yet to win the Melbourne Cup but has come close with Central Park (2nd in 1999), Give The Slip (2nd in 2001) Beekeeper (3rd in 2002) and Crime Scene (2nd 2008).