The top five horses in Melbourne Cup betting - all of them internationals - are set to sort out their pecking order on the training track at Werribee this week.

With at least 10 and as many as 14 international horses are in line to make the 24-horse field, the visitors hold almost all of the keys to a race in which they are capable of total domination.

During a week in which final Cup gallops are scheduled almost daily, the most crucial promises to be that of 2010 Cup winner Americain who will have his new race rider Damien Oliver in the saddle for the first time on Wednesday.

In a spring carnival that has become notorious for jockey sackings and switches, Oliver has been on both sides of the fence having been dumped from Green Moon and My Quest For Peace only to pick up the Americain ride at the expense of Frenchman Gerald Mosse.

"You can never be sure what's ahead in this business," Oliver said at Moonee Valley on Saturday.

"But I'll be making the most of this opportunity, believe me."

Americain is the $7 second favourite in most Cup markets with last year's winner Dunaden at $6.50.

On the third line is the Luca Cumani-trained Mount Athos at $9.50 followed by another English runner Red Cadeaux at $11 and the French-trained Brigantin at $12.

After those is a second wave of raiders lurking with serious intent including Shahwardi, My Quest For Peace, Gatewood, Galileo's Choice, Jakkalberry, Prairie Star, Lost in The Moment, Cavalryman and Fiorente.

Craig Williams is also due back at Werribee on Thursday to ride Dunaden, presumably convinced he is a preferable ride to his Cox Plate failure Green Moon.

Williams is committed to Dunaden, but, in the spirit of a season in which he has shown a willingness to jump ship, he had given indications he could be persuaded to drop the reigning Cup champion if a better offer emerged.

Also due at Werribee this week is the in-form Kerrin McEvoy who will get acquainted with Godolphin's Lost In The Moment in a gallop on Thursday.

In other movement at the quarantine station, the Dermot Weld-trained Galileo's Choice, who dumped his rider and did a couple of laps of the track on Saturday, will go to Flemington to gallop on Tuesday.

Last year's Cup runner-up Red Cadeaux galloped on Saturday for the first time since his arrival and will do some more on Thursday while Mount Athos will do some strong work on either Wednesday or Thursday.