A mare descended from a Melbourne Cup winner will get a final chance to earn her place in Tuesday's elite field when she tackles the Lexus Stakes.
The Nigel Blackiston-trained Let's Make Adeal is a granddaughter of 1991 Melbourne Cup winner Let's Elope.
She will take her place in Saturday's Group Three Lexus Stakes (2500m) at Flemington with the winner earning automatic entry into the Cup.
At her last start in the Group Two Herbert Power Stakes, Let's Make Adeal stumbled as she went past the winning post the first time, was blocked for a run late in the race and was galloped on by a rival runner, finishing with bloody battle scars on her back legs.
Despite all that, she finished just over a length behind winner Sea Moon.
Blackiston said that while Let's Make Adeal needed some stitches after that encounter she only missed two days of work.
"It caused some problems for a couple of days but she has pulled up well," Blackiston said.
"On that run, and the way she has worked since, we're very happy going into the race but, unfortunately, we're not blessed with the number 14 barrier.
"If we get to the Cup this year it's meant to be. If not, we won't panic, we'll try again next year."
Since Blackiston took over as the mare's trainer earlier this year, Let's Make Adeal has raced eight times.
She has won twice and never finished out of the top four, including a fourth in the Group One Makybe Diva Stakes won by Foreteller.
Blackiston has close links with Let's Elope having been part of the Bart Cummings stable in Melbourne when the mare was racing.
He said Let's Make Adeal reminded him a lot of the great mare.
"She's big, she's strong, she has a beautiful head and she has all the attributes," he said.
"What she is doing at the moment, she is doing on raw ability."
Let's Make Adeal is second favourite for the Lexus at $7 behind Araldo at $4.40.