Among the top bracket of Melbourne Cup runners the French mare Verema is an enigma.

She has outstanding form at home, she is prepared by a Cup-winning trainer and she will be ridden by a Cup-winning jockey.

But since arriving in Melbourne she has done nothing but long, slow work on the training track without the merest sign of breaking into a gallop.

And her trainer Alain de Royer Dupre has added to the mystery by naming another French Cup runner as a superior galloper.

De Royer Dupre says Verema is the equal to his 2010 Melbourne Cup winner Americain but believes Tres Blue could be better than them both.

"In quarantine Tres Blue is better than my filly," de Royer Dupre said after watching both horses work at Werribee on Friday.

"But he is a three-year-old and we don't how well he accepts the trip, how he will be in the parade. You need to be relaxed before the race."

Verema is a $13 chance in most Cup markets with Tres Blue at $19.

As light as Verema's preparation may seem, de Royer Dupre said it is no different to the lead-up he gave her before her victories at her past two starts in France, the most recent coming in Europe's best Cup trial, the Prix Kergorlay.

"She races very fresh, she doesn't accept too much work," de Royer Dupre said.

"She never shows too much in the morning so I don't want to change anything. Maybe I am wrong, but I continue."

Verema, who will be ridden by Christophe Lemaire, is owned by one of Europe's most prolific and successful owners, the Prince Shah Karim Al Hussaini Aga Khan, the 49th in direct male descendancy to the prophet Muhammad and leader of the Nizari Ismaili sect.

The owner four Epsom Derby winners including Shergar and Sharastani the Aga Khan's other great racehorses include, Sinndar, Dalakhani, Daylami, Blushing Groom and Zarkava.

He also owns stud farms in France and Ireland, a yacht club in Sardinia an island in the Bahamas and is the head of Aga Khan Development Network, a private charitable foundation with an estimated 80,000 employees.

Not surprisingly he won't be at Flemington on Tuesday, but will be represented by his daughter Princess Zahra - and a horse who, despite appearances, is ready to win.