While recent history suggests Europe is the breeding ground for Melbourne Cup winners, Chris Waller believes he may have found a contender closer to home.

Auckland Cup winner Who Shot Thebarman has joined the Waller stable at Rosehill and pleased the trainer in a barrier trial at his new home track on Monday.

The five-year-old arrived in Sydney a few weeks ago to begin a campaign aimed at the spring staying features and was not asked to do too much in his 900m heat, finishing sixth of the eight runners.

"He is a typical New Zealand stayer and is a lightly framed horse," Waller said.

"He has put on weight and is a stayer with some substance.

"He went back to New Zealand after the Sydney Cup for a spell and came to us a few weeks ago and has settled in well.

"I'm not sure where he will start off. It depends where he sits in the scale of things.

"His Auckland Cup win shows how strong he is at 3200 metres."

Who Shot Thebarman has won six of 10 starts in the care of Mark Oulaghan for the O'Leary family who live close to Waller's home town of Foxton.

The gelding ran midfield in the Sydney Cup and returned to New Zealand for a short spell before heading back across the Tasman.

He is a son of the late Yamanin Vital who was by Sir Tristram, the sire of three Melbourne Cup winners - Gurners Lane, Empire Rose and Brew.

Waller also has the high-profile gelding Our Voodoo Prince heading to the major races and the imported galloper will run in a barrier trial in early August.

Several of Waller's established stars took part in trials on Monday ahead of their spring returns and while none of them won their heats, the trainer was happy with the work-outs, particularly that of triple Group One winner Boban.

"(Jockey) Glyn Schofield said he had come back a lot stronger and you can see it," Waller said.

"Sacred Falls and Hawkspur were in the same heat along with Foreteller and they are coming along well and may resume on Warwick Stakes day."

The Warwick Stakes meeting on August 23, which features the Show County Quality (1200m) as well as the Group Two 1400m feature, is a traditional new season springboard.