One of the many European horses brought to Australia with one race in mind has begun his build-up to the Melbourne Cup.

Terrubi was supposed to run in the 2014 Cup but his new trainer David Payne was unhappy with his condition after the long journey.

Like last year's Melbourne Cup winner Protectionist, Terrubi came to Australia with trainer Andreas Wohler after doing his earlier racing under Pascal Bary.

Both horses are owned by Australian Bloodstock with the now Kris Lees-trained Protectionist recovering from bruising after going down on all four bumpers in the Sydney Cup.

Terrubi has also had a minor injury, requiring surgery to remove a bone chip.

"He is back in the stable and I'm very happy with how he looks and how he is coming along," Payne said.

"He had to have a bone chip taken off a joint. He's been off for eight or nine months now so it's a slow process.

"So far he has been mostly swimming and he will start work on the track in a week or so.

"His preparation is all about the Melbourne Cup. He is a real 3200 metre horse."

Terrubi beat high-profile stayer Brown Panther to win the Group Two Prix Nieuil at Longchamp in July last year but finished a distant last in the Group One Preis Von Baden which was to have been his Melbourne Cup lead-up.

Timeform gave him a rating of 119 after his Longchamp win.

The five-year-old is directly related to champion racehorse and stallion Galileo with the two sharing a grand dam, Allegretta.