The enthusiasm of jockey Blake Shinn might be the best pointer when it comes to separating Tulloch Lodge stayers Vaquera and Hippopus in the $100,000 City Tattersalls Club Cup at Randwick on Saturday.

Shinn, having missed out on riding Vaquera when she scored a first-up win in the Group Three Tibbie Stakes, is determined to make up for that lost opportunity in the Listed race.

Her Craven Plate placing to Honorius with Shinn on board only confirmed her progress since filling a place in the Queensland Oaks during the Brisbane winter carnival.

"Blake has been dying to ride her," Mark Newnham, stable foreman for trainer Gai Waterhouse said.

"He wanted to ride her in the Tibbie because he had been riding her in her work and he was rapt the other day in the Craven Plate.

"Blake virtually booked himself for the ride."

First markets on the Listed race have Vaquera ($5) just shading Hippopus ($5.50) on the second and third lines of betting behind early favourite Ironstein ($4.80) and Kingdoms ($5).

Vaquera and Hippopus are still among the final 72 Melbourne Cup acceptors and Newnham said both horses would be given their chance to join high profile stablemates such as Fiorente and French import Tres Blue in the race.

"They are both still in the Melbourne Cup so it's not an impossible target," Newnham said.

"If they were both to perform well on Saturday they will both head to Melbourne and even if they didn't make the Cup there are a variety of races for them right through the carnival."

Vaquera and Hippopus are both by High Chaparral and Newnham says that sets them up for bright staying futures.

"Being by High Chaparral you would think they will only keep improving," he said.

Vaquera finished 1-3/4 lengths from the winner in the Craven Plate with Hippopus not far behind in fourth place after he made the speed.

Ironstein and Kingdoms will bring form from the Group One Metropolitan into Saturday's race.

Searching for his first win in almost two years, Ironstein ran fourth to Seville in the best staying race of the Sydney spring carnival while Kingdoms found the line keenly despite finishing 10th after his chances were diminished because of a slow tempo.