Talented New Zealand galloper Cauthen has had a switch of stable and a change of plans.

New trainer Trent Busuttin said Cauthen would be on a flight to Melbourne on Wednesday, joining his spring carnival team which is headlined by dual Group One placegetter El Roca.

Cauthen has had five starts for two wins under Andrew Campbell, including the Listed Mitchell McKenzie Stakes in Melbourne last August when he beat subsequent Cox Plate winner Shamus Award and Caulfield Guineas winner Long John.

The entire by Darci Brahma suffered a stress fracture in his first-up run in New Zealand in January which kept him out of the autumn.

He was expected to resume in New Zealand at the end of this month but Busuttin said he would instead send him to Australia.

"He (Cauthen) is on a plane on Wednesday and joins the stable then," Busuttin said.

"He will be at the track on Thursday with a saddle on his back and we'll go from there."

Cauthen is among nominations for the Cox Plate.

The four-year-old races in the same colours as the Busuttin-trained Sangster who won the 2011 Victoria Derby.

Busuttin pinpointed the Rupert Clarke Stakes and Toorak Handicap as possible Group One aims for Cauthen.

"We'll find a Rating 90 race or something like that to kick him off in and if he can do well there, a race like the Rupert Clarke Stakes or the Toorak Handicap would probably be ideal targets for him," Busuttin said.

"If he happened to win those races there's the Cox Plate there, but obviously that's the cream of the crop. So we'll see."

Busuttin's El Roca was supposed to kick off his Melbourne campaign in Saturday's Listed Regal Roller Stakes but the four-year-old has been ruled out with an elevated temperature.