Irish-bred import Sir Dragonet will join two former Australian champions if he can take out the $8 million Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on Tuesday.
Since the internationalisation of the Cup in 1993, only two horses have completed the Cox Plate – Melbourne Cup double in the same year.
Sir Dragonet won the Group 1 Cox Plate at The Valley (2040m) on October 24 at his debut for the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable and steps out for the first time at Tuesday's distance.
Only Saintly (1996) and Makybe Diva (2005) are winners of the Cox Plate to have won the Melbourne Cup at their following start since 1993.
So You Think almost completed the double in 2010, winning the Cox Plate before finishing third to Americain in the Melbourne Cup 10 days later.
The longest trip Sir Dragonet has competed over to date is 2922m of the English St Leger at Doncaster in September last year when finishing fourth and while the entire has not raced further than 2040m this year, Maher is confident the son of Camelot has had the grounding for Australia's most famous race.
"He's looked better and moved better the longer he's been here," Maher told RSN927.
"On the day of the Cox Plate his recovery was almost instant which is what you want to see in what is a testing weight-for-age race and his coat has definitely come on from that race.
"They're all the little indicators you look for and he's certainly ticking all the boxes for me."
While the Cox Plate was won on a deteriorating wet track, Maher is not overly concerned about the prospects of a firm track on Tuesday.
"The Cox Plate was his highest rating he's return and I think his second highest rating he's returned was on a firm deck over in Europe," Maher said.
"Obviously, he does love a shower of rain, but I'm confident he'll handle that, no problem."
After sharing favouritism with former Aidan O'Brien stablemates Anthony Van Dyck and Tiger Moth at $8 following Saturday evening's barrier draw, Sir Dragonet is now a $10 chance with TAB.
Tiger Moth heads the market at $8 with Anthony Van Dyck at $8.50.
Maher and Eustace will also be represented by outsiders Etah James and Persan who have each had support at longer odds.
Etah James won the Group 1 Sydney Cup in the autumn and has firmed from $151 to $81 while Persan has come in from $51 to $31.
Maher believes Persan will run a big race.
"He's been racing all year, had his races well-spaced," Maher said.
"He loves Flemington and it is a handicap and we see year-in, year-out, the ones down in the handicap tend to figure providing they've got the right form lines and the right ability and get a nice enough run.
"He's drawn out quite wide which will make the job a little more difficult, I would suppose, but he can definitely run a big race.
"Etah James is a genuine two-miler. If she could finish in the first half, I'd be rapt with her." 
