The joker in the Melbourne Cup's international pack scuppered a plan for the globetrotting Red Cadeaux to lead her off in her work only five days out from the $6 million race.

But that did not even raise an eyebrow from trainer Roger Varian's travelling foreman David Eustace, who was at pains to explain it is all part of the near daily My Ambivalent act.

"I keep telling everyone and no one really believes me, but that's how she is," Eustace said. "If you saw her every day at Newmarket she would be doing exactly the same.

"We're quite happy with how she's behaving because it means she's in quite good form. If she was flat and quiet I would be worried. That doesn't bother us nearly as much as it bothers everyone else.

"[Red Cadeaux] was there to help us trot around and she goes when she wants to go. If she wanted to go when Red Cadeaux went ... great. If she didn't ... we'll get her off in her own time."

The Middleton Stakes winner at York – she also boasts a third to superstars Gentildonna and Cirrus Des Aigles in Dubai's Sheema Classic this year – has been under constant scrutiny since arriving here. She picked up a stone bruise which forced her to miss the Caulfield Cup and has been constantly scrutinised by Racing Victoria vets.

"It was a stone bruise and it's like us stubbing a toe," Eustace said. "We had two or three days off and she did pull up lame once, and she must have just banged a joint again. Apart from that, it has been smooth, which sounds ridiculous, and thankfully the other horse [Farraaj] has been much smoother.

"I think she is underrated in her ability in she's probably got the best international form in the race being third to Gentildonna and Cirrus Des Aigles in the Sheema.

"I can't find a piece of form better than that really. They're champions all over the world and if she runs up to that mark and stay two miles, you would like to think she would be able to have a hand in the finish."

There were no such problems for her intended galloping partner at Werribee, dual Cup runner-up Red Cadeaux, which is on a fourth Australian campaign. He pleased travel-weary trainer Ed Dunlop after he inspected the nine-year-old.

After professing a win in this year's Melbourne Cup would mean "more than any race I've probably ever run a horse in", Dunlop gave the thumbs-up for his old warhorse's condition.

"I don't know what happens here, but he becomes a different horse," Dunlop said.

"I went and saw him in the barn when he had a little trot up and he's moving well, his legs look good and his weight is spot on. I can only mess it up, so I'll stay out of the way."