Matt Cumani is using the group 1 $2m Victoria Derby at Flemington on Saturday as a springboard to the Melbourne Cup Carnival for his team.
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Cumani has Sign Seal Deliver in the three-year-old classic - his second runner in the feature in three seasons after Greycliffe was unplaced in 2017.
While he is excited to have a runner in the 2500m staying test, Cumani is also looking ahead to the rest of the week.
"It's fantastic to be in the derby," Cumani said.
Cumani was pleased with Sign Seal Deliver's run in the Geelong Classic - fifth to Long Jack - and that was enough to convince connections to go to the derby.
"He looked good running to the line, so that satisfied the first of my tests (to get him into the derby)."
Cumani is not overly confident Sign Seal Deliver, which is an outsider, can win, but feels he can improve on previous three runs.
"He's an outside chance there's no doubt about it," he said.
"I think he'll like the conditions at Flemington. He has a great temperament and the distance should suit."
Cumani will have a bigger hand on Melbourne Cup Day on Tuesday, when he has four fillies and mares engaged.
He saddles up One More Try in the TAB Trophy for mares, 1700m - a race she won last year - Etah James in The Macca's Run, 2800m, and Deserved and last-start winner Flandersrain in the Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes for 3yo fillies, 1400m.
Cumani said One More Try had put in a great performance last start.
"I'm hopeful she can do the same as she did last year."
Cumani is also hoping that some good runs in cup week will propel him nicely into Ballarat Cup Day on Saturday, November 23.
"We've got a locally owned horse Wetakemanhattan running on stakes day. He's won twice at Flemington and at his past two starts," he said.
"If he can win (next Saturday) he might prove to be good enough for the Ballarat Cup."
The Cumani team has one of four Ballarat starters in the Victoria Derby.
Mitch Freedman has Southern Moon, Nigel Blackiston has Translator and CiaronMaher/David Eustace has Thought of That.
Freedman also has last-start Moonee Valley winner Broadwayandfourth in the group 1 $1.5m Coolmore Stud Stakes for three-year-olds, 1200m. The Ciaron and Eustace operation's presence also includes the Ballarat-based Magazine in the group 2 $300,000 Wakeful Stakes, 2000m.
