Ballarat's influence on the spring carnival is set to rise.
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Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Robert Hickmott is scheduled to relocate his team from Caulfield to the Ballarat Turf Club training complex on Wednesday.
BTC announced in August that Hickmott would be taking up residence in a new barn being constructed on-course at Dowling Forest.
He will initially train out of an existing facility while his new stables are built.
Hickmott is makjng the move ahead of the ultimate closure of Caulfield as a training centre.
As well as having his own team in Ballarat, Hickmott will continue to oversee a star-studded line-up owned by Lloyd Williams and based at Williams' Mt Macedon property. This connection has the potential to make Hickmott a frontrunner for a third Melbourne Cup victory.
He has the Williams-owned Buckhurst, King Of Leogrance, Pondus and Dawn Patrol among third acceptors for the Melbourne Cup.
Buckhurst, Pondus and Dawn Patrol are entered for the group 3 $750,000 Bart Cummings, 2510m, at Flemington on Satutrday - a race which offers the winner a guaranteed start in the Melbourne Cup.
Ballarat's Matt Cumani and Archie Alexander are looking to the Bart Cummings as a possible way into the Melbourne Cup for Future Score and Mosh Music respectively.
Future Score has had just one start since last spring, when he took out the Cranbourne Cup and finished third in the Hotham Handicap and Sandown Classic. He resumed at Caulfield on September 18, finishing well back in the group 3 Naturalism.
Mosh Music is three runs into her campaign.