New Zealand three-year-old Xtravagant will try to claim his own slice of history by chasing the $1.5 million Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on Saturday week if he wins the $755,000 Australian Guineas (1600m) at the same venue this weekend.
Trainer Stephen Autridge is keen to get a barometer on the colt's prospects for the Group I weight-for-age Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley in   October. In the 30 years since the inception of the three-year-olds' event, no horse has won the Australian Guineas-Cup double. 
Xtravagant will be flown out of New Zealand on Wednesday afternoon. He will be stabled at Flemington and have light exercise on Thursday.
Xtravagant burst on to the Australian Guineas radar earlier in the season, winning the 2000 Guineas at Riccarton in   November among other races. It appeared his bubble burst when fourth in the Levin Classic (1600m) at Trentham in   January on a rain-affected track.
He bounced back, however, at his next appearance. Taking on the older horses at weight-for-age in the NRM Sprint (1400m), Xtravagant thrashed his opposition by eight lengths and made it four wins from his last five starts.
Xtravagant is the $4.20 favourite in this Saturday's Group I Guineas and $13 for the Australian Cup.
Having saddled up the quinella in the Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield, trainer Mick Price switches his focus to the Australian Guineas with Victoria Derby winner Tarzino.
Tarzino will have a light autumn, Price committed to four starts. He turned in a blinder when resuming, finishing fourth in the Autumn Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield, a little over a length behind Mahuta.
Price will send Tarzino to Sydney for the Rosehill Guineas and the Australian Derby after he runs at Flemington. Tarzino is on the third line of betting at $6 and will be ridden by Craig Newitt.
Leading trainer Darren Weir has three live chances in Palentino ($4.80), Mahuta ($8) and Perfect Reflection ($9).
Chris Waller is looking to send either Spring Champion Stakes winner Vanbrugh or Torgersen ($26) for the Flemington feature. The Waller stable's star three-year-old, Press Statement, will remain in Sydney for the $1 million Randwick Guineas (1600m) on Saturday.
Press Statement won the Caulfield Guineas last   October and resumed with an effortless victory in the Hobartville Stakes at Rosehill nine days ago. He will start a warm favourite and be ridden by Hugh Bowman.
Kermadec, winner of last year's Doncaster Mile after an unlucky run in the Australian Guineas, will return to racing in the $500,000 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) at Randwick on Saturday. His two worst runs in the spring were when he stepped out to 2000m, but Waller will keep him to races at or below 1600m this autumn.
Trainer Pat Carey went to $675,000 - a record price for a filly at the Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale - for a daughter of Fastnet Rock out of Hidden Energy.Three-time Melbourne Cup-winner Makybe Diva's filly by All Too Hard was bought by trainer Tony McEvoy for $300,000. McEvoy said he had seen all her progeny and rates this one was "a deadset mini me" of the great mare.