Ethiopia may just be a horse to slip under many punter’s radar over the next few months but as far as trainer Pat Carey is concerned, if he can live up to his deeds in 2012, the rising five-year-old will be right amongst it shooting for major success in 2013.

Last season’s Group 1 Australian Derby (2400m) winner at Randwick failed to follow up on that Sydney victory in the Group 1 Doncaster Handicap (1600m) in April but Carey says that there were excuses at Ethiopia’s only autumn appearance.

“The one run was unfortunately on a heavy track which didn’t agree with him and we didn’t see the best of him that day”, said Carey.

“He came through the Autumn in Sydney in good order.”

“He has come through it despite some minor troubles with his feet and that is being monitored during his pre-training in Perth.”

Despite those issues, Carey is happy with Ethiopia’s progression and is expecting the gelding to return to his Mornington stable in July after his Western Australian break and pre-training which has included a lot of beach work.

As for aiming towards a second tilt at the first Tuesday in November, where TAB has Ethiopia rated at $41 for the 3200-metre Emirates Melbourne Cup, Carey is looking towards picking up some other rich races along the way.

“All being well he’ll go on a traditional Cups path”, explained Carey and noted the Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m), which will be run for the first time this year at Group 1 level, as Ethiopia’s probable racetrack return.

Ethiopia finished last, 63 lengths behind the winner Green Moon, in last year’s Melbourne Cup. While that may not look so good on paper, it doesn’t seem to be concerning the trainer who tasted Group 1 success with Gondokoro in the Queensland Oaks (2400m) last month.

“I’ve always been of the opinion that his time would be as a five-year-old”, Carey noted.

“He (Ethiopia) was outstanding in the Cox Plate last year running fourth in what I would consider a vintage Cox Plate.”

“It has set a standard for the horse.”

“Ocean Park won it and beat All Too Hard and Pierro who were the dominant three-year-olds in a year of outstanding three-year-olds. Then Ethiopia was the next horse home.”

“He just tells you that he fits in well with the form line of that season.”

In nine starts, Ethiopia’s record stands at one win and three minor placings and the son of Helenus has already amassed more than $1.1 million in prizemoney.