The Irish-bred stayer Bauer has it all on the line when he runs in Wednesday's Group Three Geelong Cup.But those who know him best believe he is up to a task so famously achieved by his compatriot Media Puzzle in 2002.Bauer has come to Australia with one mission - to win the Melbourne Cup.While he has met the qualifying conditions, he is so low in the order of entry he has to win on Wednesday to earn a start at Flemington next Tuesday week.It is a task his part-owner Terry Henderson is hopeful h

The Irish-bred stayer Bauer has it all on the line when he runs in Wednesday's Group Three Geelong Cup.

But those who know him best believe he is up to a task so famously achieved by his compatriot Media Puzzle in 2002.

Bauer has come to Australia with one mission - to win the Melbourne Cup.

While he has met the qualifying conditions, he is so low in the order of entry he has to win on Wednesday to earn a start at Flemington next Tuesday week.

It is a task his part-owner Terry Henderson is hopeful he can accomplish, one which his stable believes is within his abilities and one which has filled bookmakers with confidence.

"He might look on paper like one of those one-paced English stayers," Henderson said.

"But he has the speed to mix it in Australian racing, I think you'll find he's pretty handy."

Francesca Cumani, who has been supervising Bauer's work for her father, trainer Luca Cumani, said Bauer's work hadn't been far short of that of Mad Rush, the stable's number one spring contender who finished a luckless fourth in Saturday's Caulfield Cup.

"We really couldn't be happier with him," Cumani said.

"He's in fabulous condition and he's worked really well since he's been here."

Bauer has run four times this year, most recently at Newbury where he finished seventh in the Newburgh Hcp (2671m) won by Caulfield Cup winner All The Good.

He was seven lengths from the winner after suffering severe interference rounding the home turn.

"You can forget about the run," Cumani said.

"He was in a good position and going well but got carried into the fence."

If there is a concern, it is the one rejected by connections that he may be too dour.

Most of Bauer's best form is in races beyond Wednesday's distance of 2406m, suggesting he could be one of those plodding English stayers who need more than 3200m in Australia.

But Cumani agrees with Henderson that he has enough speed to keep him in contention at Geelong.

"He can find a place in the field and he has a great turn of foot at the finish," she said.

Bauer is $4.50 favourite in fixed odds betting with TAB Sportsbet ahead of Light Vision at $5 and Largo Lad at $7, with Zavite and Moatize next best at $10.