Emirates Melbourne Cup mainstay Red Cadeaux could have a Spring Racing Carnival travel companion this year, reports racing.com.

The three-time Melbourne Cup runner-up’s stablemate Trip To Paris thrust himself into the frame for a trip south with victory in the Group 1 Gold Cup (4000m) at Royal Ascot, run in the early hours of Friday morning Australian time.

The gelded son of Champs Elysees turned in a resolute performance to score a 1-1/4-length win over Aidan O’Brien’s Kingfisher, with the Dermot Weld-prepared Forgotten Rules third.

The victory was Trip To Paris’s fourth victory from 13 starts and while Dunlop said he might have hindered his Melbourne Cup chances with victory, the performance indicated a trip to Melbourne was at least worthy of consideration.

“He’s probably badly-handicapped now, but he can quicken and goes on any ground, so it will be considered,” Dunlop said.

Newmarket-based Dunlop is hopeful of making yet another trip to Australia with rising 10-year-old Red Cadeaux.

The crowd favourite has contested the past four Emirates Melbourne Cups, finishing runner-up in 2011, 2013 and last year, while he also finished second to Criterion in the $4 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) in April this year.