Pia Brandt should have more than just visiting European support if she decides to campaign Bathyrhon towards the 2016 Emirates Melbourne Cup, reports racing.com.

The Swedish trainer, who is based at Chantilly just outside Paris, has risen through the ranks in her adopted France and her five-year-old looked a potential candidate for Flemington this year when landing a 3100m Group 2 at Longchamp in May.

Stepped up in distance and class for the Gold Cup (4000m) at Royal Ascot last week, Bathyrhon acquitted himself well from a prominent position in finishing fifth behind Ed Dunlop’s Trip To Paris, who is firmly in the mix for a trip to Australia himself.

Brandt, though feels her star has a little still to learn. 

“I don’t think so for this year - it’s too early for him in his journey,” she said.

“We were very pleased with him at Ascot. It wasn’t the ability that beat him, it was his lack of maturity. He wasn’t used to the way they run there, he lacked a bit of speed, and I think it would be the same in a Melbourne Cup.  But he’s a young horse who will hopefully continue to get better.”

Regarding plans, Brandt added: “We haven’t decided, he’s entered in a race at Longchamp on 14 July (Prix Maurice de Nieuil) but that’s over 2800m. We’ll see how he is, but he’s very well after the Gold Cup.”

Brandt has a vested interest in making a Spring Racing Carnival visit, explaining: “My husband’s mother lives in Sydney and we’ve got lots of people over there following our horses.

“I went over about 15 years ago and really enjoyed the country. It would be lovely to come back with a runner one day.”

Saturday’s Northumberland Plate is one of the big staying events targeted by Dr Marwan Koukash as he tries to find a replacement for the retired Mount Athos.

The best the charismatic owner could manage was fourth behind Quest For More, whose trainer Roger Charlton suggested either the Goodwood Cup (3200m) or Ebor (2800m) as the next option for his high-class galloper.

French-trained Gailo Chop, who is being considered for the William Hill Cox Plate by joint-owners OTI after running respectably in a hot Prince Of Wales’s Stakes (2000m) at Royal Ascot, is set to appear in the Prix Gontaut-Biron over the same trip at Deauville in mid-August.

OTI’s Gatewood, twice a visitor to Australia already, was a well-beaten third in a 2400m Listed event at Newmarket on Saturday.