A new French challenge for the Melbourne Cup gathered strength on Tuesday with the performance of Dunaden in a gallop at Werribee.Leading local rider Craig Williams put Dunaden through his paces in his first strong gallop since arriving in Melbourne and immediately placed the horse on his Melbourne Cup short list.Dunaden finished off his 1600m workout with 600m in 34.5 seconds around the tight Werribee circuit and did it easily, according to his rider."He didn't really extend for me until we got

A new French challenge for the Melbourne Cup gathered strength on Tuesday with the performance of Dunaden in a gallop at Werribee.

Leading local rider Craig Williams put Dunaden through his paces in his first strong gallop since arriving in Melbourne and immediately placed the horse on his Melbourne Cup short list.

Dunaden finished off his 1600m workout with 600m in 34.5 seconds around the tight Werribee circuit and did it easily, according to his rider.

"He didn't really extend for me until we got into the straight," Williams said.

"European horses aren't used to a track like Werribee, but I like the way he lengthened, he got so low.

"He's in really good order, very, very well.

"At this stage I'd be pretty happy to be on him."

On a morning when most of the visiting Cups runner did their first serious work, Dunaden and the German import Lucas Cranach impressed the most.

But only slightly more than the old-timer Bauer, the Geelong Cup winner and Melbourne Cup runner-up of three years ago.

Damien Oliver handled the gelding in a 1400m gallop in preparation for Saturday's Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) at Caulfield.

Bauer has passed the balloting conditions for Saturday week's Caulfield Cup, but needs a weight penalty to be sure of gaining a start.

Oliver said Bauer had something in reserve at the end of the gallop and would be in good order for Saturday's race.

"He's arrived in very good condition and today's work was very good," Oliver said.

"I looked after him in his work and he fully tested the horse he worked with."

Last year's Melbourne Cup winner Americain had a more leisurely task, working alone at three-quarter pace.

Americain's program is yet to be finalised with a Moonee Valley Cup run now on the cards.

Another impressive worker at Werribee was Chilean Derby runner-up Sahara Sun, one of four Luca Cumani-trained runners in Melbourne this spring.

He runs in Saturday's Caulfield Stakes (2000m) in which he will be on trial for a Cox Plate start.