Who Shot Thebarman winning for Blake Shinn (Image: Racing Photos)
Grand veteran Who Shot Thebarman raced his way into a fourth Melbourne Cup when he broke a two-year losing streak in Saturday's Moonee Valley Cup.
But after finishing powerfully to win the $300,000 Group 2, Who Shot Thebarman will need to defy history at Flemington as no nine-year-old has won a Melbourne Cup.
His trainer Chris Waller quinellaed the event as Libran finished second and he said later that both horses would progress towards the Melbourne Cup.
Who Shot Thebarman is 15th on the Melbourne Cup order of entry while Libran, who is part-owned by Victoria Racing Club Chairman Amanda Elliott, is 24th.
The veteran had not won a race since the 2015 Sandown Classic, which was his most impressive career victory as he took that race by seven lengths. Saturday's win took his earnings beyond $3 million.
Who Shot Thebarman ran second in last year's Moonee Valley Cup to Grand Marshal, who came from last to win and it was a similar pattern this year with the first two horses home also racing at the tail of the field behind the genuine speed offered by Cismontane.
For rider Blake Shinn, it was his third victory in three races after scoring earlier on Blondie and Lubiton, and he paid tribute to the stayer, claiming he has gone close to winning on him several times over the past few seasons.
"It's actually my first win on him but the owners have stayed loyal with me," Shinn said.
"I ran second on him in the Sydney Cup and The BMW and have ridden him 10 or 11 times.
"It's very special. (The owners) follow him around everywhere he runs and he's got a cult following this horse. He'll now line up in his fourth Melbourne Cup and on that win he's not without a chance."
WATCH: Who Shot Thebarman's win
A delighted Waller confirmed that Who Shot Thebarman would now chase a fourth Melbourne Cup after earlier declaring the horse had to again earn the right.
"You'll see him on the first Tuesday on November," Waller said. "He's been in the race three times. The first time he ran third. The second time he was knocked over and almost fell. The third time he ran fifth.
"He ran second in the Sydney Cup only six months ago. It's not just about winning the Melbourne Cup, it's about being a part of the event and it's very hard to deny owners that opportunity when they buy these horses, look after them for so long and dream like we're all entitled to."
As for Libran, Waller said his destiny was to race in the Melbourne Cup: "He's back on track and some of the connections are pretty high up at the VRC so I don't think I'll be talking them out of not running (in the Melbourne Cup) either."
Waller said Who Shot Thebarman was a stable favourite. "He's just as important in the stable as horses like Winx.
"He's a nine-year-old and as you saw then he's still trying his heart out and loves his profession. It's just a pleasure to have him in the stable as it is with good horses like Winx and what more can you say, these big days are what it's all about."
Since arriving in Australia from New Zealand in 2014, Who Shot Thebarman has proven himself one of the great Australasian two-milers of the modern era as apart from his Melbourne Cup record he has also contested four Sydney Cups for ninth in 2014, second in 2015, fourth in 2016 and second earlier this year.