EMIRATES Melbourne Cup winner Almandin has shown he will be a formidable opponent in this year’s edition after stepping out for an eye-catching win in the Listed Japan Racing Association Trophy over 2,500 meters at Flemington on Saturday.

In a field of 13, dominated by six Robert Hickmott-trained and Lloyd Williams-owned runners, Almandin, carrying 61kg with Damien Oliver up, relished the solid tempo set by stablemate Granddukeoftuscany to slip through on the rail and burst clear with 300 metres to run.

Eased down on the line, the Monsun gelding won by three lengths from his stablemates, the Irish-bred pair of Crocodile Rock and Aloft, both of whom are Emirates Melbourne Cup entrants and weighted at 50kg and 51.5kg respectively.

Bookmakers reacted swiftly setting Almandin as a clear $6 Cup favourite ahead of Humidor at $13. “Wow, there’s only one word for that. He’s come back better than ever. It’s a long time since I’ve ridden a stayer with my feet on the dashboard so far from home,” said Oliver, who has won his only three rides on Almandin but could not make last year’s 52kg Cup weight, the winning ride going to Kerrin McEvoy.

Given 56.5kg this year, Oliver has since been confirmed as Almandin’s Melbourne Cup jockey.

Nick Williams, Lloyd’s son, give little away as to Almandin’s next start but didn’t rule out a start in the Caulfield Cup which has had its conditions changed. Should the Caulfield Cup winner carry 56kg or greater they are now exempt from a re-handicap penalty for the Melbourne Cup.

Almandin is weighted at 56.5kg for the Caulfield Cup.

“He really surprised me the way he just cruised past them with 61 kilos,” said Nick Williams. “The horse will tell us where he goes, whether it’s the Bart Cummings, the Herbert Power, the Caulfield Cup, the Cox Plate or the Moonee Valley Cup. I wouldn’t want to encourage any punters to back him in the Caulfield Cup, but I wouldn’t want to dissuade them either.”