Racing heavyweights, AFL stars set for spring carnival

Defending Melbourne Cup champion Gold Trip is hitting his stride beautifully ahead of the spring carnival, but faces a stern challenge from imports and a gelding backed by six AFL players.

Richmond spearhead Tom Lynch has a stake in Soulcombe, as do teammates Nathan Broad, Liam Baker, Jack Graham and Jayden Short and retired Tiger Jack Riewoldt.

Gold Trip, trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, and Soulcombe will both race in Saturday's Turnbull Stakes at Flemington and have their sights set on the Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup.

There is also plenty of hype around Romantic Warrior, the Danny Shum-trained galloper out of Hong Kong, who is the short-priced favourite to win the Turnbull Stakes.

Soulcombe, trained by Chris Waller, is on the second line of betting behind Vauban for the Melbourne Cup.

"It's very exciting," Lynch said at a TAB event on Tuesday.

"(It's) a little bit nerve-racking this early to be second-favourite, but yeah, hopefully, there's a nice couple of runs coming up.

"Obviously the Turnbull on the weekend and then I think we'll go to the Caulfield Cup, then the Melbourne Cup, so hopefully the horse gets through well and it's in good form.

"You always hope to win it. We're very, very excited. We're very lucky to be involved in a horse like Soulcombe and we can't wait."

There hasn't been a back-to-back Cup winner since Makybe Diva's three-peat from 2003-05, but Maher backed Gold Trip to deliver.

"I think he's going better than ever," the trainer said.

"(I'm) rapt with his first-up run.

"You've gotta keep his feet in the right order, and thankfully so far they've been really good.

"He's got a bit of a swagger about him at the moment.

"His coat's very sleek, he looks ready for the spring."

Maher was also excited by what Light Infantry, who has returned to Australia after a stint in Europe under trainer David Simcock, and King Colorado could achieve this spring.

"King Colorado possibly could even go into a Cox Plate," Maher said.

"He's a really strong horse that will just thrive off racing, and he's raced the older horses once already in the Winx (Stakes) and he performed pretty well, but I think he'll be better as we stretch out."

Fellow trainer Annabel Neasham expected evergreen veteran Zaaki and fellow nine-year-old Spirit Ridge to be her horses for the spring.