The European challenge for this year's Melbourne Cup is gathering momentum with several of the Royal Ascot participants earmarked for the trip to Australia.
Dandino finished second in Saturday's Hardwicke Stakes and trainer Marco Botti confirmed he was on target to try to go two places better than his stablemate Jakkalberry, third in the 2012 Cup.
The Hardwicke Stakes was marred by a riderless horse and the death of the winner, Thomas Chippendale, from an apparent heart attack just after he crossed the line.
"It was a very messy race and Dandino got hampered when the other horse fell and by the loose horse," Botti said. "He finished the race very well and we will continue preparing him for the Caulfield Cup and the Melbourne Cup."
The Luca Cumani-trained Mount Athos finished fifth in the Hardwicke and will also be prepared for another tilt at the Melbourne Cup in which he was an unlucky fifth last year.
