Swiss Derby winner a Cup hopeful -- no Kidding!

Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby is upbeat about the prospect of Kidmenever making a bold impression on his first start in Australia and winning his way into G1 Melbourne Cup calculations.

Appleby knows Kidmenever must win Saturday's G2 Herbert Power Stakes at Caulfield with some authority if he is to secure a run in the Cup on the first Tuesday in November.

The one-time Swiss Derby winner is weighted at 50.5kg (7st 13lb) in the big one, leaving him some way short of the likely cut-off point in the order of entry.

There are only 24 places in the Cup field, and he currently ranks equal 52nd.

"We are hoping for a big run in the Herbert Power," Appleby said. "There are no negatives about him. He shipped well and settled in well.

"We know he will stay the trip (2,400m / one and a half miles) and that the ground will suit.

"Ideally, he can win well enough for the Handicapper to give him a decent penalty, which will help get him into the Cup," the trainer said.

Kidmenever faces 10 rivals in the Herbert Power, including Foundry, the recent winner of the G1 Metropolitan at Randwick. Drawn barrier 8, Glyn Schofield has been booked to ride the son of Baltic King.

There is one other Northern Hemispehere-trained runner in the field, Hugo Palmer's Wall Of Fire, who comes to Australia off the back of a second to the well-regarded Defoe in the G3 Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury.

Kidmenever, a five-year-old (to Australian time), will be having only his fifth start for Appleby, who is the horse's fourth trainer.

His most recent win was registered in the Swiss Derby in June last year at Frauenfeld. He has won five of his 24 starts.