Mustajeer, winner of the richest flat race handicap in Europe, the Ebor, was having his first run for Lees in the $5 million Caulfield Cup (2400m) on Saturday.

Settling at the rear from gate 12, the seven-year-old Australian Bloodstock buy from Great Britain came around the field on the home turn and made up ground to finish sixth, 1.8 lengths behind winner Mer De Glace.

Lees said Mustajeer had pulled up well and he would be suited by the extra distance of the Melbourne Cup (3200m) on November 5 at Flemington. He was 14^th in the order of entry for the $7.75 million race.

"He worked to the line well," Lees said.

"He probably got further back than what we would have preferred but the barrier dictated to us there.

"He had to go wide on the turn and I don't know if he got around there terrifically well, but the winner just showed a better turn of foot.

"He was alongside the winner, who put two lengths on him, and we've finished 1.8 lengths off him at the finish so I thought it was a nice Cup trial."

Lees and Australian Bloodstock also had eight-year-old Big Duke in the race. He settled midfield on the fence from gate one but quickly dropped back through the field at the halfway point and finished last.

Big Duke was uninjured and Lees was hopeful of the stayer racing again this spring. He was 31^st in the Cup order of entry.

"To be honest, it was a good result, because when you see him drop back through the field, you fear the worst," Lees said.

"But he's fine and will more than likely run again in a couple of weeks as long as he passes all his clearances."

Lees said Big Duke, which was fourth in the 2017 Melbourne Cup, would likely next race in the group 3 Hotham Handicap (2500m) at Flemington on Derby day, November 2.

Meanwhile, Lees said In Her Time would next race in the $2 million Darley Sprint Classic (1200m) at Flemington on November 9 after her ninth in The Everest (1200m) on Saturday at Randwick.

The seven-year-old mare settled fifth from gate four, on the outside of Arcadia Queen, but she was forced wide approaching the home turn. She never threatened in the $14 million race and finished four lengths behind winner Yes Yes Yes.

"She got bumped off the track," Lees said.

"There was a bit of buffering around the 700 and it put her out three deep facing the breeze well before we wanted to be there, and it was off a pretty brutal, on-pace tempo.

"They smashed the track record, and all the backmarkers swooped because of that fast tempo.

"She'll go to Melbourne for the same race she was narrowly beaten in last year."

In Her Time was second last year in the Darley Sprint Classic to Santa Ana Lane, which flashed home for second in The Everest on Saturday.