They may hail from different sides of the world but Godolphin runners Elhaame and Havana Cooler both having something in common.

Both horses need to win Saturday’s Group 3 Lexus Stakes at Flemington to force their way into next Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup field.

Elhaame is part of a three-horse team Saeed bin Suroor brought to Australia for the spring carnival and has pleased connections with his progress at Werribee.

"I like Elhaame a lot," said bin Suroor after inspecting the horse upon his arrival in Australia.

"He's a much better horse now than he was in England. He's travelled well, he looks well.

"He's healthy and happy, he's improved physically since he's been here."

Elhaame has won three of his last four runs and is weighted on just 50kg for the Melbourne Cup but is not yet qualified and has no hope of gaining a run without a win on Saturday.

John O’Shea’s Havana Cooler has passed the qualifying conditions for the cup but remains well down the order of entry at number 33 so also has his cup hopes resting on a Lexus win.

Havana Cooler produced his best effort since arriving in Australia when third to stablemate Magic Hurricane in the Group 1 Metropolitan Handicap.

"I've been very happy with his work this week and I thought his last run was great," O'Shea said.

"He had to come though on the worst part of the track, so it was a pretty good effort," O'Shea said.

"I'm confident he'll love the Flemington track, I think he'll be very competitive."

Godolphin have Sky Hunter safely in the Melbourne Cup field but another of bin Suroor’s runners, Secret Number, is on the borderline at number 25.