Airline officials at Melbourne Airport could consider themselves taken for a practical joke when a flight of racehorses touches down early on Wednesday.

The names of the horses on the cargo manifest bears more relevance to a container of circus animals than elite thoroughbreds.

Well-known New Zealand trainer, Emma-Lee Browne, shares a laugh when she discusses her main Spring Carnival hopeful, Elephant, nominated for a benchmark 84 at Caulfield this Saturday.

And also on the flight will be Elephant’s stablemate, Rhinoceros, another interesting name for a Spring Carnival aspirant.

“I know it sounds strange but the owner bred them and he chose the names – yes, they are a little different,” Browne said.

Emma-Lee, who trains in partnership with her husband David, said that the stable is quietly confident of making a successful impact in Melbourne this spring.

“They’ll all be having a run in the next 10 days.  In the case of Elephant, he’ll be kicking off at Caulfield but we’ve also entered him for Sandown the following Wednesday in case something goes wrong.  We’ve also got another horse called Bifrost, and he’ll go to Geelong on Friday this week,” she said.

David will come across with the horses and Damien Lane, one of the Victoria’s leading jockeys, has been booked to ride Elephant.

Elephant is unbeaten in four race starts and has been eagerly watched by bloodstock agents both in Australia and Hong Kong as he maintains a compelling profile.

“On Saturday we are hoping that Elephant will be competitive.  I don’t expect him to win but I do expect him to be running on in the closing stages,” Emma-Lee said.

“We are targeting the Cox Plate. I know it’s a big ask but he’s got so much potential we’ve got to look at everything that’s around.”

The three horses – Elephant, Rhinoceros and Bifrost – will be stabled at former New Zealand training combo Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young’s complex at Cranbourne, south east of Melbourne.

The benchmark 84 that Elephant is engaged in is littered with horses from South Australia and New South Wales that will make the race an interesting insight into races later in the Spring.

Elephant will be returning from a spell when he takes his place at Caulfield over 1400m on Saturday.  However, the son of Shocking, who has an up to 1600m imposing record since making his debut in early March 2020, has been showing staying potential.  Elephant will have an addition to his head gear at Caulfield, wearing earmuffs pre-race.