Emma-Lee and David Browne once had their sights firmly set on gaining a berth in the Caulfield Cup with Statuario after he displayed genuine staying potential late in his three-year-old season.

A program was mapped out to chase that lofty target, and Statuario produced a pair of eye-catching runs to keep the dream alive, only for awkward barriers to halt that momentum.

When it became clear that a Caulfield Cup berth was slipping out of reach, the Brownes pivoted towards more achievable assignments.

One of those opportunities comes in Saturday’s Listed Cranbourne Cup (1600m), with the possibility of pressing on to the Listed Ballarat Cup (2000m) on December 6.

Statuario had attempted to qualify for the Caulfield Cup via the Naturalism Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield in September, finishing fourth behind dual Cups hero Half Yours.

That win secured Half Yours a ballot-free run into the Caulfield Cup, and the rest unfolded accordingly.

The Brownes then steered Statuario to the Coongy Cup (2000m) on October 15, where he finished fifth, before easing off and preparing him for Cranbourne and potentially Ballarat.

He resumed with a tune-up in the greys race during Melbourne Cup week, charging home for second.

“It was a little short for him, but he finished it off really strongly,” Emma-Lee said.

“This is a nice progression for him for his next start.

“We took him to Cranbourne during the week as he does get quite above himself and we’ve found in the past taking him to those gallops always finishes him off quite nicely for the race ahead.

“He does very well in the paddock, so we’re looking at this race on Saturday and then maybe the Ballarat Cup and then another little break.”

The upcoming Cranbourne Cup has drawn a deep field, but the Brownes remain undeterred.

“He didn’t have much luck earlier in the spring when we were getting wide draws, but he still ran pretty well,” Emma-Lee said.

Stablemate Pondalowie sits as the first emergency and needs a withdrawal to gain a start, with the $200,000 Kilmore Cup (1600m) on Sunday serving as the fallback.

Pondalowie has been contesting Stakes races recently and finished sixth behind Rumbled Again at Caulfield last weekend.

“She’s going super but has had no luck,” Emma-Lee said.

“She’s probably the happiest, and as well as we have seen her, she just needs a break her way.”