Parchment Party is set to make history as the first U.S.-trained horse to compete in the prestigious Melbourne Cup, following a determined victory in the Birdstone Stakes at Saratoga on Thursday morning (AEST).

The four-year-old entire made it consecutive wins after capturing the Grade 2 Belmont Gold Cup — a race that grants automatic exemption into the Melbourne Cup — and connections have confirmed that Flemington is now firmly in their sights.

Trained by renowned American horseman Bill Mott, Parchment Party will travel to England for initial quarantine before joining the group of European-based contenders heading to Australia for the 3200-metre Group 1 contest on November 4, which carries a $10 million purse.

“That’s the plan — we’ll head to the Melbourne Cup,” said Dana Bernhard of Pin Oak Stud after Thursday’s win.

“We’ll quarantine in the UK, then move into quarantine in Australia and go from there.”

The son of Constitution now boasts four wins from 11 career starts after unleashing a powerful late surge along the inside to claim the 2816-metre Birdstone Cup, run on dirt, by a length over Digital Ops.

“He’s a big, tough horse — nothing stops him,” added Jim Bernhard.

Though American-trained horses have yet to feature in the Melbourne Cup, the Belmont Gold Cup has proven a solid international reference. Previous winners including Red Cardinal, Amade, Baron Samedi and Loft have all made their way to Australian shores, while the much-loved Prince Of Arran — a three-time Melbourne Cup placegetter — placed in the Belmont Gold Cup in 2018 before heading to Victoria.

As the global appeal of the Melbourne Cup continues to grow, Parchment Party’s upcoming arrival signals an exciting new chapter for U.S. participation in Australia’s greatest race. For those looking to back him or other international hopefuls, check out the top options via our recommended Australian betting sites.