ACCORDING to Racing Victoria chief handicapper Greg Carpenter, Australian racing purists should not be resigned to the Melbourne Cup becoming a race dominated by overseas stayers in coming years.

While Carpenter, the man who weighted the field for this year's Melbourne Cup, conceded that it won't be easy for Australia to compete against other nations, he believes 2011 was a year of very little luck for local stayers.

''If you look at horses of the standing of Scarlett Lady, Moudre, Maluckyday, and Cedarberg who all went amiss on the way to the race and combine that with the unusual scenario of the Caulfield Cup winner [Southern Speed] and the Cox Plate winner [Pinker Pinker] not going on to the Melbourne Cup, it's a year of difference, '' he said.

''While the win of Dunaden will be a spur for other trainers overseas to make the trip, I think that Australian owners and trainers are starting to source their stayers from England. Look at the case of Lucas Cranach, he was brought to Australia by Australians.

''And it seems recent sales in England have shown more stables beginning to purchase staying bred and performed racehorses with a view of winning races like the Melbourne Cup.''

Lucas Cranach, who finished fifth in the Caulfield Cup, was bought with the Melbourne Cup in mind and became a personal project for trainer Lee Freedman, who went to England to oversee the early part of his Cup program after handing the reins of the stable to his brother Anthony three months ago.

It would seem this approach or similar will be adopted by many owners in the future.

Carpenter also said that the Lloyd Williams team was also on the cusp of a strong representation in the Cup but it seemed luck went against the stable.

The handicapper pointed out that Williams had a number of stayers set to take their place in the Melbourne Cup, however for various reasons only At First Sight made the field.

''And they had the added disappointment of having to scratch Mourayan on Cup morning, which left them with the one runner,'' he said.