IRISH horses having jumps preparations before producing big efforts in the Melbourne Cup is a well worn path.

Max Dynamite finished third last year, Heartbreak City ran second in 2016 and Simenon was fourth in 2015.

You can even go back to the start of the international invasion, when Vintage Crop followed the same preparation before winning the race in 1993.

But an Australian jumper running in the Melbourne Cup is unheard of.

David Brideoake is hoping to start a local trend with his star jumper Self Sense, who kicks off his spring campaign in the Sofitel Girls Day Out Handicap (1700m) at Flemington on Saturday.

Brideoake has entered him for the big three spring races — the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups and the Cox Plate.

“His jumping this year has brought on his flat form,” he said.

“It’s going to be an adventure (but) if I wasn’t doing this then he’d be spelling, so it’s worth a try.

“Hopefully we’ll get into the Naturalism Stakes and potentially into the Caulfield Cup.

“If we can get him right on the day he’ll run a big race in a race like that.”

Self Sense hasn’t started since his second in the Grand National Hurdle at Sandown Lakeside on August 5.

“His effort was phenomenal. I had no problem with the pressure being placed on him as it’s a race and he found the distance too far.”

At his previous start Self Sense won the Vobis Gold Stayers over 2400m at Caulfield where he carried 60.5 kilos to win.

“If he was to get a start in the Melbourne Cup I’d build a statue of him.”