The Danny Curran-trained Welcome Stryker qualified for the final of the $200,000 Melbourne Cup Country Series, following a second-placing in last Friday’s 1600m heat at Ballarat.

It will be run at Flemington on VRC Oaks day on day three of the cup carnival.

In its second year in 2018, the series allows the connections of country-trained gallopers to experience some of the magic of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

Eligibility is restricted to Victorian trainers who do not have a metropolitan training base, with the final field limited to horses that finish first and second in each of the eight heats.

The final heat will be staged on Jayco Bendigo Cup day on October 31.

Curran said the six-year-old gelding, who has won three of 39 starts, would be kept fresh until Oaks day.

“We have had a bit of trouble with him, but we hope we finally have him right,” he said.

“We’ve worked out that he’s at his best if kept fresh, and even though he looks like a stayer, he hasn’t been finishing his staying races off, so we are going to keep him to that 16000m distance.

“He’s fit and well (after Friday) and he’ll be nice and fresh and we’ll keep him that way.

“I don’t know if he’s good enough to win at Flemington, but he’s good enough to give his owners a ticket.”

Curran said ownership of Welcome Stryker was split between local and interstate interests, with four part-owners from Western Australia already having booked their flights to Melbourne for the race.

Corey Parish, who has ridden the gelding in two of his wins, will retain the ride following his success at Ballarat.

Meanwhile, Curran is targeting a defence of the St Arnaud Cup on Cox Plate day with handy middle-distance galloper Manhattan Menage.

The now seven-year-old gelding gave Curran his second success in the race with a victory in last year’s event.

“Whether he is going as well as he did last year I don’t know, but we will be trying to run in it,” he said.