His Sydney trainer, Chris Waller, thinks he can measure up in the group 1 feature.
Waller is advising punters to forget that Patrick Erin is giving away a few years to some of his race rivals.
The trainer knows he is a tough White Robe Lodge product.
"Forget his age. He is typical of a horse like Who Shot Thebarman," Waller said, referring to Patrick Erin's stablemate.
Both are by White Robe Lodge stallions - Patrick Erin is by Gallant Guru and Who Shot Thebarman by Yamanin Vital.
"They are good, tough New Zealand horses and will excel stepping up to this trip."
Patrick Erin, formerly trained by Brian and Shane Anderton, has had two solid runs this campaign.
Waller is excited about the prospects of the 7yr-old who steps up to the 2400m of the Metropolitan.
"The soft track certainly won't worry him and he is a very tough horse.
"He has only had the two runs this preparation but he is a lightly framed horse and very clean-winded, so he is ready to peak on Saturday.
"The good draw [barrier 4] will afford him a nice run, he has a good jockey aboard [Corey Brown], so there is plenty to like about his chances."
The gelding had 105 horses weighted above him on the Melbourne Cup's order of entry when it was released earlier this month.
A win in the group 1 race tomorrow would significantly lift his chances of making the race.
Who Shot Thebarman is no stranger to the Melbourne Cup. He has contested three of them, with his best result third in 2014, and is being set for a fourth.
Waller will line the 10yr-old up at Randwick tomorrow in the group 2 Hill Stakes (2000m).
He will drop in company from having to chase Winx home in his first run this campaign.
"He has come through his first-up run well," Waller said.
"He has drawn well in gate 4. I thought he just ran a little fresh first up and bottomed out a long way from home, so a nice, patient ride from a good draw should see him steadily build and finish off at the right end of the race.
"He will improve, and safely through Saturday's race, he will most likely race in the Craven Plate in two weeks and then on to the Moonee Valley Gold Cup."
Who Shot Thebarman won the gold cup last year then was scratched just hours out from the Melbourne Cup.
The Waller-trained Egg Tart looks a big chance in the Hill Stakes tomorrow.
And Waller has the favoured pairing of D'argento and Unforgotten in the group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) among his massive eight-horse team entered for the race.
