Deauville next stop for Melbourne Cup favourite

Melbourne Cup favourite Red Cardinal will continue his build-up to November's great race with an outing in France on August 20.

German trainer Andreas Wohler won the 2014 Melbourne Cup with Protectionist and will follow a similar program with Red Cardinal, who is as short as $15 in 2017 Melbourne Cup markets.

(Red Cardinal by Montjeu)

Red Cardinal won the Belmont Gold Cup at his last run in June but Wohler will run the stayer in the Group II Prix Kergorlay at Deauville before travelling to Melbourne for a lead-up race in the Group II Herbert Power Stakes on October 14.

Protectionist defeated three rivals in the 2014 Prix Kergorlay before running a solid fourth in the Herbert Power Stakes 24 days before his Melbourne Cup triumph.

Wohler told the Racing Post Red Cardinal has done well since his Belmont Gold Cup success.

"The Prix Kergorlay at Deauville will be his last race in Europe and he's in great shape. Australia is a long way ahead, but that's his main target," Wohler said.

"The plan is to have a prep race in the Herbert Power. He's been fine since America and keeps improving; he hasn't raced much."