Melbourne Cup hope Red Verdon will sport some headwear in a track gallop at Werribee with the view to a gear change for Flemington.

The international raider is set to wear winkers in Thursday's hit-out before a final decision will be made in consultation with trainer Ed Dunlop who is due in Melbourne on Friday.

Dunlop's travelling foreman Robin Trevor-Jones said he believes the stayer needs headgear in a bid to make him concentrate.

"After he works a decision will be made whether he'll run in winkers, blinkers or nothing on his head," Trevor-Jones said.

"He doesn't need them in the early part of the race but he just wanders around in the later stages of the race when you want him doing his best work."

Trevor-Jones said Red Verdon has trained on well from his 11th placing in the Caulfield Cup where the stayer was locked away on the fence in a slowly run race.

"Everything went wrong that could have gone wrong which was annoying," Trevor-Jones said.

"I personally thought he'd go very close in that race but that's gone so let's not be whingeing about that.

"We've got the Melbourne Cup to prepare for and all things are going well at the moment.

"The bloods from him are telling us he's in good form, he's basically ready now."

Damien Oliver has been booked to ride Red Verdon replacing Zac Purton who rode the stayer at Caulfield.

Oliver is scheduled to ride Red Verdon in Thursday's workout but knocked his left ankle aboard Lucky Fish leaving the mounting yard before the final race at Bendigo on Wednesday.

He needed assistance and had his foot bandaged.